Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-06-15


their wooden satisfaction.
"Thcrel" cried Dolly. "Isn't it II
beauty And heavy-ob, what II piece
of solid hcnviness! Oh, that isn't IL
secret drawer! It's only IL pIuce to
put umbrellas and cancs in. | used
to he certain there was IL secret drawer
i'll il when / was child. But I've
changed my mind now"
John Barton walked slowly around
the settle, cycling it from every point
OF view. Miss Pcnrilr watched him.
eyes, it is IL benuty!" snid he.
"What will you tnke for it, Miss Pen
ril?"
81 hardly think you can afford to
buy it, young man," snid the elderly
lady grizzly.
John Barton REDEEMED little.
''Oh. MS for that, said he, rather
awkwnrdly, "I'm representing some
one else. Personally, Perhaps"
"Well," snid Miss Pcnrill, "it cost
three hundred dollnrs. But don't
expect to get its full value"
"Annt Keziah would take IL hun
dred, " iluttercd Dolly, eff"
Every we'll" said Mr.. Burton, cts
bargain. Is there man nbout the
place who could help me lift it into
the wagon?"
"Therc's old Sins Virgins beyond
the big rock, suggested Dolly.
And while Johnnie Barton was zone
for him, the old lady sat down on the
settle, where the yellow sunshine
glimmered and the smell of late
mignonnette came in mt the window.
Here was where L used to sit, >"
said she. 'Thcre WINS big stained
glnss window i'll the hall just over it,
and great fireplace beyond, where
they burned such big black logs of
cold, winter nights. And there, in
the other corner, my lover used to sit. -
Her voice quiverc,l; tear spnrklcd
IN the faded blue eyes behind the
steel-rimmcd spcctacles.
ooh, Aunt Keziah!" cried Dolly.
suddenly flinging her arms around the
old lady's neck. al never knew YOU
Ind lover"
Does any woman ever live TO be
twenty without lover, child?" snid
Miss Pcnrifl. "But your grandfather
was very ambitious man. He was
losing money i'll those South Sen ship
ping ventures even then, though L
didn't know it-nnd he wanted me to
marry rich man and retrieve the
family fortunes. Aud Henry was
poor"
WAS that his name, Aunt Kczimh 2"
so L never married at MI, " went on
Miss Pcnriff. "Good-hy, old scttle!'
And, with infinite pathos, she touched
her lips lightly to the biggest of tho
griilins' heads
BIT Dolly held tight to her aunt's
hand she chung around her neck, with
passionate kisses.
CHOW you know, Aunt Kezinh," said
she, almost i'll IL sob, "why didn't nc
cept Orlando Daley Now You know
why L love Johnny Barton. JOHNNY
isn't rich, but neither was your Henry.
Oh, Aunt Kezinh, you won't blame
mc?"
Dear mel" said Miss Pcnrili, in
sort of bewildered way. "You don't
mean to say"
"Yes,I do, said Dolly, turning pink
and white, like the tall hollyhocks at
the garden gate. at was only lasi
night, when we walked home from the
prayer meeting together. I couldn't
think of what Elder johnson was saw
ing because of Johns blue eyes, and it
all seemed like dream to me, until
he asked me to try and love him
little?"
"And do you love him, Dorothy ?"
'Td ride around the whole world
with him i'll that old covered cart, if
you only say yes" sobbed the girl.
IL don't care for money or rank. /
only know that love john"
And she slipped back into the sha.
dows as Johnny Barton and old Silns
Virgins came to lift out the the ma
hogany settle.
Miss Penriff watched them through
mist of tears.
Here was the blossoming ont of truth
and love, and all that blessed disre-
gard OF ways and means that onlv
comes in the dawn of life. She had
outgrown it all, but it WAS Il story that
repeated itself with each new genera
ton.
She remembered that Mr.. Oakley
had said that John Barton was a good
young fellow enough. She looked at
the old settle, where she md Henry
Hartford had sat years ago, and she
beckoned softly to Dolly.
dorothy" said she, "if you love
the lad, take him. II was young
once!"
And then she went back into the
house, SO that she might not see the
old griffins, with the claw feet, being
carried away.
Only two weeks afterward Dolly
came eagerly to her aunt.
"John's uncle is coming down from
New York, sad she-"the gentleman
who honpht The mnhnnnmu .n4nn ~