Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-01-15
Il wonder whether he has seen either OF

al wonder whether he has seen either OF
you2"
The idea was so delightfully."- romantic
that they kissed each other then and
there, and rushed upstairs as soon as they
had swallowed their chocolate to put
lace in the bands OF certain new fall
dresses in which to appear at the lunch
table, where they should meet the stran-
ger for the first time.
Meanwhile, out in the kitchen, where
she WAS rubbing the spoons, Laura was
saying to herself:
tWho knows but he has seen me? Pm
as nicc-looking as either Dora or Cora.
1t was singular, his coming so, and he
stood watching me from the road quite
u long while"
1t was she who set the table for lunch,
and she wore the crushed strawberry
calico, but the apron was removed, and
n bow at her throat and another in her
hair were becoming,
Cora and Dora blushed and giggled,
and talked pretty nonsense.
Their mother kept her eyes upon them,
but certain glances, oil which they were
not aware, reached Laura, and she
laughed to herself as she washed the
dishes at the kitchen sink, and heard the
twins playing duets in the parlor.
Through the window she saw Richard
Beech mending his fences.
1t would be stupid after oil, she
thought, to marry plain man who owned
n little twostory house, which had sunk
u little to one side, to go on washing
dishes and ironing table. cloths all her
life.
Mr.. Wayne AIorton's wife would prob
ably have servants to wait on her.
Theu, how beautifully lie wore his
handsome clothes And Dick Beech had
on an old striped linen jacket and q
fisherman's hat, in the hrim of which
sundry straws were sticking.
Dick was good and IN love with her,
but neither Dora nor Cora would have
looked at him, and, oh, the joy of cut
ting them out with an elegant New
Yorker!
Dick looked up just then, but he could
not catch Laura's eye as he usually did,
and when he called on Sunday evening,
Laura was not disposed to give hi,s.s /.
chance to talk to her in the corcief..
In fact, by this time she 5.dd learned
that Maync Morton Lad come to the
house on her accn"Lt solely
He had toAd Tier so one Saturday after
Acc i, .toirV@ing her to the far end of
Sfhe garden where she was spreading
napkins to bleach, to talk to her.
81 know you'll be angry" he said
''still, want you to know my reason
for coming to Mrs. Cumfry's to board
was glimpse 1 had had of you. Faint
heart never won fair lady, aud 1 never
mean to lose the girl 1 love because OF
not going tothc point at once. You know
shall not let my wife do houscwork
and wear cotton gowns. You DOM
know what life might be yet"
Laura was too bright not to coquettc
little, but her heart was beating with
battered vanity.
She was angry at herself when mem.
DRY of Dick Beech's pleasant face-s
little soft hcart-tug rs it were, came ovcl
her.
She drove it away ;shc tried to believe
that she liked Wayne Morton for himself
that she was not moved by longing to
live elegantly and wish to triumph
over the pettcd twins, but it is impos.
siblc to deceive ones self in such things
AS the weeks passed on, great change.
occurred in the little household.
To their mothers horror the twins
hogan to quarrel. Instead of cooling and
kissing rs had been their wont, the,
actually slapped each other with theil
soft, little pink palms, and called each
| other "mean" and "hateful" without
saying for what. Both of them were
furious with Laura, and did all they
could to hurt her feelings, while their
mother gave her many hard tasks that
filled the day and evening, never guess.
ing of meetings that took place at odd
times, or an engagement ring that Laura
wore on n ribbon about her neck.
But one day squcals rent the air of the
Cumiry home, bringing Mrs. Cumfry
from her room, and Laura up the kitchen
stairs to the twins own apartment, when,
behold those young ladies in wrath and
tears. Dora grasping a handful of tullc
from Cora's neck, Cora little tuft o.
hair from Dora's curls.
SIT is !" screams Cora.
''It is II" squcals Dora. "You ar,
always coming where you are MOI
wanted"
SHE always wants me-" sobs Cora
"only you hang on forever, when w,
wish you wouldn't"
. 'Oh, my children!" signs the mother
sit is only that you are both SO pretty
that he doesn't know which to choose. J
1t is Laula's face that looks in Mt the
door ut this nomenclature who CLOSED
it, and stands with an air of triumph n
the foot of the bed on which Cora ha.
cast herself.
Greatly" she says, In a superior tone
81 couldn't help overhcaring, aud since
Cora and Dora are quarreling about Mr..
Morton, perhaps Id better tell then
that am engaged to him."
She draws ring from her bosom ant
slips it on her finger, and there is
tablcau-no matter for particulars. Sh
has had her triumpu. The Dettad douob