Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-10-04

AN"AhACS.
Certainly am, Peggy. Why not {?
cannot ride comfortably in anything
else"
Peggy shook her head gloomily.
81 dunno, Miss jessie" she said,
al dunno muffin of de styles Norf, but
I'd feel mighty bad if Colonel Pres.
toms Mis- Imogen or Mis- Pnyson-
Smith meets yo' on dc road lookin
like dat"
Nonsense, Peggyl I am perfectly
willing to meet the whole county ut
once; and it is not question of style
but question of comfort? you must
remember that"
She spoke indiferently, but she was
conscious of a slight inward SILVER Mt
the thought of the general dlsnpproyal
her innovation Of riding to the school
house on bicycle might meet with,
In Wow OF the fact that it had begun
at her very door.
She was trim, sweet looking girl,
with pretty brown eyes, fresh color
and soft, brown hair of sunniness
that was reflected in her eyes, and she
wore n modest dark-blue frock that
fitted her slight figure well, reaching
Just to her shoe tops, tan leggings and
shoes, that would not show the dust
of the road, and blue sailor hat to
shield her face from the warm Sep
tember sun.
She wheeled the new bicycle, the
first, the only one in Harmon, out IN
to the yard, and mounting it easily,
she was off like bird down the coun-
try rond, with the sunlight catching
the shining wheel, and Peggy watch
ing her anxiously and muttering re-
newed hopes that she would not meet,
above all. the colonels family.
Jessie Tuthill was R Northern girl,
who for the year past had been en-
ployed by dozen of the old families
of Harmon, Virginia, to conduct a
small school for their children. Be-
fore the war Harmon had been n CAV
spot, noted for its beautiful places and
hospitality, but since then it seemed
to have fallen nlseep, awaiting some
royal touch to awaken it again. Jessie
was distantly connected with the Pay
son-Smiths, one of these old families,
and so with that recommendation and
letters from several distinguished
Northerners, vouching for her capa-
bility rs teacher, she had secured
the position which the dozen families
had found some difficulty i'll agreeing
upon filling, and she had soon won
the confidence and love of the children
and the gratitude of their parents
for her gentle influence upon them
and Tor their progress. Her mornings
wore devoted to the younger scholars
and the afternoons to tutoring u class
of half dozen boys preparing for
college. She had been home North
Tor July and August and che had Just
returned. How she had enjoyed those
two months of freedom among her old
friends in the dear little home she had
grown up in on the Hudson, which, il
it were small, had such big view OF
river and misty hills, and which she
was so loath to leave but that she
would not stay and be burden where
there WAS not always enough, and the
position South was very good one.
While she had been gone she had
tried one day to ride girl cousins
bicycle, and learned so quickly and
enjoyed it so thoroughly that her
Hncle, who would have done more. for
her II the girls Independence would
have let him, presented her with one
Tor her own as parting gift; and now
this morning she was riding it for the
first time to the little school house,
three miles away from where she lived,
finding it great relief from hurryine
along on foot as she had been Obliged
to do ell the year before, and vet
with all the exhilaration of the exer
else in the fresh morning air, still
dreading little the criticism this in
noTation might meet with. For a,
Harmon was less wealthy than in the
old time, it was proportionately more
formal, and woe betide the individual
and especially IN outsider, who dared
to do anything for which he or sh,
could find no former shining exam
pie.
The country road was hard an,
smooth, and in spite of her fears, sh
was beginning to be quito happy
when she heard the sound of n earring,
coming behind her. She glance,
hurriedly back. Feggy's worst fear
were realized. 1t was the colonel
wife, both of whose daughters, know
as "the Preston twins. " attended TIL
school. Jessie slowed up to let th
carriage pass; she could easily hay
outstirNpped the numbering farm horse
drawing it, but she considered tn
moment was not favorable for the dis
play OF her racing powers, and sh
smiled a CHEEKY good-morning, irwin.
to appear as unconcerned as possible
though her wheel was wobblin.
horribly from her nervousness, and +
detracted from her sense of dignity.
In the brief moment of passing
Mrs. Preston regarded her with as
constituent aud favored her with
bow that was blood-curdling in if