Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-01-15
HIS ROMANCE.

It was two years since Joe Bentley
had left his home in a quiet little Ohio
town TO seek his fortune in the west.
For two years each working day had
found him at his desk in a large mer.
camille house in Chicago. lie had been
fortunate in securing position NJ once.
through brother of his town postmaS-
ter, who was now chief clcrlI i'm the Of
flee. Joe will never forget those two
years--ionesome two years they were.
the more lonesome, perhaps. because ne
had never been away from horne and
among strnngers befog-s.
When he first came 20 CHR ,go the
worlds fair and other attractions made
the city wonderful place for the coun-
try boy, but these soon paled or passed
away, and the loneliness settled upon
him as he felt himself a stranger i'm n
! strange land
For time he attended church. as had
been his habit at home. but they were
such large places. and the congrega-
tion and young folks dressed and acted
so differently from the church folk az
home that he finally got I'M the habit
OF staying away. lie sorely missed his
town acqunintanccs. the companion
ship OF his sisters and brothers and the
bright smile OF Cousin Fan. who use,l
10 pop in so unexpectedly aud leave
such volume of sunshine behind her
when her father would come 10 town 10
Go his marketing. The girls with
whom some of his fellow clerks associ-
ated, and with whom they tried 10 make
| him at home. somehow failed 10 fu the
tNs1 a.. Il 4 1T
the fellows 60 greet them on the street
with n familiar slap on the shoulder
and n Hello. Kit, old girl. how yon IL ?''
and in spite of himself he felt too much
of an aversion TO them to enjoy himself
OF make himself entertaining. and
dropped them.
At last a change came-grndpaliy. 10
he sure. slowly that Joe hardly
knew there had been a change tiI IL
was there. For several days the seat
Mt the opposite end OF the table in the
restaurant where Joe ate lunch had
been occupied 10y n modest-nppearing
little woman. whose long lashcs fr:nged
the darkest of blue eyes. and who's"
slightly pouting lips and rounded
cheeks glowed with the naturni health
which can never be duplicated by nrt
md which only country air can give.
The next day she was in the same seat.
and the next and the next. and Joe soon
came to look forward, unthingingiy. to
see the bright face of the unknown
One day the chair was vacant. and
Joe. with sense OF deep d:sappo'nf-
rnent. knew why il was he looked for
ward so eagerly TO the MONDAY mea!
The next noont;me he took particular
pains with his toilet and was so i'm
patient that he was AT the table fvc
minutes before his accustomed time
She was not there. and his heart sank
\ minute later Il bounded aga'n rs b.
saw the weli-known figure coming dow
The aisle. As she pulled back her chair
preparatory to taking her seat some
how or other. Joe never quite knew how
Il happened. the big blue eyes fashe@
for a moment into his ard I've was o.
his feet. blushing and bowing.
This was the beginning. and II lc
came customary 10 bow. later 10 sit sid.
ty side and talk during iurch. ard. IL
time permitted. 10 wink with her MS fai
rs the MoHadnocl< building. where sl.
was employed. lie had vainiy tried {,
discover her name. but when he ha,
naivciy informed her that il was avk
ward TO call her Say she had askcc'
him 10 call her simply Miss Margaret
! adding that this was what she was most
generally called ard was most nc
custoined TO.
This went on for several weeks and
Joe had several times been on the vcr9r
of asking for her address. thnt he might
call or asking her TO accompany him
TO the thcater. but he kept delaying. fear
Ing that he might rupture the growing
friendship ard be left aQain TO himself
and the lonesomeness OF feeling TINT he
knew almost no enc.
One noontime tand Jot will aIvayi
remember it) che vas not u her nccuS-
toned place. although tic dag before
she lad been Specializing " hat tic hill
OF fare would be. Ile ate as slowly as
be could and spent his whole noon hour
in the restaurant. bui when be left the
chair was still vacant The next day
tine same experiences Tie repvc@chcd
himself for not finding out more about
iler-perhapS she WAS SICK or Fed met
with an accident. ,,tanv rate .vi,elsner