Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-03-06

turned, catching tho Dyes Of tho Presi.
cent watching mo sharply.
/ The woman turned her pockot in.
side out, got up and shook her drees,
then looked carefully over the floor, as
did several who sat near her. Istopped
the car to help on and off several
passengers, then came back to the
woman. She looked greatly troubled,
and could sec only restrained tears by
great effort.
J" Il cannot find it, she said looking
up at me with trembling lips, Il saved
1t out on purpose for this ride, aud put
1t in my pocket-book just as started,
but it's gone, aud must have lost it.'''
"What was to dot The woman
seemed honest enough, yet 1 had seen
others equally so who proved to be i'm
posters; then there were the sharp ewes
of the President upon me, and if I
faltered in my duty off would go my
head, with no chance of the promotion
l was hoping for.
The rules arc to put off all who do
not pay, l managed to say with assumed
firmness, while all the time felt as if
would like to pitch the President off neck
and heels instead of the woman. Pm
sorry, madam, but the rules must be
obcyed.' Il know it, l know it, she
said piteously, 'but if you would Let me
ride up l could pay you when come
back; shall have the money then, )
pointing to her bundle of work to prove
her statement; Its such long way, and
I'm so tired, she pleaded, and there was
the chubby, dimplcd face of the little
girl smiling up at me all the time.
~ felt rs If l would like to kick N.Y.
self as turned away; if 1 only dared ap-
peal to the President, but mol none Of
the men were supposed to know him,
and felt as if his cold eyes were picrc-
ing me through and through as if he de-
lighted in tho test l was passing
through.
"tIIang the old rascal said to my
self, I'll have to put the woman off, but
Ill slip quarter into Puss's hand SO they
can pay their fare on the next car.
''1'm sorry, madam, l tried to say
firmly, but the sad, pleading look almost
broke me down, the rules must be
obeycd, aud reached up to pull tho
bell rope; but in an instant tho younger
OF the two women, OF whom l have be-
fore spoken, caught my arm.
ono, no!' she cried with flushed
cheeks and indignant eyes, and before
knew what she intended she cmptied her
purse into the woman's lap and passed
quickly out of the car. A perfect shower
of coin-scveral dollars, mt least, fell rat
thing down, n part falling on the floor.
| stopped to pick it up, when the elder
lady dropped several more pieces into
the woman's lap aud followed her COM
panion. The poor woman looked up,
dumb with amazcment, then covering the
money with one hand, dropped her face
on the baby's head aud sobbed so she
shook from head to foot. Tho little girl,
seeing her mothers distress, crcpt up
close beside her, and with her little arms
about her neck and her cheek nestled
against hers tried to comfort her.
F" Don't kwy, mamma, she pleaded,
'I'll be so dood, don't kwy.'
81 don't believe there was dry eve
IN the car; tho women didn't hcsi-
tate to carry their handScrchiefs to their
eyes, but the men looked out of the win
dows, drew their hats down over their
eyes, and some blew their noses vigor-
ously, the President giving the strongest
blast of all. AS for myself, 1 just rung
in fare out of my o gn pocket, aud went
out on the platform, thankful that it was
a cold day 1 could use my handkerchief
freely.
cat the next street the President got
out, and as he passed the little girl he
stopped and patted her rosy checks, with
some pleasant word, and slipped some
thing into her hand. A moment later,
when had occasion to pass through the
car again, the little puss held out her
chubby hand: 'Seel' she cried, with her
pretty face radiant with delight: 20 SEQ
my bright, new pennyp looked, it
was n five dollar gold piece.
"The mother noticed it for the first
time.
"'Wherc did you get it2' she asked,
in establishment.
""E big man div it to me, tho little
ono answered.
"'Ob, sir, do you know who it was9'
the mother said, appealing to me. st
must be q mistake
"'Not a-bit of it, answered, almost
as delighted as the child, herself, lit was
the President of this road; he could give
her thousand such pieces and never
feel it,"
My friends little Elsie had been sit
ting very quietly in his lap listening at
tontively to his story, and now as no
paused eagerly.
"'And the little girl-did you ever
see her again, papa2'
"'Yes, Pussie, think I've seen her
several times since then, he said, with a
merry twinkle in his eyes and peculiar
smile under his heavy moustache. II
think I see her now, catching up Elsie
and giving her hug and kiss, you're
the little girl, yourself, Pussp
"'Mo, papaP she cried, bounding to
her feet and catching her father by the
shoulders, sand was the lady my
mammal
:" just your mamma and no one else, ,
was the reply, with smile Mt the child's