Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-03-07
BURGLARS.
By MARY KYLE DALLAS.

"Now, sec mere, '" said Deacon Farley
to his two daughters, CEILINGS kinder
looks rs ef wouldn't be home tonight,
and there's all them contributions for the
yallcr-fcvcr sufferers up chamber in the
rcd closet Oarnation fool i WAS to take
Charge OF 'cm D. There is about two
thousand dollars altogether, and that's
enough 10 tempt thieves. IF your ma
was to hun, / wouldn't feel skecrcd.
She's Il woman OF sense and experience,
but Sarcy Ann had to hcv her twins lust
'oa this periicklcr occasion, and there is
Your ma of for Il week."
''Why, pa, nobody knows the money is
here cried the second daughter, Kitty.
"Thcy'd bc more likely to expect to find
it at the store in the safe
"That's Jest why fetched il up" said
the deacon. 81 hev got TO produce it up
to the church mcetin' to-morrcr and I'd
feel purity Gurus cf l had to go and say
'twus stolc-and them boys is so long
tongucd and gabby. Can't sell pound
of flour without tcllin' all creation all
they know. So l led them to believe I'd
put it in the safe, and made lot of fuss
about their lockin' up kcerful, aud mean
while hum fetched it."
swell, that was cute said Kitty.
tsLeavc pa alone for fixing things. :"
said Matte.
The two girls were remarkably fond
of their father, and believed him the
wiscst of men. AS he got ready for his
journey, they lowered about him, bring
ing him his gloves, tying his Sunday
cravat, putting little daintics in his
travelling bag, filling small bottle with
lemonade, in case he should grow
thirsty, parting his hair so that the bald
spot on ton wouldn't show. and listening
to his counsel.
''Ef 1 amt to hum, said he, "you'll
find the rife and the pistol both loaded
but guess the bolts and bars Oh this
here house is all good. You jest see to
them, and it's all right. Fasten up
early. Don't go away nowhere, and see
you don't let no beggars in"
All OF which the girls solcmnly
promised, and kissing their father,
waved their kerchicfs from the porch
until he vanished at the turning OF the
road that led to the station.
Usually the Farley farmhouse boastcd
both Il maid and man. But it so hap
pencd that the last man had fallen in love
with ike rosy checked "hclp,' and that
they had married and departed together
only the day before. The new servants
had not yet arrived, and the farm was in
lonely place, and the mother-as the
deacon had said-wns at her daughters
where two little ''strangcrs'' had arrived
together.
Still the girls, healthy, merry, and not
at all imaginative felt no alarm. They
went to work with will to tidy the
house. They had a pickup dinner in the
kitchen, and they took their crochet
IN the afternoon.
"I'll get Tea, Kitty" said Matte, rs
the sun began to set. 81 know you want
to finish that blue row."
And Kitty answered:
''Yes, should like to, Matte, if YOU
don't mind"
However, when Matte had gone
kitchcnward it occurred TO Kitty tina,
there might be letter ut the postofficc
for her. The young druggist spoken of
In the neighborhood as "litty Parley's
steady company" lived in New York,
and Il missivc was to be expected from
him at any moment. Therefore Kitty
thought that she would run over to the
ofhce while Matte was making tea. So
she caught up her shade hat and started
OH down the lane, taking a short cut
over the meadows. Matte at the same
time having put ON the kettle, believed
chat she could just step in to the next
.neighbor's and get some patterns she had
been promised before tho water bubbled.
The neighbor's back door was only across
two vegetable gardens, and Matte did
not need a-hat, for the sun was quite
gene. Away she went, with her light
step and quick movements, never guessing
that her sister had left her post So it
came to pass that the house was deserted
for the space of an hour; fer when Kitty
got to the Office the mail was Just IN;
the letters had yet to be sorted, and
while she was waiting for this to be done,
ancld friend stepped out of wagon at the
door. Of course, there was long chat,
for Mrs. Jones had to tell of deaths and
marriages, of an elopement, of the
"doings" of the evil-disposed and the
good luck of her son Billy, who had
gone to California and made little for
tune in Los Angeles in no time. While
at the ncighbor's the pattern was hard to
find, and then Matte had to learn Just
how to match the notches, and then it
was not civil to go without little talk,
aud there was confidence orly to be
impaired at the gate, regarding a certain
John, who was paying attention to the
young lady of the house. Time flies so