Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-06-17

S-+--aD ~ "Wcu, really
up Jon my world,
/"Wc'rc very sorry, Aunt Adams, +"
,4urmurcd Katherine; "but we couldn't
4&elp it"
q eve didn't know where else to 20, +"
f6aid Emily.
y GLOW were we to suppose that Uncle
Asa would marry again?" sobbed Rosa
mond, the youngest and plumpiest of the
three. "And that his new wife would
make things so disagaccablc for us that
we couldn't stay ut the farm any
longcr?"
Actually said," struck in Katherine,
THAT she didn't want three great lazy
girls around!"
SIS that the state of the casc?" said
Aunt Adams.
YES" choruscd the three forlorn
damsels, "that's it, oxactlyl"
Katherine, according to her name, was
tall and stately. Emily was slender and
bluc-cyed, with pretty droop of her
head that made you think of broken
lily.
AS for Rosamond, she was half
woman, half schoolgirl as she stood
there, surreptitiously eating chocolates
out OF her dress pocket
Aunt Adams folded the newspaper and
laid it down. She put the eyeglasses
into their case
"Humph" said she. "And what
reason have you for supposing that |
want three gren! lazy girls herci"
Katherine drew herself up. Emily
began to cry. Rosamond started for
ward with crimson checks and eyes
abazc.
"Wc are not asking any favors of YOU,
Aunt Adams" said she. "We only
want to be put in the way of earning a
living for ourselves"
"Oh, that's all, is itY" said Mrs.
Adams.
"Ycs, that's all, sobbcd Emily.
eyes, indeed, that's ALL" said vchc-
mcnt Katherine.
"What can you dor" asked Aunt
Adams, with painful abruptness.
The three girls looked obviously at
each other.
81 can paint a littlc," murmurcd
Katherine.
~ can play on the zithcr," said Emily,
smiling through her tears.
81 made some mincc pies last week. "
suggested Rosamond, hopefully.
"Humph." commented Aunt Adams,
alter an embarrassing silence. sHf that's
all, l don't see what's to keep YOU out
OF the poorhouse, all three of YOU"
Once more the girls looked piteously
at each other. They could not say what
was in their minds-that they Ind ok.
pected ms matter of course that Aunt
Adams would take them in and make
home for thcm-but they felt n good
deal like three female Robinson Crusoes
on very desert island.
"Well," remarked Aunt Adams, "you
look blue ana cold. Como little closer
to the fire. aud get warm. Betsey," to
the maid. "bring in some hot chocolate
and mullins While YOU arc eating and
drinking, iii consider what is to be
DONE
All her life long, Mrs. Adams had
congratulated herself on keeping free
from troublesome responsibilities, and
perhaps it was rather hard that in her
old age these three women had settled
down upon her like unsolycd problems.
1t is not to be denied that the old lady
was little inclined to be selfish. Old
people who have lived alone often are.
And if there had been only one niece,
Aunt Adams might possibly have adopted
her. But three of them!
~ have 1T" said she, all of sudden.
'NIrs. Eccleston was telling me last
week that she needed nursery cover
ness for her seven little girls. That will
do very well for Katherine. The salary
is not large, but the home is all that can
be desired
Seven little girls p gaspcd Katherine.
"Why not scven2" retorted Mrs.
Adams. "You don't suppose, do you,
that people are going to pay you salary
for doing nothing? I'll write a note to
Mrs. Ecclcston this very morning. And
l remember hearing, when 1 took those
Venetian views to the photographers to
be mounted, that Mr. Kodack was with.
out an attendant in the gallery. Photo
graphing is very gentcel business.
think 1t would suit Emily exactly. II
write the address. She can 60 there At
once, or the place will be filed. AS for
Rosamond, why, there's the position that
my old friend, Miss Blodgett, used to
have at 1liddcton's curiosity shop. The
very nicsst people so to Middlcton's, and
1t isn't hard work to dust the vases, and
catalogue the curios, and all that sort of
thing. Miss Blodgett would pc there
now, only her eyes have failed"
And thus promptly Mrs. Adams bowlcd
hcr three nicces into their places, and
shifted OIL the responsibility which she
already began to feel lrksome.
Mrs. Eccleston was one of those
typical New York matrons who make n
great society show on very little money.