Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-06-14

IPfSf.fi> S%ESGsSsA forhiddinS look on
| o19hhNNs (sjsE ~ his face that might
SlssySe.I l$'.$ have been caused
$500! ,::F .F--a by remorse, but
which, more prob
ably, was caused by dyspepsia. There
were certain inilcxihie lines about his
mouth which showed him to DO man
Of great determination, and his firm
set lips were lips that appeared mover
to smile. His sharp eyes Ind clcnr
and steady look i'll them that went
through II man, and few of those
around him cared to meet those eyes
whom there was n spark of anger in
them.
He was such an unerring Judge of
character that he had como to balievo
he could not make n mistake, which is
dangerous state OF thinking for q
man in his position, because IL mistak G
made by him might mean death TO
somebody. Nevertheless, he trusted
people that no ono else would think OF
trusting, and his trust was rarely
taken advantage of. This mnn was j.
S. Flint, tho head of Tall Mountain
Penitentiary.
Tho black man who stood beside
him, and who was receiving some in
structions from him, had simple,
trustlul, childlike face which is so Of
ten found in tho race. He seemed to
have difficulty in keeping his broad
mouth from relaxing into smile /;
and only the fact that ho was talking
with the master of tho penitentiary
kept down his cxnberant good nature.
No convict wolld take the liberty to
smile whilo Jackson Flint talked to
him, but this ono was n privileged
character even If he woro the striped
suit OF nn inmate of tho penitentiary.
lie was Sunshine Johnson, in for
life, yet on his arm rested Jackson
Flint's llttlo curly-headcd daughter,
agod six, and her arms were round his
black neck, and her fair cheek was
pressed closely to his dusky face The
murderer was one Of the convicts that
Jackson Flint trusted. He had GER
tainly had mn easy time of it; he wait
ed on the table, took care of the chill
dren, and did any odd job about the
house. He was called Sunshine" by
every one around the camp.
Doubtless he had not been chris
tened that name, but ho had been
called by it before he entered the peni-
Tertiary, and by that nnme he was
known on tho books Of the institn.
ton. If visitor, attracted by his
name, or his beaming countenance, SC
full of good nature and love of all hu.
manity, asked the supcrin tendent who
he was, Flint's brows would knit to-
gcther in frown as he answered
shortly:
"a lifer."
II the visitor still pressed for infor.
nation rs to his crime, the frowr
grew deeper and the answer gruffer
ga murderer.
Most people gave gasp at thil
piece Of information, us they saw the
convict playing with the pretty chile
of the superintendent but jackson
Flint was not man anyone would
care to nsk personal questions OF, ant
if the astonishing state of things
caused look of surprise to come over
the VISITORS face, tho look was seldom
translated into speech. Sometime!
the inquisltive visitor sought informa
ton from Sunshine himself. Wher
asked about his crime Sunshine nj
ways looked embarrassed and gener
ally cast an appealing glance ut hi
qucstioner. He stood on one bar,
foot. and slowly rubbed tho ankle oil
it with the toe of the other foot, while
look of perplexity came over hi
conntcnnnce.
''Foh de Lohd, boss. dunno mucl
about il, tlat's dc truf. L 'spects
killed the man. Hos dead, anyhow
and somebody done it; dey said it wn
me; yes, dey proved dat ut do cohts
You see was drunk Mt the time, ant
dunno anything at all about it
'Spects OATS do reason dey didn't han,
me OF the time. rs very sorry don
it If I did do it," And then Sunshin
would make an excuse to run ava,
and play with his little charge.
The penitentiary was little NOR
than camp composed ofrough wooden
buildings, and was situated on o spu
Of the mountain overlooking the grea
deep valley, from the bottom of whicl
the turbulent little river sent up o.
unceasing roar. All around were tn
high peaks of the mountain range
closing the place in apparently with
out break, although there was an uu
seen narrow gorge through which tn
river escaped, nid along whose bank
the single line of railway track ran
The mountains all around were densel
wooded, and not building was i
sight anywhere, except largo hote
at the bottom of the valley, which VIC
n sort of summer resort, with broa
verandas.
The eternal silence of its locatio