Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1898-11-25
GETAWAYS WORK.

ct, and shading her eyes with one
hand, looked down the lane, where tall
municipalities threw their long shad-
ows on the velvety grass.
Coming, Miss Nancy!" echoed a
sweet voice.
And pretty Whey Mavis hastily
showed a gooseberry pie into the oven.
and came out on the back porch. with
Its drapery OF pink and violet-cupped
morning-glory vines.
She, too, gazed eagerly down the
long lane, and soon the sapphire-blue
eyes sparkled and the pink-tinted
cheeks broke into dimpling smiles.
Its them!" she cried. Il could tell
old Dapple's jog-trot a mile away"
Whey had been up since peep of day,
when the first touch of pink blushed
In the eastern sky, and when the
thrush and the cat-bird were thrilling
their earliest morning peans.
She had MIXED the sleepy-looking
COWS, their dew-laps still wet from
contact with dripping grass, and had
breakfaS5 ready just as the crimson
sun was peeping over the cloud-capped
bluffs, lining the shores of the great
Father of Waters.
1t was an extraordi mary occasion, as
Farmer Mavis was going to the rail-
road station, twelve miles distant, to
bring home his only daughter, Octavia,
from the boarding school.
Don't you bother yourself about
breakfast, Whey" said the farmer.
good-naturedly. as he lighted his cob
pipe at the kitchen fire. 81 kin eat
snack, and hev breakfast when we git
home"
But Whey would not hear TO it, and
with her own hands she fried her
uncle's favorite pancakes. yellow with
eggs, poured his coffee, and set a glass
of fresh, sweet milk at his plate.
Dinner will be all ready when you
get back, uncle, so bring a good ap-
petite" she said, kissing him good-by.
1t was a happy family that dwelt at
the old brown farmhouse.
Farmer Mavis was good nature per-
sonitied, and Miss Nancy, the house
keeper, was a sweet-tempered old
maid; not so very old, either, for
youthful crinkles still lurked in her
soft brown hair, and her cheeks were
as rosy as winter pear-main just
touched by the frost. She was a dis
tant connection of Farmer Mavis, and
had kept house for him ever since the
death of his wife, six years ago.
Whey was his niece, and was as dear
to him as an own daughter
Great were the preparations which
Miss Nancy had secured the windows
and made up the plump bed, with fresh
! lavender-scented sheets and pillow
slips, and the best homespun coverlet.
And Whey had cooked a substantial
dinner-roast chicken and cream bis
cult, new potatoes and green peas and
caulifiower, with custard and goose
berry pie for dessert.
In the meantime, Octavia was on the
cars, speeding along at the rate of a
lmile minute She was a sharp-feat-
iured, thin-lipped girl, with light hair
land face as freckled as turkeys egg
81 am going home to keep house for
my pa" she had said, affectionately, to
her girl cronies. "To-be-sure, he has
a sort of relative keeping house now
an old maid-but 1 shall soon set her
sadrift. detest old maids!"
In due time Octavia reached home
tt.She bestowed cool nod on Miss Nancy
ia nd touched Viney's finger-tips frig-
jttlly.
Mercy on us!" she cried, in thin
high voice, as she entered the house
I'Dinner at this hour? How horridl
What does make pa keep such old
fashioned hours?"
! Miss Nancy and Whey stood aghas
1T this unlooked-for reception.
1--WE had it earlier than usual OF
syour account, Octavia," ventured he
dcousin. I'VE thought you might neet
something"
Need something. indeed" shifted
3Octavia. with sneer on her thin lips
lido you s'pose I've been starved wher
IL came from? Besides, had luncl
lon the cars. I'm going up to my room
Ito take a nap now" she added. II
Twill be soon enough for dinner afte
THAT" and she swung out Of the room
without waiting 7or a reply.
s'Wal, ef that don't beat ALL" grum
jbled Farmer Mavis, his honest blu
1eyes expanding with surprise. "E
+ 0ctavy thinks we are goin' TO wait TO
her to nap afore we eat dinner, sh
Kin think so. tkat's ALI Fetch alon
1.-THE coffee, viAsy."