Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-02-28

guest. go - -
Most Of the guests arrived at the same
time, SO that within half an hour the
parlors were filled. A stiffness hung
over this assemblagc of old neighbors and
acquaintance, which turned into astonish-
ment when Miss Appleby bobbed into
the room.
She was an odd figure, clad in rusty
black dress, with a scarlet silk handker-
chief across her shoulders and large
bunch of SALIVA, very much askow, over
one ear. To complete this strange holt
day gear she had two enormous bottles
dangling clumsily from each side, and
bore under one arm, true to Aunt Huldah's
prophecy, large cotton flannel giraffe
dcckcd out in ink-spots rs large as ten
cent pieces, while chicken bone artfuliy
fastened on, graced its nondcscript head.
Bowling to the company, .shc placed
her gift on the table, where it carecncd
backward on abnormally thick legs in
tragic attitude, and then she looked
around the silent room for her hostess.
Aunt Hudah was absent. Hearing no
welcoming word or invitation, the old
lady shrank back timdly, and her hands
tuttered up and down her dress Mile
had been hiding her smiles behind fan,
but at the sight OF the nervous, disturbed
glance she went impulsivcly to the
rescue.
"Dcar Miss Applcby, grandma will be
so glad you came! Take this chair. |
suppose you knew Miss Appleby, ladies
and gentlemen
There were friendly mods and muir
murs now in response to Miss Applcby's
queer curtsys, as pretty Milliccnt placed
her gently in chair and chattcd kindly
with her.
Aunt Hultlah and Uncle job were to
be addressed after the fashion of the old
service by the minister. 81 want to stand
us we did long ago." said Aunt IIuldah,
''when we had no idea of life; and 1
want to realize the socmncss of it,"
So now they camc into the room hand
in hand, both heads silver gray and both
hearts quietly happy. The second ser
vice had all the solcmnity of II first ccrc-
mony about il, aud the minister's re-
marks were very felicitous. AS his voice
ceased and n rustlng silence succeeded
it, suddenly Miss Applcby lifted her
head, shifted audibly and dashed from
the room. pausing ut the foot of the
staircase and then darting up it like
squirrel.
Every eye in the room followed her in
ama2cmcnt. and Aunt Iuldah looked
shocked and vcxcd. Instantly, upstairs,
there was the noise OF Il downfall and
then terrific crash. Nlillic and her
grandfather ran upstairs, and the entire
company strcamod after them.
In the middle of the best bedroom
Stood Miss AppIcby, calmly untying the
necks of the two great bottles from the
string tina; fastened them to her waist.
Tho main part Of them lay Oh the floor,
shivercd into fragments on the smoking
ruins OF Milliccnt's lace dress and one
bed curtain, hastily wrcnchcd down.
eat takes me to smell smoke" she said,
noddiug sagcly at the horrifcd people
crowiing into the door. az mortally
fear fire an always go TO big asscmblages
with my two hand grcnadcs somewhere
abolt me; that is. ever since l was burnt
out o house and home three year ago.
1t must "a been Il candle left burnin', an
il topped over somehow. La, it's out
now Don't look so white, Mis- Sattcr-
lee. Half Il bed curtain an II grimcrac.l
dress amt much to loscl an that's really
all that happened"
Alillicent's sorrow over her dress, half
nonsense, half-carnest, made every one
laugh, and under cover of this laughter
Aunt Huldah thanked Miss Applcby with
heartfelt carnestness.
1t now was easy for the sly, queer old
lady to get acquainted with the company.
rs tnclc job took her to supper on his
arm, she was happier than she had been
for many a long day. Hearty invitations
to two quilting parties and Il husking
froic were accepted with pleasure
which admitted no remembrance of for
ner neglect. She danced i'll the Virginia
reel, and finally went home scrcnely
happy on Uncle Jobs arm, with the mem
DRY of kind words and the girls warm
kisses to cheer her solitary hours.
When the last guest had departed Mil
liccnt and IIetty slipped into the parlor.
Their grandmother was surveying the
giraffe with dubious admiration Oh her
face.
"What do you think of it, grandna?"
asked lGctty
Il think" said grandma, seriously,
'that it's turrible-lookin' beast an no
| mistake; but it's goin to stay right here
in this parlor for Il remindcr-you girls
needn't ask jest what-of your grand
fnthcr's wisdom. My Job has head an
an heart to match each other, an that's
an uncommon thing nowadays"
The giraffe was induced to stand Up.
right on II little table in corner, and now
when Miss Applcby, who is welcome
visitor, runs over to Aunt Iiuldah's to
spend the afternoon, she always takes a
sly peep into the parlor to gaze rcvcrcntlyi
n that artistic creation of her fertile brain
which has come to such high honor. She
secretly thinks that it is the most bcauti-
fu! ornament III the house. YOUTHS Com
panion.
Lifting by Arithmetic.
| Civil engineers are mostly common