Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-07-25

>sAAah6 aScuio uuQ yUDDcO IL tHIOuBn
an apple quarter. Tho needle went
into her flesh also. She gave little
cry and thrust her finger into her
mouth. Her large, pale eyes turned
wistfully towafd her companion. The
faded, already elderly mouth auiyered.
'I'm jest as sosr't as ON be il see
blood" she whispered.
MIR. Bakers heavy underlip twitohed ;
his face softened. But he spoke
roughly.
"You needn't mind that bit or
Blood he snid; s'that won't hurt
nothin'. 1 don't care if do set down /;
/! amt drove any this mornin'. ON
Jest as we'll as not take hold m help
We. l s'poso Mandany left thunder
IN lot for 20 TO do while she's gomez"
1.-TWO bushels, was the answer.
'Ihe old cat That's too much.
But won't BIO for both of us, will it,
Amp"
The woman said "No."
She looked for an instant intensely
at the man, who had drawn his chair
| directly opposite her. He was already
pairing an apple.
"l'd know what to mako of it," she
said, still in whisper
"To make of what2" briskly.
"Why, when folks are so good to
me 3 you be"
ooh, sho', nowl Everybody amt
like your Aunt Mandany.
"Shl Don't speak SO loud Mebby
she'll DO comm back"
"No, she VOLT. No matter if she
Tho loud. confident tono rang
oheerily in the room.
| During the silence that followed,
MIR. Baker watched AIMS deft fingers.
Everybody says you're real cap
able" he remarked.
A joyous red covered AIMS face.
81 jest about do all tho work here, -
she said.
She looked at tho man again.
There was something ouriously
sweet in the ample face. The patient
line at each side of tho close, pale
mouth had u strange effect upon Mr..
Baker.
He had been known to say violently
In conversation ut the store that he
"never seen Ann Tracy 'thout wantin'
to thrash her Aunt Mandany."
"What in time be you dryin' Seek
no-furthers for?" he now exclaimed
with some ferceness. "They're the
fattest kind of apples know Of"
"That's what aunt says" was the re
ply. "She says there most Us fats 1
be, n that's flat 'nough."
These words were pronounced ms
though tho speaker were merely stat
ing woll-known fact
"Then whit she do 'um for?" per-
sisted Mr.. Buker.
"She says they're good 'nough to
swop for groceries in the SPRING"
Mr.. Baker made deep gash in IN
apple and held his tongue.
Ann continued her work, but sho
took good deal of Seek-no. further
with the skin in n WY that would have
shocked Aunt Mandany.
Suddenly she raised her eyes to the
sturdy face opposite her and said:
81 guess your wife had real good
time, didn't she, Mr.. Baker, when she
was livin'2"
Mr.. Baker dropped his knife. He
glanced up and met the wistful gaze
upon him.
Something he had thought long
dead stirred in his conscience.
81 hope SO, he said, gently. CT
do declare tried to mako her have o
good time"
GLOW longs she ben deadp"
"Most ten years. We was livin'
down to Norris Corners then"
Tho man picked up his knife and
absently tried the edge of it on the
ball of his thumb.
"I s'pose," said Ann, "that folks
are sorry when their wives diep"
Mr.. Baker gave short laugh.
"Wall, that depends"
"Oh, does it? thought folks had
to love their wives n DO sorry when
they died."
Mr.. Baker laughed again. He made
no other answer for several minutes.
At Inst he said:
81 was sorry enough when my wife
died."
A great pile of quarterod apples was
heaped up in the wooden bowl before
either spoke again.
Then Ann exclaimed with piteous
intensity:
ooh, I'm awful tired of boin' Aunt
Mandany's fool!"
Mr.. Baker stamped his foot invol-
UNFAIRLY.
Chow jew know they call you that 2"
he cried, in great voice.
81 heard Jane Littlefeld tell Mis-
Monk she hoped nobody'd ask Man
dany's fool to the sociable. And Mr..
Fletcher's boy told me that's what
folks called me-"
"Confound Jane Littlefieldl Con-
found that imp of boyl'.
These dreadful words burst out flu
riously.
Perhaps Ann did not look SO shock
ed as she ought.
In O moment she smiled her imms-
ture, simple smile that had touching
appeal in it.
"'Tain't no use denyin' it," she
said; 81 amt JUS like other folks, n
that's fact. I can't think stiddy
moro m minute. Things all run to-