Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-02-15

chlcKons woro stlll slowing away, emit
ting savory odors from under tho not
lid; but tho tablo was not spread, and
Chico was not There.
Chloe, Ind packed her little bag and
loft tho house.
Tho station agent arrived, as usual,
on tho stroke OF twelve, and to him,
Uncle Potor Proul conGdod his sor-
rows.
81 don't wonder" said Mr.. Crosson.
81 only wonder thnt sho had not run
away long ago."
'Tvo boon a father to her." whiucd
Uaclc Pctor.
"a tyrnnt, if you ploaac," said Cres-
son, Struggling his shoulders. "a
tyrant who rulod hcr with rod of iron
a ruthlc,s ovorsoer, who allowed her
neither rost no recreation. II this be
patcrnnl trcatmout-why, thon you arc
right"
"Eha" guspcd Unclo Potter, as lie
slowly ladlod out tho chicken stow.
$50 you and sho'vo cooked it up to-
gothor, havo you2"
IL bog your pardon" said tho station
agent, with freezing poitonoss. "You
aro entirely mistaken. did not know
that Chloe thought of leaving homo;
nor do know where sho is. And II
you arc going to mako any moro such
conjccturos, l shall go elsewhere to
board"
Don't do thatT gnspod Unclo Potter
overwhelmed at tho proposal of losing
paying boardcr-"d ont think o no
such thing, Mr.. Crosson. didn't mean
no harm; l won't do it ag'in. Tho
fowls very nice. and I amt no bad
hand ut cookln' myself. We'll get
along somehow, uatil Chico comos
back. 'Twon't DO long, guess"
But tho days passed on aud Chi 90
did not return.
Uaclo Potter Proul's faco grew longer
with oyory sottiug sun. Ho began at
last to roalizo what ho had lost in tho
willing, handy young drudge who had
boon at his beck and call for so MANY
years.
Tho coarse handed maids whom no
hircd only made matters worse, and ho
wrung his hands over thoir lack of
economy and pitoous misman ago mont of
affairs.
But tho worst of all was yet to como.
lilo cropt down stairs. one day, with an
ashon face.
MY money!" no gaspod "my
money! Iput it. for safo keeping, in
tho pocket of that old bombazino gown
o Widow salisbury's, that I gavo
Chico, from tho auction. And it.
gonol She took itsgwa.y With her thinga;
and l dunno where swiiy: a bill that
"Was it muchf" saiu>ue relief to
agent. N-noibereI
"a hundred dollarsl" said Mr.. Proxy
SIN ono clean, new bill. 4 hun -dy,ed
dollarsi"
Don't fret yourself" said Mr.. Cros.
son. Il heard, yesterday, that Chico
was helping Mrs. Mason with tho
bakery that shc has oponed in Uaion-
villo, TWO stations further up the line.
can easily got word to hor tomor-
row."
But instead of sonding word by tho
exprcss-ngont on tho tram, Mr.. Cresson
loft his duties in charge of tho freight
master, and won't to Union willie him.
self.
"That old dross" cried Chloe. "Whv,
l gave it to Grandmother Mason, yestor-
day, to mako into wadded chair
cushion. 1t was fit for nothing oIsc."
Pocket and all7" sal / Mr.. Crossop.
Eyes, pocket and all" nodded Chloe.
But FIJI go and got it at once"
Grandmother Mason, fortunately, had
not as yet put scissors in hor new in
horitancc, and the crisp bill was folded
safely away in tho pocket of tho dc.
lapidated bombazino gown, just whore
MIR. Proul had stored it.
o"eio otcr very lOnoS0mcf' SaiQ
Chloe, wistfully.
mo moro than no deserves to be-"
said tho station agent. "Bet,ey Brook
has burned hole through the bottom
OF tho now wash boilor, and Ed IA Jonos
flung out silver spoon to the pigs
yesterday"
you ought not to laughr' appealed
Chloe.
"Eo. know I oughtn't TO-" said Mr..
oresaon, 'but can't holp it. Did
tell you that ho wants you to come
back"
Il don't know but that it ia my duty
to do So" said Chico. twining and in
tortwining her fingers together.
My dear little Chloe, that's all non.
sonsop said Mr. Crosson. "Hasn't ho
ground you deeply enough into the
earth already3"
t'Ye-o3. but-p