Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-03-02

dropped in.
Eyes, one of you boys has got to
CO." Marcus Loring appended. your
dads are too old to be driving over the
country after school-ma' ANS"
"Where is she?" Wade Loring in
CURED, lazily.
Waldo had "clerked it" in larger
town, and wore better clothes than
any fellow in West Cary, and held n
very complacent opinion of himself.
Olives down to Trenton, (" his father
responded.
"And what does she look like?"
Wade demanded.
He was smoking n cigarette.
eff she's good-looking, you know,
I might think of it,"
"Pease hired her." said Mr.. Odds,
"and he's the only ono that's seen
her."
Mr.. Pease was looking Mt Wade
Loring with shrewd eyes, which
twinkled little.
oval" he said, drily, ''she amt
much to look at. A leetle too tall in
the first place, and kind O. big-j'inted
yes, kind O. bony. Don't know MS I
can tell jest how she looks; 1 didn't
look ut her no more'n I could help.
She ain't no beauty. Reckon she's
nigh on to forty. Malvina Fletcher's
her name"
EXCUSE me-" said Wade Loring,
with laugh. 'fYou'll have to con
vey my deep regrets to Nfalvina
Fletcher, Burt. my boy"
But Burt Odds followed him out of
the barn, looking anxious. He stood
in some awe of Wade-of his self-con-
tident air, his dressiness, his popu-
larity with the girls.
''If one of us has got to go, Wade,
you'd do me an immense favor he
began.
ri can't do it, my boy" said Wade,
decisively. "Drive fourteen miles and
fourteen miles back again with an old
trump? That isn't me !"
cit will use up n day about" Burt
insisted, "and I'm so busy with my
onions 1 can't spare day. If my
crops going to amount to anything,
it's got to be attended to right along.
I know you aren't busy just now"
"Have cigarette?" said Wade.
''No? Well, can't do it, Burt. Sorry,
you know, but really couldn't"
And he sauntered away.
Burt's father joined him later in his
faithfully-tended onion field, where
Burt was pulling weeds.
''Wade won't go, will he?" he said.
oval, I'd go if I could, Burt, but ]
don't know what twenty eight-mile
drive would do to my rheumatism. /
can't stand riding lately, somehow"
'I'll go, father" Burt said cheer.
fully.
He was quiet, modest young fell
low, who tried to do the right thing,
and was not ashamed of having it seen
that he tried to.
He raised his handsome blue eyes
and smiled at his regretful parent.
s'You're good boy, Burt" said his
father, warmly.
The West Cary school was to begin
the next Monday. At two o'clock, on
Saturday afternoon, Burt drove up {
shady street in Tenton village, ant
hitched his horse before an inviting
little house painted in dull green, will
pretty porch, ana little bed o.
foliage-plants, and hammock.
A handsome, middle-aged woman
answered his ring.
Eyes, this is Mr.. Fletcher's," she
said.
81 come from West Gary" Burt ex
| planned.
"Ah. yesl Malvina has been expect
ing you, the lady answered, smiling.
"Will you take this porch chair while
you whit? 1t is cooler here"
HMalvinas her husbands sister,
suppose, Burt thought, and whistlet
softly while he waited.
He had hut five minutes to wait, nnG
then strange thing occurred.
A slender young girl, with chestnut
hair crimped around her delicate face,