Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1896-03-20

cnluren That were here. Still, there
was sum set apart by my fathers will
for my education, and it had been
placedin the hands of my Aunt Dorcas,
who was TO see that it was properly
applied; and from that time / re-
Sarded my aunt rs my protector and
guide, and her house became my homo.
In those other years there came a
beautiful girl sometimes to sec nv
mother, and after my father died she
lived with my mother all tho time.
She was my stepmother's niece and
her name was Leonora Carter. She
was not only the most beautiful girl |
had ever seen, but she was one of the
best.
Time wore on, and my freedom dav
was close at hand. 1 had graduated
with honor, and my aunt was de-
lighted; and all that now remained
was for me to select what profession I
would follow, and go into preparation
for 1t. During my stay at college |
had corresponded with Leonora as
often as was proper, and her love was
the polar star of my ambition.
Three months before / left COLLEGE.
LeonOra went away to visit n distant
relative, and was gone -dntif l hal
graduated. She returned n few DAYS
before / did. But You will under.
stand that we did not return TO tho
Same town. L came home to my aunt's.
while LeonoIa lived with my step
mother in the adjoining town. As
soon as | got homo / sat down and
wrote long letter TO my love, telling
her that l should be one-and-twonty
in very few days; that | was going
into business for myself, and that |
wanted her TO DO my wife
posted the letter and 10 answer
came. l waited week, and then I
wrote again. / inquired if Miss Car
ter was at home. She was. I wrote
third letter; and at the end of a
third week L was still without IN
answer.
In the meantime 1 heard something
said about young man OF the name
OF JOhu WelwOrth. who boarded with
my stepmother. He and Leonara were
very much together, it had been said.
He was handsome and accomplished.
and WAS doing an excellent business (;
and more than Que mother had though /
OF hum as good match for her mar
riaSeablo daughter. Good heavens :
Was 1t possible? / sat down and wrote
once more. This letter | carefully
posted myself. and waited anxiouslv
for reply. l felt sure she would
send me some sort OF word; but che
did not 1 yaited week, aad the
last spark OF hope died.
forgot to say that when came
home from college l found nv cousin.
Kitty, stopping with my aunt. She
was sixteen.
One day my aunt asked me to ride
over to Berkeley, and do some business
for her. [ told her l would. and Mt
the same time l resolved that L would
call at my stepmother's and see Leonoa.
While the groom was Harvesting the
horse Hitty declared that she would
go with me. Aunt was willing, and /
could not object. So away we went
together, and as We rode through the
village of Berkeley we met Leonora.
She was walking, and John Walworth
was by her side. l hid not then re-
hect that 1T was the dinner hour, and
that Walworth might have accidentally
fallen in with Leonora on his WAY To
his meal. only thought of my I'M
answered letters, and my soul was
filled with jealousy of the most Doie-
nant kind. Kitty asked me what was
the matter; l told her I had q head.
ache, and she pitied me as only a Girl
like her can pity. And 1 thought, as
looked upon the happy face by NV
side, "Why not cast of the the false
love, and take this in its placer" But
1t was more easily said than done.
That old love was too deeply rooted to
be cast of.
1t was near the middle of the after
noon when called at my step
mothers. 1 know that Leonora was
In the parlOr as we came into the ward
because l saw her arise and pass bv
the window; but she had left the
room before | entered, and though I
renamed there an hour she did not
make her appearance. L did not ask
Tor her. She knew that L was in the
parlor, and yet she avoided me. Was
1t not clear enough that 1 had lost
| her?
| spoke with my step-mother about
John Walworth, and she praised him
IN extravagant terms.
At the end Of an hour I took NV
leave. Before calling for the horse
hitty wished to go to the Postoffice
to see If there were any letters there
for her, as she had intended. when
she left home, to spend some time at
Berkley. We found the Office in one
corner OF John Walworth's store. He
waited upon us. There were two
letters Tor my cousin.
looked at Walworth, and he looked
at me. l fancied that he REGARDED mo
with feeling of triumph. In Short
the look was not to be mistaken
What he detected in my face / cannot
tell, though if he had thought I bated
him, he would not have been far ont If
the way.
One day Mr.. Dinsmore. friend ~
my aunt, called to see us. He wSs
going to Europe on business. to he
gone several years; and he wanted a
clerk. Would ] go with him?
Eagerly / embraced the opportunity
and went away with Dinsmore and
! VIC NN--NN