Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-12-16

ny's checks and made her lips trcmblo 8
little.
Engaged! Then what right had he
had to do, to say, II hundred things-to
beg her to stay to that dance to give
her that roscbud2 Had he been making
fun of herr
The suuit fields before her looked
blurred through her helpless tears.
Somebody's footballs, crunching tho
snow, took her attention at the mo.
ment.
"Oh, Miss NIorganl" an energetic
voice called. az hadn't the least idea
is it really you2 Won't you give rue
lift, Miss Morgan?"
r"Oh!" said Fanny, family.
She stopped the horse, irrcsolutcly,
and Mr.. Fenton was in ut her side in a
breath, and tucking the robe carefully
about her.
He was gay and smiling, with hi.
handsome face Redeemed by the wind.
Give got out OF my wedding finery al.
ready, you see, and was OH for a tramp
He had on corduroy suit aud top boots,
and carried gun and bag. ''l'm going
to see about those squirrels over in the
east woods. Do you like squirrels, Miss
AIorgan2 If have any luck, I'll be SO
glad to bring you II pair! !"
"ThanG you. | should not care for
them, said Fanny stiilly.
She kept her eyes r:yidly on Billyi
chcck-rcin.
81 nm sorry" Mr.. Fenton murmured;
but he did not show the immediate up.
probation Of tho snub which Fanny
could have wished. "What famous
driver you are, Miss NIorganl" he snid,
merely. "You'rc used to it,"
Fanny bowed cold assent in silence.
Sill her companions high spirits were
undampcncd. He chattcd on brightly,
bending toward her, his eyes they were
wonderfully magnetic cyes--upon her
own. Fanny's hands trcmblcd on the
lines.
What could she do or say when he
looked mt her like thatl She felt wild
regret that Aunt Susan had told her.
They might have enjoyed themselves 50,
flying down this long road. She would
almost rather not have known it--not
have believed 1t. She was warm and
confused, and almost happy; she was
ashamed to realize, in spite of every
thing.
"What n day. perfection" Mr.. Fen
ION was saying. Elm SO glad you over
took me. You looked terribly lonesome,
aud now you're not, you know" nc de.
clarcd, laughing. "Let's talk over the
wedding; that's the proper thing to do
for weeks afterward, isn't itl Went off
well, didn't ita How good the break
fast was! And l never saw Miss Angc-
linc-Mrs. Angclnc-look better. DO
you know, L have II distant cousin, Mark
Fcnton's his name, who was rather at.
tentive to Miss Briggs-oh, ten years
ago or so! Hes II terrible fellow, Mark.
He's what they call 'clus, you know; he's
extremely fond OF making money and of
keeping this chief talent lies in keep
ing it. | believe that fellow would do
anything for money. Pm candid, you
see, though he is relation. Well, |
think his attentions to Miss Briggs were
business speculation; we all believed it.
She has quite settlement, you know;
and she's thrifty and sensible, aud an
economical housokccper. Mark realized
her good points III that direction,
and he thought he couldn't do better.
You should have seen them together,
Miss Morgan; the whole town used to
laugh, Miss Briggs was so tall and broad
and ruddy-faccd, and Mark so short and
pale and thin; we called them the long
and short of it. Well, his wooin.; wasn't
lengthy, and ended for rather u shock
ing cause. He went West to 90 into
business, and he discovered somebody
out there who was little richer and IL
little more economical than Angelina
SO we supposcd-and he married her.
He was back here last month on bust
ness, but he didn't bring his wife.
don't think Miss Briggs grieved; she's
too profoundly practical. And Mr..
Ryder stepped in alter awhile, you know
and vast improvement he was ON
Mark, too. He's good hearted at least,
if he isn't brilliant. It's piece of family
history that we've always laughed Mt.
told it to amusc YOU, Miss Morgan; now,
why don't you laughw
al within going to-" Fam,
gaspcd.
But she didn't. She stared at the
shaggy robe AIr. Fenton had pulled up
to her elbows, in bewildercd effort to
comprehend even approximately Aunt
Susan's shortsightcdness aud inaccuracy
and lack of memory and remarkable
powers OF Imagination.
But she signally failed. It was only
by taking Aunt Susan's sentimental and
romantic tendencies into careful account
that, sometime afterward, she was able
to arrive at a partial understanding of
the feat.
Mis- Becbes cake was delivered in the
course of time, but the blue cutter had
taken an extra turn in the interim, and
gone rather slowly part OF the way at
that.
And by the time it got back to Uncle
Briggs's barn, Fanny had somehow been
got 10 promise not only to stay over for
the dance, but 10 go sleighing the next
day and strlwriding the next week and
to accept the squirrels if Mr.. Fenton
ever went after any. He didn't 90 that
day.
1T was strange, Sarah, the mistake I
made at Angeline's wedding" said Aunt
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