Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-09-27
The COMPANIES MONEY

"Good-by, old fellow, good-by. I
trust you will have good voyage, if you
must start in such beastly weather." l
said, as l shook hands with Hugh Grey
ham, the truest friend | have in the
world, and saw him 20 out into storm
and night He was to take the steamer
early the next morning for Liverpool,
and felt Il little uneasy at his going in
the worst days of severe February.
My wife drew up her chair close by mine,
lighted my pipe, and said: s'Now,
George, that he has gone, suppose You
tell me that little yarn you promised.
about the time you and Hugh had such a
quarrel"
All right, said, it was this way.
You know what sort of man my father
was, Ellcn-hard, cold money loving.
blgotcd. One naturally wants to speak
of ones parents with reverence when
they are lying in their graves, but-well,
let that pass. l did not love my father,
simply because did not-so we'll lust
leave the matter there. My mother died
the day was born, SO of her 1 knew alb
solutely nothing. A few years after her
death my father married again. Do YOU
know that people have habit of speak
ing disparagingly OF stepmothcrs? 1 can
not understand it, Mine was an ANGEL
She was fair, stout woman, and some
times, even now, l covct the rest and
peace | used to feel with my poor little
head laid on her bosom, with her soft
arms about me. God bless her forever !!
Many u cold night when my relentless
father for some triilc has sent me up to
my bleak room supperess to bed has this
sweet woman stolen after me, and fold
ing me IN her warm arms has sung me to
sleep. She loved me sincerely, poor
haplcss boy that was! l think l adorct;
her.
Well, she made my father educate inc
and give me my training in pharmacy
so when he died was twenty-five years
old and . drug clerk on very small sal
airy. My father was supposed to be not
rich, but very comfortable And so he
was, but on reading his will we found
the bulk Of his property given to charity
myself entirely ignored and my sweet
mother left Il paltry $1,000 to rccompensc
her for more than a score of faithful
years with him! Well. she didn't com
plAin-Iot she; she only said:
"GcorSie, dear, we'll take our seven
Thousand and fight our way through life
together"
We moved to city further south. l
bought out a business il poor part OF
the town and went to work. Tie city
grew gradually toward us and you know
the rest. l p:ospercd always and we
were very happy. We lived just Tor eacn
other and she managed Our modest home.
1t was 4 homo with an angel in it, and
again shy, God bless her.
Ate: had been in business about five
years | met Hugh Grcyham He is M
Englishman, You know, and had come to
this country to look after some invest
mcnt made i'll real estate by syndicate
in London. liked him from the first
and mother and he bccnmc the best OF
friends. He often left his elegant hotel
to speTd week with lis and declared he
was happier there than anywhere else.
In the fall of 'S6 he was making lis Just
such a visit, and one night we all three
sat up very late talking. 1 was in cs-
pecially good spirits because had in my
cash box clean $4,000 to take to the
bank the next day. Hugh had also in his
pockctbook $500, but rs he said, he was
''not feeling" so awfuily good, rs it be-
longed to his company and not to him.
self. | remember about one o'clock
mother drove us Off to bed.
The next morning was aroused out
of a deep sleep by Hugh. He looked
anxious and excited.
"'Why, what is the matter, old boy?''
1 asked, hardly awake.
"Georgc l have been robbed in the
night--my hunting watch is gone, and,
God help me, the company's money too'
&C Gracious heavens!" was all I coulc
soy as sprangup and got into my clothe:
with all possible dispatch.
Well, as you may imagine, we wen
into an exhaustive search-upstairs and
down-cverywhcre Then we called il
the police. Not trace-not a track
could we find. Window locks, dool
locks, all unframed. What could il
mean2 Four days we devoted our best
energies to this affair, and at the end o.
that time was as far off as ever.
On the fourth night / had splitting
neadache and mad TO go to bed, but Hugh
and mother sat up later, as usual. Tht
next morning went down to breakfast
feeling much better and eager to bcgi:
search again. Mother and Hugh were al
the table. I kissed her as usual and said
a hearty ''good morning" to him. HI
nodded slightly and Immediately got u,
and went out. looked at mother for III
explanation. Her eyes were full Of tear.
and her whole expression was unuttcr.
ably sad.
"Alother," I said, "don't be so dis
tressed. We must find Hugh's things
Don't give up"
eve have found them, George, !" she
said very sadly.
"You have" I exclaimed. edo tel
me where, where2''
"oh," she said, 81 found them lat,