Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-03-25


ing with his first large order: the cree
In one corner Of the lot which the
structure was to occupy troublesome
bit OF quicksand had been discovered;
but he knew several ways of overcoming
quicksand, and 1t only remained for him
to choose the best of them.
The other question was moro important
and difficult.
.sseWhat sort of n Christmas present
sSSsld he give TO n girl who had always
had everything she wanted from her
cradle up2
He could estimate exactly the tensile
strength of any species of building ma
terial, or the number of pounds weight
that a steel truss would have to sustuin !;
but he knew no formula that would help
HIM in such case as this.
The trouble seemed to be that while
George could look at the building from
coldly professional standpoint, he
could take no such view of anything
which concerned Roses happiness
He was not in love with the gigantic
mass of brick and iron; but he was
violently, and, so far rs he knew, hope
lesslY in love with her.
He was willing to give her anything
that would please her, but he doubted
the good taste OF too lavish expenditure.
No; it must be some elegant tribe that
she had never seen before, and that
would move her irrcsistibly to '.Lovc the
Giver." Something that would give her
Il hint OF the condition of his heart, and
prepare her for the words he hoped to
utter, some day.
Rose Wyckoif was the daughter of a
man, who valued the substantial fruits
of the harvest above the pink and white
buds of the springtime.
Most of Georges prospects were still
in the bud. When that big building
was really finished, and one or two more
that he hoped to get orders for under
way, IL would be soon enough to ap-
proach the old gentleman.
Although George had n very clear
idea of what Mr.. Wyckoff would say if
he spoke now, he could gain 10 idea of
what Rose would say; but he was grimly
determined to try to be worthy Of
her. He left the rest to fate, and con-
tented himself with drawing the designs
for magnificent and glttering castles in
Spain.
When George went to call on Rose
that evening, he tried to be as cherry
and animated as usual, but his nervous
and absorbed manner must have given
her some hint of the heavy load of
anxiety hewas carrying; for, as he stood
drawing on his oveIcoat in the hall, after
the last good nights had been said, she
threw herself across the outside door,
and barred his egress.
AS she stood with her gracefully
rounded body well set out by the polished
oaken door, and her bright face turned
up to him with an expression which
holder man might almost have con-
strued rs an invitation, George felt that
he would have given the value of all the
buildings that he ever hoped to plan, to
tell her how much he thought of her.
He was somewhat surprised at her sud-
oen movement, or rs much so as he ever
permitted himself to be at any of her ac-
lions, which were generally unaccount-
able from masculine standpoint. He
only thought that if she were going to
appear In the character of jailor, he
could stand life sentence with consid-
cradle equanimity.
Snow, before you go, George" said
Rose, with her hand still on the knob,
II want to ask you one question. You
are not thinking of making Christmas
present to me this year, are you7"
George owned that he had taken the
matter into serious consideration.
Sand you are determined to persist in
doing so in spite of my disapproval2"
she asked, with smile that must have
have warned him that her disapproval
would not be of serious nature, for no