Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-03-21
WINNING A HUSBAND.
NJ VIRGINIA PAINE MADISON.

olS"Ny 'uiI1ic, ANU DuC lOt au occasional
spark from the pipe Of some passcr-by
all was darkness. Winter had begun in
real earnest, and the sound of the rain aud
the whistling of the wind sent a shivcr
through and through me.
had been standing at the window.
but turned away tired of the drcarv
aspect, seated myself at one end of the
hearth, threw stick of wood on the
andirons, and leaned back on nv chair
waiting for Aunt Bcss. The fire blazcd
and popped, sending warm, bright
glow over the carpet, wall and ceiling,
making the cheerful little room prettier
than ever. 1t wa. long before aunty
came hurrying in with pink-tippcd
nose, rain-besprinklcd face and her
bangs, which she had curlcd so nicely,
hanging straight and limp. She drew
her char nearer the fire and sat quietly
warming her hands.
"Aunty," said, ''will you please tell
me why, after all your losses and fights
with poverty during the war, you arc the
| only one of my aunts who married Il Yam
kcc?"
1t was the first time, no doubt, This
question had been asked in so direct Il
manner, and she looked up quickly, a
little surprised, gave me one of her sweet
smiles, fondlcd the broad gold band on
her finger, thought moment, then snid {:
"SIy dearic could answer your query in
three short words if I liked, and they
would tell you why married Yankee. >
But these all important words might 1t
prove satisfactory to a dear little maid
filled with loves young dream. Besides
the curtaimcnt would he so great that it
would destroy what to me is the sweetest
story ever knew. But then, every one S
romance is to them the dearest, isn't it
-.st?" And when she glanced u. ahyly
rom the corner of her eyes for an answer
just looked down and replied, ayes,
-'em," She reached over, gave my hand
| tender press, for my honest answer
and then began telling me why she had
linked her life with Yankee soldier.
"You know, dear, there were ever so
many of lis girls at home, and father
used to say sometimes, to tease us, that
he had good notion to put half of us in
sack along with other scraps and hand
it over to the first rag man that came our
way. But when he came in some nights
earlier than usual from the sugar house
&c always depended on us girls to enter
tlin him until bedtime. Many night
he came at eight o'clock, and after the
accustomed kisses went round he'd light
his pipe, get in isround arm chair, cross
his feet and say: Now, girls, I've the
blues again to night. This continual
talk of war wears me out. So get at antics
and didos and amuse me till Pm sleepy
Then if the war docs come and frees my
negroes, why I'll keep every one of you
ohoc corn, plant cane and dig potatoes.
Thatll be better than giving you to the
rag man..
When we looked up in his face and
saw besides his tender smile shadow of
sadness which lie had tried so hard to con-
ccal, we were inspired, rs it were, almost
mt once with hundred different devices
With which to dispel his melancholy. All
of us were some sort of musicians, at
least each one could play on a different
instrument and all sing little. After
reading awhile and discussing the merits
of tho subjects selected, father would
tell us some amusing incident of his young
days. Then we'd get Aunt Sue. who was
| black us SCOT, but 4 real nice old creature,
to come in and tell lis story She
knew n host of them, too, ard when she
| began VIC BECAME as mute rs mice until
she'd ended her story, then ten TO one if
not laughing in solid enjoyment, we'd
be, us father said, 'snifiling but even so
J we couldn't help it, for her stories were
| often so sad.
'iAftcr our snifflcs were dried our con
cert began. Each one of us sang and
played alone, then all chimed in together
Our pleasures was so thorough that we
never heard the click of the clock or
gave a thought to fleeting time. You
may be sure that Aunt Sue had her share
in the musicale, too. No undertaking
at home was quite complete without her
assistance. She knew the 1ucerest little
songs one ever heard, and when accom-
panied her on the banjo she was the
happiest old colored woman in South
| Louisiana.
"Ah, those were. happy, happy days
after cutting up our 'antics and didocs,
father would jump up from his chair and
exclaim BLESS my heart, girls; bless
| your souls! Here it is five minutes to
midnight and was going to bed at O..
Such another set of little imps [ never
saw. The idea of keeping fellow from
all his beauty sleep. My! My. Why,
girls, you'll make your old dad lose all
OF his roses You may be sure we re-
tired in high glce over our power'of sue
cess in entertaining father. Many times
ne came in at about 10 o'clock, kissed us
nll good evening" then kissed us over
again good night and went off to bed.
When the hour was thas late and we'd
beg him to stay with us just a minute,
he'd reply: 'Thanl you, dearies, but
can't stay just minute with you all.