Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-04-26

S~-., -. ..=s..-ss look about the
mouth that seems ton accompany the
slightest dcformity of the spine. But
Nelson Ruthvcn was very fond of her.
lIo was n cabinet maker, and lived
over tho shop, with his mother for
housckccpcr. Mamie Pitcairn had
the little shop next door, and there
mndo dresses and bonncts, md 80
earned her bread.
1t was ill tho aspiring village of
Doublcy. md tho fashionable ladies'
went 10 the city TO DO fitted; but the
palmer folks pntronizcd Mamie. Mrs.
Ruthvcn did, aud it was whilo Mamie
wns making that lady's dress that
Nelson found out how sweet she was
lie was i'll love, and his mother knew
it before lie did.
"Poor thing I'm sure it's pity
she isn't pretty" she said. And Mel
son answered:
"Shc is mother )" and then added,
cat least find her so"
And tho trouble TINT fits through n
mothers heart when her boy begins
10 think more Of another woman than
he docs of her give her n twingc of
pnin. However, it was in Mamie Pit
cnirn's favor, us fur us the old lady
went, TINT she was not pretty. Gle
might do worse" thought Mrs. Ruth
vcn- "mnrry some one who would try
to queen 1t over me, take my place.
She'd not care. l won't hinder it,"
And so she told Mamie TINT there was
always scat in their pew in church,
when she choose 10 come there.
a month or two went past. Nelson
Ruthvcn, who had not all tho moral
courage of his great namesakc, kept
sinking deeper and deeper into the
7 slough of love, but dared not say n
word TO Mamie. And Mamie, begin.
ming to grow very fond of him, began
TO wonder MT lust if it might not have
been better for her never to have zone
to Mrs. Ruthycns house to take ten.
or to have taken her place in tho
widows pew, or to havo done any OF
those things that had thrown her &C
much into contact with Nelson.
"For," said Mamie, looking Mt he,
poor shoulders pitilcssly in tho glass,
"no one ever could love me; no one
ever would want me to loyo him. :
Then Mamie hid her sweet fnco in til,
pillow and cried; for though shc wa.
brave, lovcless life had black hor.
Tor to her, rs sho looked down it.
lonely vista.
Never, neveri" sobbed Mamie,
softly. "Tho love is all for pretty
girls; no need of trying TO be good,
or of loving them. They give ali they
hayo in their hearts to bright faces
and falling shoulders and taper waists.
What use of hoping that yearning and
loving, if ono is not beautifully"
And at that moment Nelson was
writing this little note:
Mamie, dear-for you nro yory dcnr r.
mc-havc you guessed how lovo you? d.
you love me n littlc-just little? Will Won
he my wife, and let mo love and caro- for You
all my iifcH Try to say yes, dear, or think
my heart will break, want you SO! 1 shall
send this SO that you will get it on yalen.
tlno's day. They say it is a lucky day foI
lovers, and I'm little supcr5titiols. Yoi,rs
until death, NELSON RuTHvEN.
Then he rut it into. nice white
envelope, and wrote upon IT, s'Miss
Mamie Pitcairn" and resolved tc
leave it at the postoflice next day, SC
that tho postman might take it to the
girl he loved on Valentines morning.
1t would have been much better 70,
him to have gone to Mamie himself
but Cupid loves to vcx his votarics
and probably put the idea of writint
into Kuthvens hoad.
lie put it into his head also to n,
that,night to buy some material need
iul in his trade, and SO leave the houst
to his mother, who bcthought her t.
iaii downstairs and. sprain her nnkl
before ho had gone two hours.
The servant, frightened out of he
senses, called out to Miss Nannio t.
run in to Mrs. Ruthvcn," MS sh
rushed doctor-ward. And Nnnnio has
tened to obey. Mrs. Ruthven sat in
chair, in somc pain and rather faint
but Nnnnio was glad to find matter
no worse. She proppod the hurt ankl
upon cushion, and asked what sh
should do; and Mrs. Ruthven answere,
that the camphor was on tho desk il
Nelson's room, and she went in qucs
Of that restorative; and SO, .lookin,
with candle for ths bottle, saw, dies
plte herself, the name upon tho en-
vclope which Nelson had left upon hi
desk Miss Nannie Pitcairn"
The sight 1uttered her amazingly
''Why should he writo to mc?" sh
asked. Then it camo into her min
that the day after tomorrow wa
Valentines day. ''He is going to sen
mo valentine, " she said. "I neve
he'd valentine in all my life!" An
a blush stole to her check, and n happ
softncss into her henrt.
, Mrs. Ruthvcn was in bed when Ne
{ son came home, and Mamie had eun
home, but tho old lady was full of he
praises.
'Did me more good thanethe doc
tor" che snid. "i5he's little dear.
I And but for that diabolicai Cupid
Nelson would have told his mothe
then and there what he had written t
Mamie; but his tormentor whispered
mo; if she refuses, il will be unbeal
I able to be condoled with" So he hel
his peace. The next morning he wcr
to tho Office with his letter, IN
dropped it into the box, and said t
himself UShn'll rno1 ~ on,,l,o,,