Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-06-21

SNSi. luSH lIleS hHOtN S'lW tnIC tnc
wandcrer was neither old nor plain,
though suffering had sharpcncd her feat
lures and wasted her figure. Miss Rhoda
took of the wet and ragged hood, and
masses of dark curly hair uncoicd them
selves and feel to the woman's waist.
AS she brought the cup Of tea and
plate of toast to the side OF the sofa she
said kindly:
Eat and drink, my dcar-so provi-
dental that these were all ready, you see
then tell me your trouble, and how
can help you out of it,"
The sympathetic voice brought tears 10
the dry eyes.
Ono ono can help me. am not
wicked, but hcart-1rokcn, and there is
no rest or comfort this side the grave"
She told her story in the intervals of
eating and drinking, and her listener felt
that she was speaking thc truth.
She had been u wife aud mother, but
one day her husband, in u fit of drunken
fury, had struck her scusclcsS to the floor,
and when she came TO herself she found
that he mad gone, taking their child, her
very idol, Il little girl three years old.
For two years she had wandered vainly
from city to village, from VILLAGE 20 city,
in search of her little Elsie Sometimes
she nearly starved. Often she grew SO
hopeless rs to almost yield to the tcmpta-
ton TO take her own life, but The thought
of little Elsie left TO her fate in The hands
of brutal father ncrvcd her 10 more
desperate efforts.
Willie her strange guest slept that night
ON the chintz sofa, Miss Rhoda was re-
volvins plans in her wakclul brain. She
went down stairs early next morning to
hold Il conference with Savilla, and dis
covered that the pilgrim Cinstcad of max
ing of i'll the night with the spoons) had
found her way To the Kitchen, and was
helping with the breakfast preparations.
S,villa had provided her with toilet IA
cilitics. and her dark hair was neatly
brushed and braided around her we'll
shaped head.
"Whcn Cousin Palmyra Henderson and
little Love come next week we shall want
extra help, Savilla, ch?" said Miss Rhoda.
when the woman had gone into the next
room to fold the quilts under which she
had slept.
eyes, Miss Rhody," said The plump.
rosy hnndmaidcn, briskly stirring her
battcr-cakcs.
'Shc seems handy-and neat. too.
SaviIla."
"rhat's true, Miss Rhody-and anxious
TO help
"her Miss Rhoda proposed to The
woman to stay with them Il few weeks.
and get properly nourishcd and clothed.
besides earning Il small sum of money.
the grateful creature could only wrcp
her thanks. Palmyra Henderson and her
little daughter came n few days laicr.an
Louise Morgan Qor So the stranger called
hcrsciO attached herself from the first 10
little Love with Il clin9ing. passionate
tenderness.
Love henderson was one Of tho,c
angelic children, beautiful To behold and
still more beautiful tn know. Her larnc
bluc eyes mirrored only sweet AM, lovely
Thoughts, and the gold of her lon..,
heavy curls was moi more precious and
shining than the golden impulses of her
pure, true little heart.
She returned I.ouisc's devotion ardcnily.
and when The day Of parting came, sobbcd
and would not be comfortcd.
"My Wccsic must do wiz us. mamma
iani live wiyout my Wccsic, and she
chung to Louise, whose tears fell fast on
on ihc golden head nesting within her
arms. The journey was delayed an hour
that Louise might prepare to acccompany
them. The two kindly women. Rhoda
and Palmyra, achcd with sympathy for
this robbed and agonizcd mother, and
would not gr,dgc her the one drop of
comfort in her bitter cup Moreover
the llendcrSons lived in a thriving town
on the line of travel, and fate might
throw some stray crumb of information
in Louisc's way, even before she was
ready to go upon her search again.
She had been with the lIcndcrsons
several wceks-spring had come, and she
ielt anxious to be looking FOR Elsie again.
The chance to show maternal care and
tenderness to little Love had made n ncw
creature of her, and Palmyra found her
"a perfect treasure" in all the dcnart
mcntS of her wcll-ordercd housekeeping.
''lf fate would only bring her child 10
our door, Louise need never leave us,
said Palmyra to her husband. '.Shc re-
lievcs me Of so much care that | am ac
tually growing year younger every dny.
Gilbert
"And So" said Gilbert, with humor-
ous twinkle in his kindly eyes, ..;,s you
are now thirty, at the end of the year
you will be three hundred and thirty
five years less than zero. don't know
that | care TO have you quite such "a
vanishing quantiiyr"
One beautiful day, Love was standing
at the garden gate, enjoying the early
flowers and piece of gingerbread at the
same time. Even angelic children must