Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-09-13

C'O warm one
and tho Majors wounds wcro apt to
worry him good deal in hot wonthcr,
but he held his handsome old head
none the less high.
Markham. one of the founders of
tho club itself, watched him go for n
moment, and then turned to Altman,
who sat near him.
"Ono man i'll II hundred is tho Ma
jor, " said he, Gone man in II hundred"
eyes" agreed tho other "but what
has he been saying this aftcrnoon?"
Nothing out Of the ordinary" re-
pliod Markham, al was only thinking
of his pnst generally. l believe that
he was the best ull-around soldier that
/ ever knew. He has tho greatest M.
tipathy for anything bordering on
frivolity in military affairs, rs you
probably know, ana he declares these
boys do nothing but play soldier ~
If they were fifteen years younger
than they really are"
but doesn't lie sec the good side of
tho question:" asked Altman.
81 suppose Eo does but he thinks
tho Guards should DO composed of
moro capable men workingmen who
cnn stand great deal, and not aristo-
crafts"
"But-"
'Pray don't think am supporting
the Majors views. my dear Altman.
When remarked thnt tho Guard llnd
been ordered to tho mines, he said
Il feel sorry for tho young men them
selves, but more sorry for the State.
1t ought to sond experienced men to
such places if they ever hope to en-.
forco tho laws rigidly and quickly
Very firm i'll his beliefs is tho Major,
and tho strongest ono ho has. however
wrong it may seem to us, is that the
Governors Guards in its present state
is useless organization.
For strangers opinion thrt
might pass" said Altman, "but tho
Major ought to know better. Aud
I'm told, too, TINT the officers are all
excellent sworlsmen."
Yes" said Markham, $50 I've
heard, and all of which I pointed out
to him. But you can't shake the Ma
jor, MS said"
"Wcll," returned Altman, picking
up his paper again, sit gives him
something to talk about. anyway"
But neither he nor the Majors old
comrado knew the real reason of his
Inst outburst against tho Guards in
question; for that reason, in the form
of square sheet of note paper, lay in
tho Majors inside pocket, aud it con
sisted of hastily written but entirely
earnest offer Tor his daughters hnnl
III marriage. And tho young man
who took such n liberty was none
other than the First Lieutenant of the
Governors Guards.
Lieutenant Holloway was not dis
agreeable young man; in fact, he was
quite the opposite. He cnmo from
the South and of soldering family,
his father having lost his life ut Cold
Harbor during tho Civil Wnr; he WIS
Interested in we'll established bust.
ness sltunted in the heart of the city /;
his family pedigree was long one,
md his own character anu record
spotless.
he doesn't want my answer for
week, doesn't he?" muttered tho old
soldier, as he marched on homewarl.
"Well, he shan't get it! I'll think it
over, ms he asks me to, and not make
nasty decision, but l can tell him
right now what it will be. No, en-.
phaticallvp
Had tho Majors good little wife
been living herself, sho would have
pointed out long ago tho possibility of
OF this contingency arising, anil would
have prepared him for tho blow, which
must fall some day, aud leave him
chiidiess, whilo some cntcrprising
young man gained wife; but Mrs.
Major had died many yenrs ago, and
left the Major with the pretty Child
to bring up alone.
From vivacious, headstrono.
pretty little girl, Dorothy had grown
up into beautiful young woman, with
her mothers sweet face and her faith
cr's will and determination.
30 to-day, when he found tho letter
waiting for him Mt tho club, and to be
forgiven for railing against anything,
especially tho Guards, when il was re.
membered that one of them was the
Vandal, bent upon robbing tho cid
soldier of his daughter. Entering the
open door of his hand some house, no
called MS cheerfully MS he could:
Dorothy, dnughter!"
eyes, daddy" came tho answer
from somewhere upstairs, and the next
moment tho face he loved peepod over
tho banister and small foreliuger wns
shaken warningly ut him.
Zen minutes late, SIR" she cried.
trying to be very severe; "what does
it mcnn?"
Then she ran down tho stairs, her
pretty faoe dimpling with happy
smiles
SIT means, little GIRL" replied the
Major, slowly, taking her bright face
between his two kindly old hands.
cit means that my daughter has
conc"
"Gone where. daddy?" said she, nf-
ter one glance at him, for she felt what
WAS coming.
cover to the enemy" returned the
Major. ''''
Then, MS they went arm in arm into