Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-06-28

]. !. !. !" !"
~ N0-ltAI L"uner was three
-NA| sS years my junior,
=-//iM Ri Sweet sixteen! 1.
III, Nd mi there in all this
-@SA.AZa ID world anything
INIIlN EEl sweeter? ThorC
\ GhEiN hS may DO othe,
~ IEHArTWr' Sweet -s.sc san
-waS. hipu | but tho compare
@sss5S9 hESA v tive degree of the
zuAESAA adjective in this
GMlg' connection has
grown rusty from
long alsuse and Sweet Sixteen remains
positive lin kind and superlativo in de-
AID Lois Tanner was sixteen.
rom tho first day OF our meeting
fSwo were the children of wealthy
parents and were summering by the
sen-some intangible influence, some
lncxplicable force seemed to draw us
to each othcr aud to run tho lines OF
our lives parallel. For two years VIC
had known each other, and one day
1t was the third summer after our
mceting-we sat on the rocks by the
shore and rs the waves beat in rhyth-
mic measures upon the silver sands
stretching out Mt our feet, 1 looked
into her sweet blue eyes and know That
Lnchesis rs sho drew two threads from
Clotho's spindle was twisting them
into ono cord, forever indivisible.
In emily youth, how far the Dyes,
undimmed by years, can SEQ into the
future, md how keen is young love to
dccipher the handwriting on the wall.
Lois" enid as We sat there in the
fading twilight, edo you know how
long we have known each othcr?"
"Does it seem long, Mr.. Bclden q
she replied with II coy little smile.
est has been two entire years, Miss
Tanner," said J, falling into her mock
formality of manner 49,
''And one learns gront deal in two
years." sho added.
TN one direction I have learned
nothing Lois said with quietness,
| did not feel.
why, Jack," she exclaimed, 81
don't see how you could stand STILL"
"But have" l insisted.
"How?" and her eyes looked her
guilelessncss.
sin loving you, Lois" broke forth.
81 couldn't love you any moro in n
thousand years, than loved you after
our first meeting
"Oh, jack" she cried nervously,
"whnt made you say that?"
"Why shouldn't 1 shy it?" nm
swcred with logged resolve not to
be put down by any woman's within.
Because, jack" she said very earn
cstly, papa has been saying all along
that you and were together too much,
and tho first thing the family knew
there would be case of puppy love
to cure"
"Di1 your father say that?" asked
with the anger showing in my face.
"He did, jack, and he says"
"Well, don't want to hear what he
says, or has said or will say" inter.
rupted. elf he says anything like
that he doesn't know what he is talk
ing about and hasn't the most remote
idea of what n man truly in love with
the one woman in all the world fo1
him, feels"
"He ought TO know something
about it," Lois said hesitatingly.
"You know, jack, he has been married
three times"
"That's just it," / growlcd; she.
grown callous. He thinks because
am not n hundred years old I dom
know my own heart and am irrespon
sible into the bargain. If it weren't
for you, Lois" added, amelioratine
my wrath to slight extent, 90
wouldn't have man like he is for m,
father-in-law under any circum
stunces.'
"Papn isn't so awfully bad, Jack, >
she said i'll extenuntion of the paterna
weakness.
+ 81 never thought he was, either, I'M
til you told me what you nave" 1 nd
mitted. "But, Lois" and L grew
hard again, "you must know that nc
fnther who regards the future happi
ness of his daughter can take the posi-
ton he docs and assume to dictate tho
course of two lives which in the nature
of things must.be independent of his. ;
'.Papai says your papa said the same
thing and agreed with him thor
oughly," she replied, arguing a.
women do.
"Lois," I said in my firmcst tone
"dont speak to mo of your father
again. If you do shall be tempted te
do him some bodily injury"
The dear little woman laid her hand
on my arm restrainingly and smiled
with such irresistible sweetness that ]
even forgot the wound my father hai
given me. F4A
'Let it go, doar," she pleaded
''They have forgotten they were evel
young.
The shadows were growing into .
deeper purple and the waves took OF
tho mellower shades OF the evening
sky. The night wind, just rising
tossed Lois's golden hair about he,
smooth, white foi ehcad, and the pinl
OF the sunset brought roster glow t.
her cheeks. I.brushed my hand acros
my eyes and looked into her face.
"Do you remember what said
few moments ago?" l asked, returnin.
to the previous subject.