Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-05-29

went on again, though she proceeded
quite slowly, and / judged that she was
very tired. She was still nearly half a
mile from land when she stopped again,
and raising her head slightly above the
water, called out, in what was intended
for shout, but which was in reality {
very feeble vocal eifort-'Mr. Dilwvnr ~
1t was evident that the girl was com.
pletely exhausted, so / made squirt,
and few rapid strokes placed me at he.
side.
"Did you really hear Inc 2" she almost
whispered. ~ fear / cannot make il
alone"
"Can you keep aGoat if you throw
your arms over my back2 can carry
you easily enough that way"
II think cam" she replied. Il,
"Then do SO, said.
1t cost me very little extra effort to
swim with the girl resting only part of
her weight upon me. The arrangement
evidently relieved her, for, when we had
gone about half the distance, she said
cit is very good of you, Mr.. Dilwyn.
l think l can swim now"
Better not try answered curtly.
"Tell me, then, when we reach shall
low water"
When we were within fifty yards of
the shore aud in not more than four
feet of water, said "You are not like
ly to drown now, even if you should
have to walk"
She loosened her hold of me, and j.,
floating on her side, proceeded to thank
me profuscly. But was in n contrary
humor aud borrowing the words which
she herself had. used at the crib, l said :
''Pray do not burden me with thanks, "
and added, "you know l would have
done rs much for one of the small bows
from the city-it is no particular credit
to be commonly humane"
"Weil, she said, in disappointed
tone, "lct me ut least tell you my name.
1t is Lucille"
But gave her no chance to finish. 1
considered it n good opportunity to '.get
cven," SO exclaimed loudly, "No, do not
tell me. l object to such informal in
Productions"
And, with that, swan away toward
my home.
More than two years passed away, dur
ing which period did not again meet
Miss Lucille, although speedily discov-
cred her patronymic. At the end of that
time saw the young lady at n ncigbor-
hood musicale and was formally intro
duccd.
Alas! within half an hour put nv
awkward foot in it, by referring (inno-
Gently enough) to the more than informal
reception which she had accorded me at
the crib. She was especially angry in
that local wag stood sufficiently near
to overhear and drink in every word
which uttered, so that much to the dis
gust of both of us, we were, THINKS to
him, ever afterwards known along few
miles of the Lake Front us the "pair of
ducks"
1t took my fair would-bc despot
month to recover from her huff, by which
time was "huify" myself.
So it has been-the same old story ever
since. Whenever have felt good and
gracious, Lucille has invariably been angry
or sullly; while, whenever the young
woman has been disposed to smile, have
persistently refused to bask in the sun
shine of her kindly glances. For two
steady years we have played at cross pur-
poses-a big but rather tiresome game of
bluff and huff, and yet (strangc paradox.)
have loved Lucille, have ever been
the girls ardent admirer and willing
slave. That is to say, would have been
her willing slave had she permitted such
state of affairs when happened to be
in the humor.
A few weeks ago seriously offended
"the other duck" l was certainly in
the wrong and behaved like perfect
brute. 1t took about nine DAYS for me
to discover this fact, and 1 then wrote n
note full of profuse apologies, tender re-
grets, etc.
The note was returned to me unopened,
ms l half expected it would be. But.
three or four days afterward, received
a penitential letter from Lucille, which
my state of mind just then would per.
NIT me to look upon as nothing less than
feminine hypocrisy OF the basest sort.
took my heavy stub pen and dipped
it deep down into my red ink. Across
the first page of Lucile's letter scrawled
ioo iltc. Upon the second page |
wrote "Rats. Over the third / serb.
bled "Chcstnuts"- upon the fourth
and last page printed in heavy Old
English text Farewell"
Then I returned her letter to Lucille.
1t was the last straw. was morally
certain that was an "A-number-one"
fool; and I felt tolcrably sure that Lucille
was not far behind me in the same
catagory.
Between Lucille and the temperature
Gt was July and the thermometer stood
at eighty three degrees, about two A. MY
| passed wretched, slecpless night.
When I walked down to the lake at six
o'clock l had arrived at very logical
conclusion, namely: 1 could not live
with Lucille; I could not live without
Lucille; ergo-I mad better die right off.
Down in our little bathing house we
kept, for prudential reasons only, a
large bottle of brandy. I took this bottle
and deliberately emptied its contents on
the pcbbly beach. Then tore from nv
note book fly leaf, and with my pencil