Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-06-17

Emily was kept busy in Dir. Kodack' s
gallery from morning till night. and poor
Rosamund spent her days in the dim
hooks and corners of the great curiosity
| shop, busting japanese dragons, scour-
!! ing old brasses, and answering questions
| enough to fill an encyclopedia.
Emily aud Rosamond had the poor
consolation at night of sharing the same
cheap room in fifth-ratc boarding
house, where they cooked their break
fast and supper on a gas stove, and made
their frugal dinner off buns or sand
witches from the nearest bakery.
BIT Katherine had not even that con-
ISOLATION. The fifth eldest Ecclcston,
was nervous child, afraid of the dark,
and the sixth was croupy; and Katherine
slept i'll the nursery, and was up and
down half dozen times in q night.
Truly they none of them ate the
bread of idlcncss!
But had the word been twice rs hard
and the pay twice as poor, nothing
would have induced them to appeal for
aid or sympathy to Aunt Adams. They
were too proud for that.
One morning, however, the doctors
carriage stopped in front of the old lady's
brownstone house.
81 think it's fit" said Betsy, the old
housekccper. "Shc calls it bad dream
says that the Skeleton Death stood at
her bedside, grasping her by the throat,
and she called out on all those Hayward
girls for help, and not one of them came.
And says the skeleton, You've sent 'om
away yoursclf!' And now nothing will
do but they must be brought back here
Ito live, you know"
The doctor went up stairs. When he
came back, he looked very grave.
"Shc must be humored," said he.
"Send for those girls Mt once"
Rosamond and Emily were sitting over
the sickly glimmer of the gas stove in
the dismal hall bedroom.
Rosamond had been CRYING, but she
did not look very unhappy. Emily's
face was radiant.
ooh, it was very careless of me, EN-
my" said the girl, "when knew that
that yellow dragon vase was worth two
hundred dollars, and did try to handle
1t cautiouslyl But my dress caught in
one OF its claw feet, and the first I knew
1t was in pieces OH the floor. Of course,
began to cry ard wiring my hands, and
then Mr.. Frank Middleton came in. and
-and- Well, we're engaged now,
and l never dreamed that he cared for
me. I'm sure | don't know what the
old gentleman will say, but I'm not to 10
back to the store any more. We're to
be married right away, and you and
kathy snail come and live with me.
Mr.. Frank Middlcton-I can't help call
ing him so, though he SAYS I must say
Frank-says l am to be queen and en-
press i'll my new home"
Emily hung her head with the old
lilylikc droop.
"I-Im afraid 1 can't come" said
she. "Alr. Lcsiardi-that's the artist
who enlarged our photographs In oils
and he has been showing me how to
color them, and this morning he asked
me to marry him. He has received an
to teach the art classes in
Madam NIusards great school, and he
says he can give me n good home. Oh,
Rosy, he's SO handsomc!"
Just then the door opened and in
walked quccnly Katherine.
"Good-evening, girls" said she.
Don't squeeze me so hard. I've piyen nm
my place. I've given up my place.
couldn't endure the childrens tyranny
and the mothers insolcncc' any longer,
not to speak of that puppy, MIR. William
Eceleston, trying to kiss me on the stairs.
boxed his cars soundly for him-that's
one comfort?"
Darling" cried Rosamond, "you
shall live with mcw
"No, she shantl" said Emily. "sho
shall come to mel"
But instead Katherine went to Aunt
Adams.
"Shc is sick and helpless" said the
sweet-naturcd girl" and needs me-"
The old woman put out her trembling
hand and graspcd her niece's warm iin-
gers.
'I'm not afraid of the skeleton any
longer!" crooned she. "Stay by me,
Kathcrine-be sure you stay by mel"
And Katherinc's sweet voice and smile
treasured her.
She recovered in time for Katherine to
decorate the house for her sisters we'd
NtHSS. GFcu Aunt ADKINS could not
object to these alliances. Mr.. Frank
Middleton was rich and Signor Amato
Lesiardi was well able to support
wife.
"But," said Mrs. Adams, "KatherIne
is the flower of the hock-my Katherine!
Whoever she marrics must come here and
live. l cant let her so away from here.
And rather think Mr.. Van Roslyn adj
mires her-eh, Rosy?"
"Think!" cried Mrs. Lesiardi. nI
don't think anything about it. know
he's hopclcssly captivatcd But only
think, Aunt Adams, Kathie will never
care for anybody but that pale young
city missionary that she met ut the
Ecclcstons!"
"Nonsensc, nonsensc!" brisllly cried
Aunt Adams. "Why, he isn't worth a
cent? And the Vaa Resigns are rolling
in gold. Katherine never would be such
II fool"
"But she has beon," said Rosamond.
"Shc has refused Dicdrich Van Roslyn.
know it to be fact"