Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-08-15
THE WEDDING GIFT.

other wedding gift, ! am sure. | won
der what 1T is and from whom it can be-"
"a Angelica !clasped her hands, and
looked so unutterabiy happy that my cup
OF Joy was full 10 the brlm. Who would
be more cxultant than we two2 It was
tiAttFst week after our wedding, and we
had Just returned to our coy nest mt
ll59 North Three Hundred aud Seventy
thrd street, in the famous city Of Cos
morolis.
Another wedding gift! My ardent
fancy rapidly evolved its hidden
possibilities, from II dainty fruit knife to
a cnaste spoon, from an elaborate can.
'deiahrum to Nh cid-fashoued pair of
tonSs. What could it bel
ut may be Il parasol for me-" said
Angelica, eying tke package affection
"or an umbrella Tor me- I rejoined,
with Il qmzzcal look.
cor aroll OF silk, my DEAR" she haz-
arded
''Or bootjack, my love-" replied.
Selling my knife and preparing 10 cut
the string. u ft'ttli ~ S.s.s i
Ut mas taken long time to come, any.
way, she added. "a whole week"
You forget, sweetheart, that it came
by O district messeEger'boy;n and with g
laugh opened the package, when an
other box aud n letter were disclosed to
view
We both .grasped the letter, and al
lowed the package to glide to the floor
Angelica r exclaimed, in my most
positive tones, 81 recognize the hand
writing. 1t is-it is Uncle John's!"
.'Oh, how nice the dear, sweet old
man. So gentle, is he not, John?s Ial-
ways snid i would love him for your
sake" And she gave me one of her
brightest glapccs.
~ <..Veil, my love, he is gentle Great
IRE, 10 DC sure; but-7-but ne is decidedly
eccentric. Anyway, l am glad that he
has thought of us, even at this late date.
i was always led to believe that was his
favorite nephew"
"Of course he couldn't help loving
you best of all; l couldn't, could /,
John?"
"No, indeed, little mink. You couldn't,
you wouldn't and you shouldn't" re-
sponded with fervor, and then read aloud
his letter:
DEAR OH Boy-I am overioyed to hca,
Oh your marriage, api regret that n villain
Gus attack OF govt prevented my attendance
at the ceremony. hear that your wife is
aii that is gentle and good. Happy fellow
haEe known YOu SO long and Intimately
that heartily rejoice at your good fortune.
10 come up with her to see me when the
first glow of the honeymoon is over. Near
while beg OF You TO accept the accompany
ing as the most fitting yift could thin; of
presenting to you both. It has virtues more
valuable Than hne solo, and its powers, pre-
served and strengthened through the ;,.res
have MI efficacy little dreamed of by mortal
man. Guardit, and twill guard you. Treas
ure 1t as your homes hottest phylactery. It
VIII be an infa!lible record Of your affection,
dial o. love which never needs regulation;
force
In the fond hope that you will prize it for
my sake and your own, Aifectionate.y,
JOHN CRUNP"
"Goodncssl' cried, rs soon as l re-
covered breath. "This is n pretty letter.
But what does the old fellow mean by
dial and attachment and psychic force?
Is he dementcd?'
"Oh, dearest!" Angelica exclaimed.
edging away from the package, still on
the floor. ~ am so frightened. Shall |
send for mother2"
No" rejoined, with rather pre-
cipIISte haste, lyon need not send for
your mother" And then l added, in my
most heroic tones: "rhere is no occa-
sion for alarm. The package surely is
harmless. 1t cant be Florida alligator
ora dynamite cartridge Come, love, we
shall open it together One heart, one
fate" | exclaimed, mechanically,
and soon before our astonished gaze was
presented the tiniest little thermometer
in the world.
"a therlrometerl' was our first ex
clamation. "The brutc!' was the next.
''Does he want to insult me2" l cried
in rage.
''Let us send it back-thc odious
wretch!" was Angclicas observation, the
heroism Of which can be gathered from
the fact that my uTcle was n millionaire.
aud was supposed to be his favorite and
his heir.
A silence deep, profound, immeasur-
able, fell upon us-our hearts alone were
audible. A sudden inexplicable mystery
seemed to surround us both. The air be-
came oppressive. What hidden agency
was at work? What subtle powers were
: Inspiring us with apprehension? We
'scould not speak, we could hardly breathe,
so intense was our agitation. glanced
again'at the thermometer. My eyes were
riveted upon some lettering, and we both
read simultaneously Loves Thermom-
eter, patented by the Society for Psychic
d3Reseafch." And straying downward our
y astonished gaze caught these lines from
Browning:
20 world as God has made it! All is beau
And knowing this. is love, and love is
duty.
What further may DO sought for or de-
claredT
= "Why, Angelica, cried, "this is a
strange, l might almost say, wondrous
thermometer," eying it more respectful