Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-01-03
COUSIN JOHN.


At last it was settled that Mary Ar.
mold should visit her ''Censin john"
ms she call,i Prof. Baker,, a. man who
was posse sod of d comfostable income
and a fairlsEszta aatate. l1'6e profcs-
aor had ise5ias IS ard al is a con-
iirmc' diSssaobcsld5iS, and many were the
mothers who wished their dnuyh
would make as good match.
Mary had not seen tho professor since
she was Il girl of ~ and lie Young
man of "a. She did not take long to
make up hcr mind, her friend, Mrs.
Baker, the professors mother, having
invited her to make her visit. So
Mary went, chiefly to SEQ whether the
profess was of the marrying kind
With this highly commcndablc and
praiscworthy object in view, she made
her appearance, bag and baggage, at
his door, one sultry morning in August,
walking, unnnuouaccd, iu.o the room
where tha professor was sitting.
81 am your cousin, Mlry Arnold"
she said. in reply to the blank wonder
mcnt in the eyes that wcr, lifted to
hers. 81 didn't write to say 1 was
coming. because wanted to give YOU
a pleasant surprise"
Mary succeeded admirably, so far n,
the surprise was concerncd; its pleasant
nature was not so clearly apparent.
But h, was too kind hearted and too
much of gentleman TO treat his I'M
expected guest with any discourtcsy.
sob, yes, certainly" he stammcrcd.
"Pray make yourself entirely at home,
We-that is 10 say, my mother, will be
lie lighted"
Leaving his mother to entertain her.
the professor rctrcatcd 10 his study.
and Mary saw nothing more of him
until dinner.
In this way the days passed. So far
rs his guest was concerned, he was in
visible cxcopt at meal times. And cvcn
then he seldom spoke, scarcely looking
at her; when he did, very much al one
would look NJ blank wall.
But Mary was not easily banl.I. s &c
determined to "beard the lion in his
don," gong into his study ostcnsibly
Tor the sake of getting some reading.
However annoyed the professor might
DO Mt This inva'ion of his privacy, he
showed no token of it. lie assured her
that any and all his book, were at her
disposal, and then r.tirod behind Tie
huge folio ho was rca Ing when she
came in
After an infinite deal of trouble. Mary
selected her book and turned TO the
door
"What did you say, Cousin Johng'
Tho professor raised his wondcr,n q
Eyes to the smiling face of the speaker.
~ didn't say anything"
This was not Mary's last visit to the
professor 3 study 81 he came nearly every
day, on the same GRAND, asking the
same question and receiving the same
reply.
Mrs. Barker was so accustomed 10
her sons raclu'c habits that it never en-
tered into her mind that her younse
guest would consider his persistent
avoidance of her in the light of per
sonal aifront.
John is such a scholar" she would
say, ":ic takes 10 in;crcs. in aaything
but his books" ~r
Thus, one By one, the days slipped
by, bringing Mary nearer and nearer to
the time when she must resume her irk-
some school duties.
One morning she went into the pro-
cssor's study.
II have brought back the book bor-
rowod. AS am going tomorrow will
not take another"
The professor glanced up at her. II,
made no reply. Perhaps lie thought it
did not call for any.
"What did you say, cousin John2'
81 didn't say anything"