The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1891-12-31
CLORINDY'S STORY.
How It Really Game to an End
at Last.

How II Really Came to an End
at Last.
You'll see EN- up there on the bridge
IN about ten minutes. . said Mrs. Hannah
Stetson, rocking slowly back and forth
IA her little yellow rocker. as she laid
down her knitting moment to shade
her eyes while looking in that direc-
ton. I've got SO In the habit o.
watchin' for ~'em that 1 find myself
sort o worryin' when they don't appear,
an Gale latin that Clorindy must be
sick Or somethin.. don't-worry much
about Jabe, though; trust him to be
tough enough for whole regiment
But, then, don't s'pose they've missed
meetin' up there in summer more'n a
dozen times the past four years; an
they keep it up pretty late in the fall,
too. If you'll believe me, I've seen 'em
up there in the winter with the snow
on the ground, an the wind BLOWN
Clorindy' sclothes all around her while
she stood there IS quiet an meek as a
lamb. You might lilen Jabe to the
shearer. There they be!'' and Mrs.
Stet on stepped to the end of the porch,
followed by her friend and visitor,
Miss Elvira Woodhouse, who. being of
q romantic turn of mind, although
somewhat scared and withered by time,
took . lively interest in the matter.
Poor dearl" continued Mrs. Stetson,
after gazing mournfully at the couple
for moment, and shaking her head
slowly as she resumed her seat; AN
that's all she's got. after waitin' more'n
four years for that great fool of Jabe
Hutchins; piece o. bare rock to see
him on, an not the least chance O. his
ever marryin' her-or rather her ever
marryin' him.
Miss Elvira coughed slightly, and
gave a little sigh.
"But there" said Mrs. Stetson, 81
promised to tell you all about it, Ell
viry, from the very beginnin'; and here
I'm commencin' at the very endin', as
you might say. But it's all OWN to
my not bein' able to bring my mind to
bear on your bein' a stranger in these
parts. tseems sort o queer to think
o. anybodys Twin an not KNOWN
Clorindy's story. I'll just turn my
chair round SOS not to see Jabe Hutch
ms. He kind o rifles me up SOL
Mrs Stetson turned her rocker
around, and then knit few rows
across her stocking in silence while she
collected her thoughts before commence
ing her story. Miss Elvira leaned lazi-
ly back in her large chair, with the old
buff cat curled comfortably in her lap.
and her eyes fixed on the man and
woman on the ridge. A couple of hens
picked their way daintily about the
porch; and the buzzing of the bees in
their hives, the tin king of the cow
bells in the distance. and the general
air of quiet and peace served as fit
setting to the story which Mrs. Stetson
now commenced to relate in gentle
voice.
.'Clorindy amt much to look at now !;
but il you could have seen her as
used to, with her cheeks as red as
roses, an her blue eyes bright an
shinin', you'd never forge. it, but kind
O. still put the red cheeks in the place
Of her pale ones, an the shinin' eyes in
the place of her sad ones, Just as l do,
Clorindy amt but twenty-eight now,
an of course that amt old If she'd
married she'd have been called young
woman now, but as long as she didn't
she seems like sort Of an old maid. an
yet not exactly like one, neither, as
she says she still expects to marry
Jabe.
'sClorindy used to have ever so many
followers from the time she was seven
teen or Whereabouts, an we used to
calc'late among ourselves that she'd
take first this one, an then that one;
particularly Hiram SCOTS son. who
was the likeliest young man around,
an Just ready to eat Clorindy up with
his eyes when she sung in the choir.
But she let 'em all go, one after anoth-
er, an Just when we was gettin' all
pretty discouraged at the way she was
goin' lon, she appeared at meetin' on a
Sunday mornin' with JADE Hutchins.
Clorindy looked so happy an JADE set
30 like bump on log at her side, that
we all knew what it meant. My,
want we surprisedr Mrs. Stetson
dropped her work in her lap while she
looked absently at the distant hills,
and seemed to see the bright young
face in the pew at church.
"But that was four years ago" she
continued. I'VE all crowded round
her after meetin' was over to try an
say somethin' pleasant on her account
an her mothers But twas awful
hard work. Not but what every body
liked Jabe; l don't s'pose he had an
enemy in the world, except himself; an
that was just the trouble. You liked
him because you couldn't help your
self, considerin' his sweetness o. dis
position, an also cause it want worth
while doin' anything else. Although l
+ was feelin' like death, couldn't help
smilin' to myself for the life q me to
hear all those reople sayin' the same
thing to Clorindy sJabe's awful good
natured. anyhow in the perlitest man
ner possible, an yet sort. O helpless,
too, as II they felt they want quite
doin' their duty by her" Mrs. Stet-
son laughed gently, and then, after
shooting the hens of the porch with her
apron. and inquiring anxiously Of her
! friend II she was ''puficlxly comfort
able, resumed her discourse
Well. guess we didn't any OF us do
very much tallxin' the next few weeks
except about q srindy an Jabe We
KEEP - that study"