Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-08-03

fancied the pretty forehead chung to
his palm, and the fancy made his heart
beat.
You arc the goddess of self-sacri-
fice, Claudia, The exclaimed, "and your
aunt is a."
But the girls little white hand was
to his lips in II moment. "You must
not say anything against my aunt. L
love her very much. She is lonely
and does not think people tire them
selves
Mark kissed the fingers that had
thus assumed to bar his speech and
CALAMITY returned the hand to its
owner.
''You should not havo done that,
MIR. darlington" she murmured. cit
ISIS not u very clean hand Just now. 7
am afreid; indeed, it iss not"
ut is good one, and that is enough
for me, I" said Mark. Her blush after
the kiss had cheercd him like an elixir
in his veins.
The next day was misty and cold,
and the southwest wind drove the sea
hard into Aberenllyn's little bay.
"Our last day" said Mark, when
Claudia greeted him with her usual
gladstone ''good morning" Her eyes
were very dark underneath.
"Ycss, and it will be bad one, too,
MIR. Parlington. nm so sorry for
you. But why will you leave
Abercnllyn as well as me?"
do you think I could tolerate it
without you?" retorted Mark.
Claudia laughed with Il certain con-
straint.
'You would soon forget me-" she
said, "and will you please to like your
eggs with the bacon Oh done simply in
the p,t?"
ANYHOW. Claudia, so your pretty
hands bring them TO me"
1t was really II melancholy day out
side. The weather, of course, too, af-
fected the Attendance in tho shoj,.
But Mark was concerned to hear the
deep voices of mankind nearly always
when Claudia LETT him, and her clear
laughter never failed to encourage
them in their gufl'aws.
Still, there wero bonnets enough or.
dercd TO keep Claudiu's lissome fingers
In motion whenever she was not re-
quired i'll the shop; and she did most
of this work in tho little room with
the broken floor and the photographs
on the wall Mark sat ut one side OF
tho table watching her. 1t seemed to
him he had been doing this off and on
for years. Ho knew each of her
fingers by heart, and where her hair
wns thickest over that sensible little
forehead of hers
Are you, MIR. Darlington, always
so idle? No, no, do not mean that,
please forgive me. But when you are
not here do you not work like other
people," asked Claudia Mt one time.
Eyes, ! work, my Claudia, and
pretty hard, too"
But you mean ut the writing, do
you not? Is that real work, Mr.. Par
lington:"
Faith, think so, child"
The girl dropped her needle and a
hazy expression of far-awayness stole
into her gray eyes. 81 do not know
if shall ever be very wise, but 1 do
feel SO curious about London Mt times.
1t iss chiefly when lie awake in the
night"
"Coughing?"
"Well, yess, perhaps am coughing
though you must not think me weak
and good for nothing. My Uncle Owen
says have silly litslc ears, but that [
should be more foolish if they were
larger"
81 don't quite know, Claudia, what
your Uncle Owen meant by that, but
l think your cars, like every other
part of you, are perfect"
The girls cheeks crimsonod aud she
looked mp. "Ah," she said, "but
that ISIS only compliment! NJ sister
Grace-she ISIS older than me-hass
had many things like that said to
her"
Your sister Grace. Claudin, what
is she like?"
''If you will excuse me, shall show
you"
The girl tripped upstairs, but soon
returned with two photographs.
THAT ISIS Grace is she not sweet?
and yet there are many who gay we
are much alike. And thiss iss tue
gentleman she ISIS to marry"
Once again by his convulsive start
Mark sent his chair leg through tho
floor
"rhis, Claudia-this gentleman!
Why, it is Ralph Gray-a great friend
of mine Oh, come, there is fatality
here!"
By a deft movement he kicked the
door OF the room close, and took
Claudia's hand.
"Child," he exclaimed. twill You
gi;a me- your life MS your sister has
given hers to Ralph? Will you be
mine, Claudia?''
"AIr. Darlington, replied the girl,
as she gazed earnestly at him, "you
do not mean that"
u swear by-by your Uncle Owen
and your father there, and by your
own sweet SELF, that mean every word
of it,"
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