Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-09-27
last night whero thc-the- careless person
i,llIst harn flrnr,nnd tl,n,,, ., -.

little hurt Mt her want of condolences
but went TO work and tried to forget
it all.
Later in the day learned that Hugh.
had gone West without q word of fare
we'll.
And now followed tho most unhappy.
weeks OF my life. My dear mother was
entirely kind and gentle with me; even,
perhaps, more aifectionate than usual.
But there was something between us.
could not tell what, but something. And
She! the most CHEEKY brightest woman in
the world-shc seemed utterly oppressed
with sorrow. My heart achcd over it all,
but what could do? Lo, the weeks went
on, gloomy enough, and two months had
passed when was startled out of my sad
ness by sudden misfortune which oc-'
Cured to myself.
had drawn $1,000 from the bank to
pay bill for drugs, and for the night
placed it for safe Keeping in small cscri-
toirc in my bedroom, of which l always
kept the key in my vest pocket. (You
see, little lady, in those days 1 was II
spoony fellow, and this was the sacred
depository of your letters.)
On going to tho cscritoirc the next
morning l found it securely locked, but
on opening it the money was missing.
Tho house had been robbed IL second
time.
l ran to the breakfast room with my
bad news, and there sat my mother, with
the old bright, jolly look on her dear
face, looking perfectly happy and con-
tented. i was delighted to find the sad,
ness and gloom gone, but alas | must tell.
my dircful news.
"Mother," l said, ''mother, I've been
robbed! My money (you saw Inc put it
away last night, didn't you0 is all gone!'.
thought she would utter an exclamu-:
ton OF distress, or surprise at least, but
what did this unnccountablc woman do?
She got up, led me to the sofa and pulled
my head down on her broad shoulder, as
she had done n hundred times in my child
hood days, and kissed my forehead and
eyes, and then, with n sort of tender
humility, kissed my hand.
ooh, Georgia, my boy, my own boy"
she said, eve got a story to tell youi
Don't say one single word, only listen,,
my darling. Oh" she exclaimed sud.
denly, "thesc miserable, miserable, mis-;
cradle weeks, when l thought-but lett
Inc tell my tale. You know, dear, last
October Hugh lost his watch and money.
and we all tried so faithfully to find them. /
Well, l was worried nearly to death,
about it all. hardly slept an hour ut
night. On the fourth day, you rememi
Der, you received letter from Ellen, and
MS man was waiting to see you in the
4
Mother, please put her letter away for
me- | took the keys, but being myself
very busy at that moment, did not put
the letter in the desk just then; but that
night, after you retired unlocked the
little escritoirc, and there in your own.
most private drawer lay EIugh's watch,
and money. And he was standing near
and saw it, too. Georgia, dear, don't
say Il word, not word Just yet; hear it
all, my boy, before you open your lips. I
was stunned for a moment, then ! fell on
my knees ut Hugh's feet. l said: Have
mercy. Oh! please have mercy on my
poor boy, and he, looking so shocked
and sad, said: 'For your faithful sake,
dear madam, no one shall ever know this
but you and L.
"You know what followed, Georgia
how went about hcart-brolen, and all
day long, and all the long nights, the
horrible thought kept Dining in my
head: Your boy is thief! Your boy is
II thiefr and yet loved you Georgia, all
through, my boy-all through.
"Well, yesterday you had great deal
to do and were very tired in the evening.
After dinner told you to lie down and
rest. In two minutes you were fast asleep
l sat reading and occasionally looking at
you, thinking how profoundly you slept.
After a while, still with your eyes fast
closed and evidently fast asleep, you got
up and started out of the door. fol-
lowed. You went to your bedroom, un-
locked your escritoire, took out your
money, went down to the next floor and,
without stopping, on down into the
cellar. You know keep a few stores
there, ana had yesterday with your help
put in barrel of new apples. You
went to this, lifted the top, and most
carefully took out about dozen, then,
Just as carefully, put your roll of money
into the barrel and covered it again with
the apples. Then, very slowly, you
turned around, walked up the steps and
sitting room, lay down on the sofa and
resumed your nap as quietly as if nothing
had happened. Well, ran back, locked
the cellar door and took seat by your
side and cried my heart out for very Joy,
like the silly goose that am.
''1t was all explained now. You did
steal Hugh's watch and money, George,
but you did it ms unconsciously as If you
had been dead when it wns done. On!
this has been certainly the happiest morn
ing of MY life" and she began anew to
weep and laugh over me in the tenderest
and most absurd fashion.
"But, mother" said, "seeing is be-
lieving. Let's go and find the money"
We went. 1t was all there-just a
little soiled from cellar dust and apple
juice.
Well, mother wrote long letter to
Hugh, and he came and ate his Christ
mas dinner with us, and was almost as
glad and happy as mother was, but when
we went upstairs to bed he laughed and