Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-02-09
Please leave your Guns with tho
USHERS.

non tho stage reached tho Gulch,
the parson, who had como on from
Devils Delight, was in it, but he
stopped Mt the tavern until it was time
to so to meeting. 1t meant nothing
to him that he was taking his life in
his hands to preach the Gospel to
these mon. What was his poor miser-
cradle gift Ola dying life, compared
with these lost souls? Besides-then
no coughed terribly, closed his eyes,
and wiped the cold sweat of mortal ILL
ness from his fnce. All, specious hui
man naturel Sophistries that keep it
from the debnsoment of righteous
ness! 1t was of one precious sin-sicls
soul he was thinking, and that he
hoped to reach, through this zeal for
the brotherhood.
Poor SCARED Emma! She had given
her inauence-aud have shown that
it was grcat-she had given her saloon,
which was also her throne, and now
she was shut up in a miserable, tawdry
room, partitioned OF from the rest,
dressed in her Sunday finery, waiting
until all the gang had assembled, when
sho would walk i'll boldly md take her
seat with the rest. Well she knew that
no woman would be there. No other
woman would sit under the same roof
with her, and then she looked down on
her diamondbcdecked hands. sI can
buy and sell them all. L lam 10 mans
slave and my word is law, but"
And then n whole flood of tears came.
But soon she dashed them away and
dried her eyes. Another touch of
rouge to repair the ravage, and she
was ready "to go to church." as she
phrased it to herself. A determined,
aggressive figure, dressed in smart,
black satin, wearing u bow of pink
ribbon Mt the throat. 1t seemed ms if
the incongruity of her attire struck
her ut the last moment, for on tho
threshold of her room she stopped,
went bncll, and threw n lnce shawl
around her shoulders. Then she made
her way to the front room, Just rs tho
noise of Gathering boots and grating
chairs was hushed, and tho minister
bowed his head in prayer.
A dozen men made room for her.
Their faces frightened rs sho entered,
but she did not look ut one of them.
Like one walking in sleep sho moved,
and never took her eyes from the thin
meager form of the mnn who stood in
the impromptu pulpit, pouring out his
soul in prayer.
1t was not until the petition WINS
ended, and the oppressed listeners had
relaxed with sigh, that she sat down
among the men, where she could SEQ
without being seen.
The minister then chose hymn and
lined it out
81 heard the voice of Jesus say"
He was interrupted by Deputy Bill.
"We can't sing that, pard-I mean
parson. Give lis something we know"
They compromised on ga Land
That is Fairer Than Day." The pnr-
son heard the sweet treble of n
womans voice, and wondered much
whence it came. He looked troubled,
and the cough TINT shook him with its
paroxysm brought out bottles and
glasses, but he put aside all offers with
II sinking hand.
"Hcarken to me, my friends" he
began solemnly. "and know that you
are listening to dying man."
He had not timo to announce the
text, the words of life were lowering
upon his lips, when there rung through
the room n womnn's frenzicd cry:
ooh, Jimmy, Jimmyl"
"Who spoke, who called mc?" asked
the parson with white lips, clinging to
the table before him.
ooh. Jimmy, you'ro too late-nnd
you're killing yourself, and it's for me,
and I'm not worth tim not worth
it!"i
She was making her way to,him now,
and rs his eyes lit up his death-pale
features he prayed:
''At last" he murmured, cat last,
and now I'm willing to die! Lord, /
thank Thee"
His head fell forward. A dozen stall
wart mon jumped to his side, but when
he was laid on the nearest bench it was
Scared Emma" who held his dying
head on her arm, and it was into her
face he looked when he opened his
eyes for brief coming bncl to life.
'Don't cry, " he said tenderly, "don't
cry, Molly-at least not for me-but
promise me-quick, Pm going soon
promise me to quit this place--now-
forever"
ooh, Jimmy, emit. You've seen
them all-tell Inc, Jimmy, are they
well-do they ever speak of me?"
"They are well, dear and snfe over
there The dear old mother and the
little sister. And promised them I'd
bring you md now I'm going without
you'll"
''Don't go. Jimmy. I'll do anything
if you'll only live. I'll change my
ways, and do just us you bid me, even
to turning my back on friends that
have been good to me. But oh, Jimmy,
I'm not worth dying for-it's too late
for that"
"Not to meet the dear mother and
little sister tell you it is not too
late. Oh, L cannot die in peace if you
do not promise. You have no right
to lose your soul, child-it is not you're
70, II 4,