Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-05-09
KETURAH'S OMEN.

81 am going to Burdctt tonight,
john, she said, dcclsivcly. 81 gather
from this that Mary must be quite sick"
''Ics, think myself that's what you'd
better do, mother" answered Farmer
Tottcn.
Ruth looked up from her stocking
basket "1t is such long drive 10 Bur
dctt" she said, glancmg, with look of
concern, at her mothers tired face at
seems too bad to have you 90 tonight,
smother"
sob, wasn't thinking of that. 1t
bothcrs me most to think OF leaving
'Turall and you here alone all night
though really there is no danger. Is
Siias coming up, 'Turah!'
mo, he amt !" came sharply and curt
~ from the pantry. Any mention of
Silas always vcXcd Kcturah
''Well, then, Ruth, I'll stop in at the
Maywoods and ask the girls to come up
aud stay all night with YOU There arc
three oil them, and you can pop corn and
boil candy and have Il. regular frolic.
Fhatll take the edge of your loneliness.
Now pa, you go out aud hitch up, and
I'll he ready ill a few minutes
Left alone, Ruth drew closer TO the
FIR" and resumed her ,larning The furni-
turc cast shadows over the yellow painted
floor Taddy executed series or noise
less yawns, which made him look more
like griffin than IL cat. Through the
window long bar OF deep orange light
was fading slowly on the distant horizon.
The clock-ticks became peculiarly dis
tinct.
i'uth's needle stopped its swift wcav-
ing, aud she stared drcamily into corner.
a noise III the buttcry startled her. Ii
was only keturah putting up the milk
pans, but something in the vigorous cla;-
ter bespoke unusual agitation OH the part
OF that eccentric handmade.
At length the buttcry door opened,
AMI kcturah appeared OH the threshold
Her long, sallow face wore Il particularly
morose aspect, and the glance she cast on
Ruth avas portcnto,is
II don't like it. your ma talsin this
trip tonight"
''Why, 'Turah:''
"Wcll, while | was a-milkin' I see
seven crows llyin' up from Seneca, and.
TO begin with, that's bad number
Then, 20 make it more sartiu, they flew
in zigzag across this house, and that
arSuhcs that something unfortunate is
bound 10 happen here Tonight
The silence seemed 10 grow deeper.
and Ruth stirred uncasily in her chair.
Nonsense, 'Turah! Seven crows tiy
ING up from the lake are not ut all I'M
usual. 1don't believe in your signs"
swell, you haint lived as long rs me.
an seen as many of EN- come true. The
very night my father died my mother see
the white horse pccrn' in mt the
winder, waitin' to carry him off,
Rnth's involuntary glance out into the
gathering darkness was not lost OH Kc
turah
And the night my Uncle Eph died
the clock threw the shaddcr of a coffin
two hours before any of EN- expected
him to die. And the day before Aunt
Sallic died all her bees swarmcd and left
their hives, and hung for nearly five
minutes i'll front of her bedroom windor
before they left the farm. It's plain to
sec. Ruth, we hain't had the proper ex-
pcriencc in signs to ledge of en-.
But the greatest sign of all /" Keturah
continued, beginning to lay the supper
table, twas when Hnnk LOOMS died over
to Sugar Hill. Ever hear of that! We
han't? We'll, wondcr!"
''Ilank was turfiblr sinner. lie lust
drinked himself straight to the edge of
the grave, and the summer afternoon he
laid a-strugglin' with death Deacon
Brown urged him to repent, but he
wouldn't. Says he, 'I'll die rs I've lived.
an you git outn
'"Thrce o'clock in the afternoon the hall
door stood open. an it was so hot the
doorynrd flowers Topped over on their
stems and hung still. Suddenly there
come sound like IL long, cold blast of
wind. Everybody felt the icy chill. 1t
howled unairthly, an the dic-away moan
made them shredder down their spines.
Follerin' it came three soundin' raos on
the brass knockcr. They were awful.
"Hank's sister Bclindy, she crep' out
aud peeked over the bannistcrs, an' there
was the hall empty, an not livin' soul
i'll sight high or low. Jest then Hank
give gasp an groan, an up an died.
Want to go down sullar with me for the
victuals?"
Ruth hestated and shivercd.
Eyes. I'll go, 'Turah, but don't want
TO hear of another omen tonight. Pm
getting nervous" ~
The cellar was dark and gloomy. Ruth
held the lamp while Kcturah took down
the necessary ediblcs from the swinging
shelf. The return to the warm, cosy
kitchen was exceedingly pleasant. Ruth
ate her supper sitting opposite Kcturah,
and specializing on the nature of omcns
i'll general, while Keturah discourscd
volubly of her wonderful ''knsck for pre-
II
"And l feel sure" she declared, over
her fourth cup of tea, "that them crows
meant trouble here tonight"
The sound Of wheels and voices out.
side gave quick, bright turn to affairs.
Belle, Kitty and Grace Haywood came
into the kitchen, trimming over
with merriment, and bringing Joyous
with them.