Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-05-20
"Car'line, I" repeated Mrs. BRIGGS.

Scar line. repeated Mr.. Briggs.
"Ycs, Car'line, Sarah's little girl.
She's run away, and I'm tryin' to find
her."
"Wheu did she go?"
81 don't know--a little while ago."
''Wef1, DECLARE" said Mrs. Briggs.
81 dun know but did see her. There
was little mite OF thing run by a little
while ago in IL white tire an wondered
who she was. I'd just come out here
with this old coat of Mr.. Briggss to
mend. 1 didn't want to get any dirt
around in the sittin' room. | guess twas
her fast enough.
(Which way was she goin'2" asked
Davy, eagerly.
ooh, she was goin' down the road.
She couldn't have gone back. cause I'vc
been sittin' here every minute, an I
should have seen her. | amt been in
the house but once to get spool of
thread, and then want gone long
'nough for mouse to get past. You
keep right on an you'll find her."
Uncle Davy was out of the yard before
the last words were out of Mrs Briggs's
mouth. He hurried up the road, look
ing more hopefully for that little white
tirc--it seemed to him that he must see
it. Many time had he pursued his
little niece Caroline when she had run
away, and had always found her easily.
Caroline, although she had venture
some spirit, never ran very fur. But to-
night it began to seem us if she had.
Her Uncle Davy reached the Smith house
and went to the door to inquire. But
the door was locked and all the curtains
were drawn; the Smiths were evidently
all away.
Davy kept on to the Whcelock house;
that was quarter of mile farther;
there was still no sign Of that little white
tire. lie ran through the wccdy yard
to the door and knocked Nobody
answered, although he could see quite
distinctly the motion of a rocking chair
beyond the kitchen window, and knew
there was somebody at home.
lie Knocked again louder; nobody
came. He could still see the tall back
Of the rocking chair sway. Finally he
went boldly to the window aud pounded
on it; a startled face turned toward him
from the calico back Of the rocking
chair; then somebody went across the
floor, and the door was opened "Who
is it2" asked gentle, drawing voice.
Mrs. Wheclock was very tall aud pale,
with pale sweeps of hair over her ears,
and mildly bcwidcrcd, specialized face
cts Davy Whitman" replied Davy.
"lIave you seen Car'llnc?'
"What?" Mrs. Wheclock was not
deaf, but she was as slow of comprchcn-
sion as heavy sleeper.
"My sister Sarah's little girl has run
away. Have you seen her 20 by herc?"
Ono, dun know as havc,n repeated
Mrs. Whcelock, slowly, while her look
OF bcwilderment dccpcncd. "I amt been
scttin' to the window sense dinner.
When did" But Davy was gone,
and she stood staring after him. She
stood there quite while before she went
back to her rocking chair. The Vince
lock house was the last in that direction
for mile. Davy walked on about half
mile, then he stopped before narrow
lane that led over through the fields to
the woods. ''Im 'fraid she went into
the woods. "I'm goin' up the lane"
he said. ''l'm 'fraid she went into the
woods"
The dusk was increasing fast; how
ever, the full moon was rising, and it
would be still light enough to see the
white tire Il long way ahead. Davy
trudged on. lie emerged from the lane
into cart path through the woods. 1t
was darker there. He cllled all the
time Mt short Intervals: "Car'linc2
Car'linc! Here's Uncle Davy! Car'linc!"
! But there was no sound in response.
Davy's voice grew husky rs he went on ;
it seemed to him he was walking miles,
but he did not know how many. 1t was
now quite dark except for the moon, but
that lighted the open spaces quite
brightly. He had had plan OF taking a
circuit through the woods and coming
out in point further down on the road.
He knew there was path, but somehow
he had missed it, ahd did not come out.
although he was constantly expecting to.
At last he sat down on a rock in an
open space to rest Il minute. "rve lust
got to-" ne said to himself His legs
trcmbied under him and he was painting
for breath
In few minutes he called again:
"Carline, Car'linc, Caaline! Here's
Uncle Davyl Where be you, Car liner"
but he could scarcely speak. Davy was
slender boy, and, besides, he was worn
by anxiety for Caroline, of whom he
was very fond, and agitatcd, too, by a
secret rcmorse.
He put his head down on his knees
and groaued He had completely for
gotten the party, even the BACKED shoes,
the best clothes, the bergamot hair oil.
81 amt never goin home without her,
anyhow" he said, but his voice was lit
tie more than Il whisper. The sharp
notes of the autumn insects ran together
in his ears. Uncle Davy had not found
Caroline, but he was SO worn out that he
fell asleep.
1t was lorg time after that when a
cold nose and a sharp bark awakened
him. 1t was Towser, who for once had
tracked folks instead of woodchucks.
cot otr ;o,I,t