Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-08-02

W. modern Medea.
7 Q Greytons
lived in pretty old manor house on
tho Bloomingdale road, just a pleas
ant drive out of town.
They liked pretty draperies, and
cultivated rare roses, and painted
lovely little amateur pictures, and
basked, in q sort of unthinking way,
in life's sunshine.
They didn't know quito how much
income they had, nor exactly where it
came from. They only knew that
everything was in the hands of "poor
papa's lawyer-a darling, white
haired old philanthropist, who was
devoted to the heathen, and who Of
ficiated as Secretary to half dozen
foreign missionary associations. 7 EAnd
whenever they wanted money they
went to him for it.
And ono day, when Mrs. Greyton
!. and her daughter Lila went to the
city Office with n bundle of unpaid
bills to get Mr.. birmingham to write
q check for them, the door was pad.
locked, and little paper notice "To
Let" was tackled upon it.
Where had Mr.. birmingham gone
Nobody knew.
When would he returnp The public
was densely ignorant on that subject
Why had he gone? And in answer
to this question thero was very uni
versnl struggling of shoulders, and a
whisper about general "smash.up. -
Poor Mrs. Greytonl She and Lila
were both as Ignorant and inexperi-
onced of the world MS q pair of white
kittens, and it was some time before
she could comprehend that Mr.. Fran
ingham was thorough fncod villain.
and that she and her little flock were
penniless.
"What shall wo do?" murmured
Mrs. Greyton, after she had wept
through her whole supply of pocket
handkerchiefs.
Couldn't we sell our hand-painted
chinaP" said Clarice, n swnrthy
proved girl of eighteen. 81 de-
signed every piece myself. And Mr..
Favalli said"
"Pshaw!" CURLY interrupted Fem
ella. "Just look at the china stores,
crowded full of far finer work. Poor
Clariel they wouldn't pay you the
price of the mineral paint it took to
do them for your plaques and vases.n
81 can do art embroidery very nice
ly," suggested Mona, tall, shy girl
with liquid black eyes, and lefty hair
growing low on her forehead.
kThe embroidery market is over
fulSi' said Fenella, who was the incar-
nation of common sense for the fami-
~ eff you could do homework now,
Mona"
Mona looked down Mt her slim,
white hands, all sparkling with rings,
and shuddered.
But Bess, tho youngest, came bravely
to the rescue
s'The first thing" said she, sis to
send all the servants off except Ann.
We can't afford to pay four girls and
@ man any longer"
tBut who is to keep the garden in
order" cried Clarie, 'sif we discharge
the MANI"
cit must go without being kept in
order" said Bess, "or else we must do
yourselves"
"My poor rosesl" sighed Mrs. Grey
ton.
"Mamma's roses shall not suffer, f"
said Lila. ''I will look after them
myself"
"And old Mrs. Playford, who spends
n month with lis every summer ?" said
Mona. "And the Bidgood girls, who
always invite their frienes hero to tho
midsummer picnics-and all tho peo-
pie who drive out from the city to
lunches and tens"
"We must make clearance of tho
whole of 'em ]" said Fenella, orisply-
unless, indeed, they would like to
make q business matter of it and pay
their board"
"oh, Fenellal" cried Mrs. Grey
ton.
"Well, why not, mamma? So far
as / can see, we haven't got money to
buy our own bread and butter-so
T how can we afford to order ices, and
frozen buildings, and pates do foie
gras for other people? But if we had
regular income, 1 am almost sure,
with AIMS help, that we could set a
very nice table for boarders. {"
Lila looked terrified.
"Mamma. . said she, ''has it come
to this?"
Bess frowned sayagely..
E sLilla," said she, don't be a fool |
unless you think you would like to
starye."
= And while the family were still in
committee-of-the-whole, old Mrs
Playford's huge, old-fashioned ba-
rouche rumbled up to the door, with
q Leaning Tower of Pisa strapped on
behind in the shape of trunks
"Pm little earlier than usual, my
sweet girls" said she, with smile
that revealed the golden hinges of her
false teeth after most CHASTITY
fashion. 1But the season is in
tolerably hot, and my doctor declares
it would be suicide for me to remain