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

S'SS"E' 'Sp Wu uurlulcSS ueCtlt
lodge there but for moment the
eyes lau 1hed and twinkled, and all
but called aloud, "Here it is; and
the next instant the secret was dis
lodged and scurrying off in plain sight
of everybody, and nobody moro sur
prised than Mr.. Petit himself.
Consequently, when Mr.. Pottit
stepped into the kitchen upon GER
tain June evening. and hung his hat
upon The peg behind tho door, Mrs.
Petit, suspending the kettle high in
mir from tho operation OF pouring
boiling water upon the ten, snid, IN n
lone of conviction "Ephraim, you've
got letter from john"
"Well, now, | want TO know !" said
Mr.. Petit, throwing nm appealing
glanco around upon IN imaginary aud
ndmiriug audience, "If women don't
beat all ! | was saving That letter till
after supper"
1--WE can just ms we'll havo it with
our tea, said Mrs. Petit, pulling the
cosy over the teapot, md leading the
way to the supper table. "John must
have something particular to say. We
had letter from him this week"
The two snow crowned heads were
bowed for moment in simple grace,
and then, rs Mrs. Petit poured the
fragrant Hysou into the old-fnshioncd
china cups. her husband proceeded to
open the letter.
Not very much, after ali. Two
square yellow tickets and one OF
those short notes that are always por.
tentous:
CnIcAGo. Ill.,, June 10Th. 1895.
Denr Father and Mother: incloss You
two ronnd-trip tickets for Chicago, which |
expect yo, 10 mako uso Of right away. QUE
boy H. to fc christcned next week, aud thu
christening can't so on without YOU Your
loving son. JoHS PrrrIr.
l.. s.. -relegraph me- when you start.
J. T..
Mrs. Pettit dropped her hands into
her lap with II look of blank dismay.
"Why, Ephraim," she protested, IL
cant co."
John wouldn't like it," said Mr..
Petit. softly, combining his 'gaze to
careful stirring of his ten. "ft's our
first grnndchIld, you know"
Involuntnrily Mrs. Pettit's gaze
wandered through the open window TO
n tiny hillock, which, with its mar
BILE shaft showing dimly through the
twilight, told its own tale of Eleanor,
aged seven"
81 have never left her." she said,
with troubled eyes.
'She would wish it, said Ephraim.
gently. John knows all, and he
wishes it. Sixteen years is long
time for grieving. mother. She is a
grown woman in heaven by this
time"
Nothing more was said after this.
Tho soft darkness of June night be-
gan to fall. The kutydids called from
the grasses; n huge June bug beat it..
self noisily against the window screen
the COW lowed from the meadow with.
out.
At last Mrs. Petit pushed aside her
unlisted food and said, with pitiful
tremor III her old voice: "We'il 90.
Ephraim. It's wicked of me to be
staying Mt home grleving, and neglect
ing the loved ones that need me. We
Will write to John tonight and tell
him SO"
Thus 1t came to pass that few DAYS
later certain train pulling out of
Wilson's Ferry carried with it quaint
old couple with whom we have to do.
Tho old gentleman wore his whiskers
after good old country style, and
looked over his silver bowed glasses
with The most benignant eyes in the
world. As for the old lady, fellow.
passengers glanced idly upon her, aud
then turned TO gaze again. Such n
sweet old face, scanned with added
years and care, but beautiful withal
III its frame of clustering gray curls.
No one smiled at the old fashioned
bonnet, the long, slender. WASTED
black dress, or neatly folded shoulder
shawl. No one seemed to think of
the oddly OF the black silk mltts with
their short fingers, although they had
not been put on before since Eleanor's
funeral. Every one seemed kindly
Interested in the big brown baske,
with cover and two handles. Before
The Journey ended it had opened wide
its hospitable cover to soothe with
ginger cakes and tarts the cries OF
more than half dozen trayel-woru
babes, and had won the earnest bless.
ings OF ms many tired mothers.
Six hours OF rumble and noise ana
dust, glimpses Of waving green field.
and distant towns, feeting acuunint
nnce with strange faces and othe,
lives, good-bys mid youth and laugh.
ter and silent good-bys with tears
and the train steamed slowly into Chi.
cago.
1t seemed to be the final destipatio,
OF all humanity. Such crowds OF peo
pie, such noise and hustle But for.
tunately the trend of humanity
seemed in general direction.
Maybe you ought to have tele.
graphed, John, rs he said to-" re
marked Mrs. Petit, in dubiou,
voice. "He would have been here tc
meet us." -
~ know the wav w.,