Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-04-27


~ssfow do you know / am earnest?
I'm always joking when with you.
<'True; but / know underneath it all
10 an earnest nature"
Mr.. Seabrook looked down into
Kitty's face with an expression which
half-convinced her that she was really
n very sedate young lady.
"But il we get to moralizing / may
forget the exact words of my sisters
message. II is request that you
should come over to tea with tbs, row
afterward, then little music, and SO
on, before home"
Kitty knew what these delightful
afternoons meant. She was always
happy Mt the Seabroolis'. 1t was Mar
tin Seabrook who lived in this de-
| lightfil place with Il lovely wife. This
happy couple made home for Ernest
and his son Ellis. Ellis was twenty
two, and at present was travelling
Ernest had been IL widower for fifteen
years. Rumor said he had not mar
ried happily, but he never mentioned
his wifcs name to Kitty
"Of course 1 will so, said Kitty.
"Then l will call for you mt three, I"
and he bowed himself away.
''Isn't it the usual time for Mr..
Seabrook's vacation2" asked Aunt
Margaret, when Kitty entered.
Eyes, but his brother is not we'll
this summer, and so Mr.. Ernest has
given up his vacation to assist him
about his business, and contents him
self with such outings rs he can get oc.
casionally."
Every kind in him, I'm sure"
''Yes-Mr. Ernest is kind man."
and Kitty ran upstairs to array herself
i'll some white nuflness that made her
look like m angel. ArterwarJ she
rc'le away.
The tca-Grinking was like all others
at that housc-enjoyablc. The river
was as placid rs river could be. An
old time boat song blended sweetly in
their united voices, for Ernest insisted
upon Mrs. Martin joining them Was
it merely Kitty's fancy? ErncsL's
hand seemed 10 take stronger pres
sure than usual us they nonted down
the bright pathway cut by the moon
beams. KITTY did not mean TO he
prudish, but she suddenly drew her
hank away and then discovered Mr..
Senbrook scowlnS under his hat.
Kitty felt disturbed. The thoughts
which she meant should lie quietly I'M
til she got ready to attend to them
were forcing themselves upon her.
She felt frightened Mt herself and inno-
Gently wondered why.
But Mt last the evening was over.
The little boat was safely moored aud
Kitty found herself Mt her own door
There was still bit OF constraint on
kitty's part, but none on his. He
touched her hanl with the same old
time goodnight pressure and left her
to dream over it all.
eff he does really care for me why
doesn't he say so?" quericd Kitty,
walking with an inpatient tnp of her
little boothcels across the hall floor.
"Did you speak, Kitty?" asked Aunt
Margaret
mo, auntie, was only thinking. -
''Then | heard your thought, Kitty
Katharine. This VAS what Aunt Mar
garet called her when she was very
much in earnest. "And can tell YOU
arc very curious creatures. When You
think they are going to say something,
they don't; and when You least expect
it, they say II great deal"
''But Mr.. Ernest isn't my lover -
protested Kitty, for the sake Of hear
ing what her aunt would say
sob, he isn'tl Then l have not
OWNED correctly!"
'But, auntie, he is old enough TO
he my father. He is forty-three and
L am twenty-thrce.
''Makes no difference, md to nv
mind he is worth all the young lovers
put together"
That may be, but he is only an
old time friend after ALL" and Kitty
made her way slowly upstairs.
Was that all? And why should she
care? Kitty began to be conscious of
n new, strange feeling i'll her heart,
and determined TO settle the matter
then and there.
She locked her door and sat down by
the open window. The moon was shin
ing brightly, and her thoughts went
back to it's bright path rs they hoated
i'll the ''Siren," and to the hand pres
sure Ernest had given her. She sat n
long time and when she had classified
her thoughts they ran in this way.
eyes after NIL, / do care for Ernest
Seabrook very much. Can't help it if
he is old enough to be my father-I
like him" kitty dared not say, 81
love him."
She awoke i'll the morning feeling n
little dissatisfied with herself, but was
taken ont of her thought for herself
by telegram which summoned Aunt
Margaret to distant city. After the
hustle of her hurried departure had
subsidized Kitty's thoughts returned
She scolded herself mentally. "This
won't do" she thought. 81 will go
over to Longwood for day and for
get it."
The Osbornes lived at Longwood.
They were her friends and relatives of
the Seabrooks. Kitty was gladly well