Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-05-09
Sophy's Transgression.
by MARY L. FARsswonru.

t'"Siy Sidspcu over the carved Knob
upon its top.
she was small rosy damscl of eighteen.
WITH luXuriant brown hair, eyes of the
Velve'y brown that you sea in ripe
chestnut that has just burst its burr, and
bright complexion, none the worse for
a lew touches of healthy sunburn. And
her dress, though only OF shilling calico,
was tGstefully made, and she wore a
'"butterfly bow" of rose-coored ribbon
at her collar, and Il carminc- blossomcd
clove-pinll in her hair.
Uncle Joshua shook his head oravcly.
"Child," said he, ''you know, before
hand, what my answer will bc!''
but, uncle, all the Bates girls are
.goingl'
well, let them 50. I'm not response
'bic Tor Siah Batcs's girls But am for
you, and don't approve of these balls
NOW cont tease me any more. When
I've said no, no it shall be-
And Sophy Allcrton went back 10 strain
the nights milking into the row OF glitter
ing milk pans that stood on the snowy
'buttery shelves, with eyes too full of re-
bellious tears 10 sec what she was about.
Uncle Joshua Hale and his niece lived
under the buttcrnut trees. Uncle Joshua
was siXty-ycar old bachelor, vino passed
his time alternately between bed and
Chair, helpless paralytic, so far us his
lower limbs were concerned. But, us he
was wont hopefully to observe, he wasn't
paral yzcd at the top, and by the aid of IL
sturdy man ofall-work, who came before
daylight, and went home at night, when
the chickens climbed their roosts, the
farm progressed bravcly.
II amt miser, said Uncle Joshua.
"but kind o want to leave n little suth
IN to my sisters orphan child. Sophy
amt one to rough it much, and | mean
she shall be provided for when I'm
gone
Uncle Joshua took up his paper and
began to unfold its columns as Sophy
crcpt spirtlessly away
sit goes to my heart to thwart her, ="
said he, 'but faint right to let her get
INTO the way of running TO such places
a girl rs Is all alone in the world, like
my Sophy, poor lamb, can't be too care
full. She'll pout little ut iirst-it's only
natural she should-and then she'll see
that her old uncle was i'll the right Of it,
after ALI"
In the meanwhile, Sophy was sitting
on the back Kitchen door-sll, listenins
to Il whip-poor-wll repeating its plain
tive refrain on the edge OF the maple
swamp below, and Watching, rs we'll as
she could through her tears, great
goldcn star lft its shield through the
purple oil the midsummer horizon.
When, ;ll of :: sudden, Obadiah Car
stairs, the hired man, came upon her
like shirt sleeve vision-for no mortal
ever saw Obadiah with coat ON between
hc.months of April and November.
Give fetched ii ham up from the
smoke house." said he; '.and Squire
Martin is Soin' to lemmc hcv forc-nuar-
ter OF lamb for Wednesday"
Eyes, " said Sophy. listlcssly, sits all
right, dare say"
Bat instead of going into the house to
help Uncle Joshua to bed. rs Sophy cX-
pcctcd he would, Obadiah shifted him
self from one leg to the other, like II
mcditaiive fowl
"Goin' to be great doin's down to
Swamp Basin, | hear said he. TO
morrcr night. aint it!"
81 believe so" Sophy answered.
"iourc goin', I SUPPOSE"
81 don't know why you should sup
pose so,' retoried 'Sophy, somew;at
tartly
"Well, I YUM" said Obadiah. "You
amt a-goin'. then: There's to be tew
fiddles and Il cornet and Squire DECKER
mans old barn is filled up with flags and
evergrccns and pink cambria fcs;oons so
as We wouldn't know it: and hundred
candles, all IL burnin at oncc!"
"Unclc Joshua don't approve OF suci,
things" sighed Sophy.
CAN Tie young folks is goin',' per-
sisted her jobs comforter. sold man
thinks dreadful sight of you. should
s'pose he'd let you go!'
"Wcll, he won't, then, and there's no
use talking any more about it." said
Sophy, rising and going back into the
house, with some manifestation of temper.
"Well, vum!" again repeated Obadiah
Carstairs, looking hard at the big golden
star.
Not more consolatory was Lizzie Lark
spur, the pretty daughter of the nearest
neighbor, two good miles away, when
she came the next day to borrow Sophys
pattern for lace fichu
"Not going!" said Lizzie. "Whv.
everybody will be there. Albert Bates
and Mark Lennard, and-dcar me, Sophy,
what does make your uncle so cranky?"
81 don't know, I'm surcl' said Sophy,
despondcntly.
"Look here" cried Lizzie, lowering,
her voice to n myste,i ous whisper,
there's no earthly reason you should STAY,
at home, unless you please, Sophy Aller-
tor!'
81 don't understand what you mean,
Lizzie!'
doesn't your uncle Joshua always re-
tire at eight o'clock9"
"Of course he does. What of that?n
"Why, how on earth can he know
where you are, when he is asleep and
dreaming? Slip quietly out on the sly.