Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-04-19

WI t"ihJj uuli
going up to
tho counter on which eoIne ioavcs
OF bread were piled, looked at
them with eyes TINT seemed all
ready to dovour them, and suy to
his father: "Havo you aLy fivo-cont
lonves, sir?"
the grocer answered promptly,
GLOW much nro these, sirP" asked
the girl.
"Rcg'lar price," said tho grocer /;
"ten cents"
"Hnvc You any stale loaves2" nskcd
go" said tho grocer very shortly
B~s his son, looking askanco Mt the
girl, who was as pretty and MS fair and
MS fragile MS lily, saw her tnko tho
end of black ribbon that hung about
her throat from her bosom, and unite
from it n iive-ccnt piece, which she
held toward his fat father in her
trembling fingere.
"Won't you please cut loaf in
two, and sell mo hnlf?" sho pleaded.
"Not in the habit of doing business
in that way" said tho grocer.
Tho girl turned away. Clifford saw
starvation in her eyes, despair in nil
her movements, and slipped his thumb
and finger into his waistcoat pocket,
and came from behind tho counter.
"Lct's Sec the fivc-ccnt bit. MISS" he
said. "Why, bless You, you've mado n
mistake, it's n tcn-ccnt picco. l
thought it was very large for five
cents. Father, that's The prico of n
loaf"
Tho girl looked Mt tho picco of
money with eyes that diIatod with
something between Joy and awe. She
muttored to herself. under her breath,
TITS miraclol Jacks five pence to
turn to ten ponce. Clifford followed
tho girl, and by his gentle, manly
courtesy and sympathy won her con
fidence.
"Let mo help you little" he said.
ri think you can get work at Mrs.
frimmer's, tho milliner. Give her
our card, and soy we sent you. But
you mustn't 60 until tomorrow. just
around hero is n decent place-com-
non, but decent-where they'll take
you in. This will do it, and get your
breakfast and dinner. Oh. take it /"
81 never thought to DO beggar,"
said the girl, passionately.
"Take it rs o loan," said the grocer.
'You can't sleep here, let alono the
rain all night"
"If you'll let mo pay it bnck I'll not
say no again." said the girl, "and
thank you. thank you, thank YOU"
"Afrs. Trimmer is 81 - street
md Biddy Ryan's is that tall brick
house there, in the basement. She
takes girls to board. You'd better
shy you're nursemaid or n seams
trcss. That is true, you know. Good.
night"
Thon whom she had snid good-night
he watched her, saw her admitted at
tho Irishwoman's door, and went
homo, rejoicing TINT that pretty,
slender young creature would not
sleep in the street that night. He
took heron trust, sharp young CITY
tradesman though he was, and be.
lievod in her implicitly.
1t was odd for the son of his father,
but Clifford was his mother all over,
despite the ponurious maxims that the
old man dinned in his cars.
So it was, that instead of making up
his mind next day TINT the girl was
an impostor and had spent his gift in
liquor, Clifford walked, in tho aftor-
noon, down - street, and looking
in at Madame Trimmer's window, saw
face he remembered, set about with
bright braids of brown hair, bent over
n little hat; and seeing it turn toward
him, walked straight in and up to the
girl, and said: "Good-day," and then
"good-day" to Madame Trimmer.
"We've brought two of our custom
ers together, I sco," no said. "Glad
to know it." And just then his fing-
era, playing with the contents of his
vest pocket, touched tho cash received
of ono oflthe customers alluded to-
tho five-cent piece no had 80 deftly
hocus-pocussed into ten cents.
The girl looked Mt him in surprise.
Madame looked at tho girl more re.
spectfully than before. The story of
the fire was true then, and this dress
that tho young woman wore was given
her by neighbor when sho escaped
in her night attire from the burning
dwelling.
So she began upon the subject of
fires, and Clifford Hull, who had the
gift of representation peculiar to good
statesmen, talked also. He told no
lies; but when they parted, Madame
Trimmer had somehow come to the