Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-02-19
Meg-Margaret-M Maggie.
By EVELYN RAYMOND.

Cos iSGCss we KIN accommodate We.
Just step in un' I'll ask mother. She'll
tell us purity suddcnt."
John Allen followed the old cottngcr
into the little parlor, and was there left
to enjoy the salt water flavor of its
furnishings while his host went In pur.
suit of ''mothcr. She was long in
finding, and the visitor had counted for
the third time the specimens of dried
fishes, moses, ard sea weeds which
adorned the chimney piece, before tho
captain returned.
II had ter leave yc purity consid able
OF spell. Mother, she had jest run in
ter James ter talk it over. 1t does alters
upset her SO. Jcst's if twas stran-
ger"
The sailor sat down, facing the, appli-
cant for sumner board, and regarded
him with unblinking eyes, meanwhile
rolling over and over in his cavernous
mouth u monstrous piece of tobacco.
TO end this unpleasant spectacle,
Allen said:
~ was told mt the hotel that you were
DESTROYS of boardcrs, else l should not
have intrudcd."
"An' they told yc right. But this
mornin' come letter from Meg Marga-
ret. They may alter things, an guess
mother didn't feel capable of decidin'
till She talked about it with Jane. James
our oldest. She's married an got five.
She'll be in bimc-by"
10 make the waiting less tedious, or
to crafty his own pride, the captain
took from the red covered table in the
centre of the room "Pilgrim's Pro-
gress," whose leaves were bulgcd with
loose papers not called for by the text.
The book, open at the first picture, was
laid across the guests knees in man.
ner which indicated that all the un-
mounted amateur photographs with
which the work was crowded would have
to be examined
Allen shivered; bnt, cjvility compel
ling, he began to look ut the "vicws, "
and had not gone far toward the end be-
fore he perceived that all were portraits
OF one person. lie looked up, in0uir-
ingly.
The captain stood stopping and look
ms over the visitors shoulder with keen
est interest, and, whatever he might
havc thought Of the work, John Allen
as not the man to disparagc it to such
adoring delight as shown in that weather
beaten old face.
"Thc're bern; all on 'em. Sophier
took 'em. but Meg Margaret gin her the
machine. Party, hain't thcy"
Exclamation rather than interrogation ;
but the other reDhcd, promptly:
Every pretty. The face, 1 mean"
"That's what I mean, tn. An it does
beat alhter see how quick she done it /!
Them was all took last summer, an So
pliers PINNED ready fer another lot asin
she comes down this year. She wrote
this mornin', an that's what upset
mother. We wasn't expectin' of her till
August; but-mothcr's a-comin' now. l
seed her through the windcr"
"Sophier must be industrious, F"
thought Allen. There was "NIeg-Mar-
garct" IN every conceivable position
which civilized woman could assume.
Margaret in bathing-suit aud in evening
dress; Margaret in n hammock, under q
tree, under IN umbrella, feeding chick
ems, fishing, on horse back, reading sew
ing, dancing, making bread, writing
shades of George Elliott Could any
mortal female look like that when en-
gagged i'll "literature?" Certainly she
took it hard.
But the entertaining host had taken
another treasure from the dresser, and
brought it-literally wrapped in fine
linen-for the guests inspection. The
napkin covering had n scent of lavender,
but the contents were, or seemed, I'M
worthy so much care. The treasure
proved to be the most summary of sum
mer novels; Il book which, as critic for
the Clarion, Allen had himself harshly
reviewed. lie marvclcd to find it there
and thus.
"Ah! "a 'Sconset Romance Have
you read iti"
mo, hain't read it. 1 hain't no
taste that way. But mother has-mother
has dozen times, guess. It's hern !"
"lIers!" asked Allen, feebly, nothing
else occurring to him.
eyes. Meg -Margarets. Margaret
Sudbury's own book, writ by her own
hand" The information Of which the
captain uui delivered himself WAS sc
weighty he was obliged to sit down.
So ''mothcr" came in and found them.
She had been prepared to say "no" to
any boarder's application, but the sigh,
OF one who could appreciate BIargoret's
book changed her decision at once, and
she led the way to show the rooms with
an alacrity which seemed to discredit tho
assertion that she was person who re.
quircd to "talk things over" with any.
body, even "Jane." She was the swift
cst-motioned human Allen had ever seen.
Her presence in the paror had instantly
impaired vivacity even to that craven
image, her husband, for he GO. up, whis.
Ting, and put the "'Sconsct Romance
back into sacred, fragrant hiding.
Allen felt rs if he had taken a tonic.
eyes; l like the room, 1 like the
price. When can GOMEZ"
"Righ off. Got much stuff"
"Only valise and a typewriter.
"She's got one O them. Carries il
everywhere she goes"
Allen turned groan into smile
then he considered what it would be to