Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-05-01
COUSIN CASSANDRA.
by HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

ny HELEN FORREST GRAVES.
The March winds were blowing their
trumpcts down Shcgauk Valley, as only
March winds know how to blow, and the
daiiodll glow Of sunset lay over the
brown fields, streakcd here and there in
shady corners with bars of late lingering
snow, rs Patty Greer came to the Kitchen
door to shake the crumbs off the tnble-
cloth.
slow pretty it looks down the
valley" she thought. "I'm glad Grand :
father Greer built this house just here
instead of under the rocks. One gets
such Il view! l do believe the NAPLES
along the edge of the swamp arc BERN.
ming to rcddcn already. And there. "
with flush on her cheeks which almost
rlvalcd the red of the maple copse, "is
Arad Tcmplc-at least, think it's he..-
coming by Old Mill! shouldn't n bit
wonder if he were coming here
she stood moment, Watching the
black spcck against the dairodil Shine !.
moment more, her lips apart, her brown
eyes strained.
Patty" called her mother. "Whv
on airth don't you shut that door2 The
cold drauSht comes in like n hull pock
o. wolvcsl"
"I-l-was-only looking" said
Patty, us she closed the door with n
sigh. :"
=, The black specls had disappeared; it
did not rcappcar again.
81 thought so, " said Cousin Cassandra.
lean, high sliouldercd woman. with n
tult of scanty ax-colorcd hair. bair.
pinned on the top of her head and n
checked cape drawn across her narrow
shoulders.
She spoke so close to the girls car
that Patty gave Il little jump.
Thought what1" said she.
'That he'd gone into Lewis IIibbard,s
store, nodded Cassandra. ..The voun@
iellers they're all dreadful partial to
Lew store sence they put in the billiard
tables. Dear me! dear me 90 wonder
what this world is comm toi"
The red IN Patty Grecr's checks was
genuine pcony color now.
81 don't see what harm it is" she re-
torted, elf he has stopped in for min
ute"
81 dol" said Miss Cassandra. "Anv.
thing but dissipated young man!n
HE isn't dissipated!" cried Patty.
swell, pr'aps he amt" said Cassan-
ORA. "lm sure hope so. But there
amt nothin' would induce me to marry n
man as there was the least doubts ofr'
"What comfort it is that You have
never been tempted in that way!n said
Patty, vindictivcly, as she folded the
tablecloth in n series of Jerks and nut il
into the closet
And then Patty went up to her own
room and had good cry.
81 do think, " she said to herself, "that
Cousin Classy is the most spiteful creature
l ever knew. But, all the same, Arad
might have come here tonight. lie
knew l was expecting him."
When her eyes were dried at last and
her new frill satisfactorily adjusted,
Patty came down stairs.
But the wistful glance she cast into
the room was unrewarded No one was
there but her mother, piecinp patch
work, on one side of the chimney. corner,
and Cousin Cassandra, knitting pre-
posterously long stocking of blue yarn,
on the other.
And the subject of conversation had
apparently remained unaltered, for Cousin
Cassandra was still hammering away on
Lewis Hubbard and the new billiard
tables.
ats what cali snare for soals3'
groaned she. "Them balls a-clickin'
about and the doors always opened wide,
Tor every loafer in Shegauk to stray into
l allays did despise Lew Hibbard-a
lazy, shiftless creetur', like all the Hib-
Dards afore him! They do say he druv
his first wife into her grave, and his
second only lived two year, out of pure
grit. Parson Pooley he says, if the
women o Shegauk would only take q
stand-Oh, Patty, is that you? We'll.
I've put the dried apples in soak for tho
sass tomorrow, and the meat is ready 70
chop for mincc pics"
Patty had seated herself at the table
and listlessly taken up book.
~ don't want to chop meat tonight. y
sand She. Tomorrow morning will dc
just rs we'll"
Dlsapp inted" whispered Hiss Cass.
andra, behind her hand, to Mrs. Greer
who was slightly deaf. "Sort % cal.
clated on Arad Temple bein' here to.
night: Wal, mebbc it's just as well.
Arad he's too partial to Lew Hibbard's
place"
Patty could have murdered Cousin
Cassandra. She jumped up and went to
the door to let the cat in.
'Why, Aradw she exclaimed n.
pussy darted in, and tall figure an
peared in the background.
Cousin Cassandra opened the inne,
door and craned her neck forward.
"Well, never" said she. 'Tt's YOU
arter all, amt it? We sort O. reckoned
me and Patty, that you'd found your wa,