Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1902-11-21
HER VULNER-
ABLE SPOT q &
BY LAVON c. CHENEY.

Mrs. POTTSEY stood on the top
| III most round Of the ladder of fame
erected by the people OF ShultisviIle.
She had been placed in her exalted
! position by the male portion of the
community, as shining example of
what a woman should be. and used by
II as a prod to the energies of the re-
luetantly admiring and secretly en-
vious female inhabitants. The CON
census OF opinion was expressed by
Deacon Wilson when he said:
shes the best worker fur ten
miles round. and 'es got git up
enough fur two wimmin!"
From this it may readily be gath
cred that the villagers standard Of
excellence in a woman was not beauty
nor intellectual gifts. but ability to
work.
Mrs. Pottsey's capacity in this direc-
ton was a never ending source of con
versation among the women. and the
fact OF its being common occurrence
in the life OF this remarkable piece of
femininity TO buy calico for dress
one M rning and wear the finished
garment on the day following. was
something OF which TO brag TO less fa-
vored communities. And the work upon
1t was done entirely 10y hand. for sew
ing machines were not considered n
! necessary article of furniture. and
were looked upon as a luxury TO he
INDUCED in only by the very rich. al
though they were sometimes acquired
by the very lazy.
Mrs. Pottsey's browning achieve
ment was the trousers OF the late
Mr.. P"ttsey. During the lifetime of
her husband, she had purchased the
material for pair of pantaloons one
morning. and that gentleman had
d"nned those same garments in the
an ernoon as ftting-or. possible
n-fitting-tribute to his Office ne
pail bearer during the obsequies of a
ne-ghbor.
Whether these strenuous exertions
on the hrt OF his spouse had so wear
led Mr. Pottsey that he was glad to
seek phce where work is unknown
1t is impossible TO say. He had been
pale. peek, little man, lacking in
the enerty which the woman. beside
whom he bad been obliged to spend his
life, pos9 ssed in such superabund-
ance-ani she was not at all backward
In showing her contempt for those
whose en"wments were not equal 10
her own. This, no doubt, wore on him
70 an exile that rendered him ner-
1ectly " ling TO exchange the real
ites OF tpe world he was leaving for
the promises Of the world TO come
The inscription on his tombstone was
characterfuc Of his relation in life
Tor even Z death he was not allowed
TO assert imself, but was laid to rest
as wash gton. beloved husband of
Zenobia Fbttsey."
There Mas no suggestion Of NIL.
ness aooun Mrs Pottsey. She was tall |
ana rathef thin, with swapping black |
eyes ana qnooth, black hair. showing /
no threadlof white. Very courageous |
indeed, wiuld be the hair to dare nm /
1url wife banner in her head. It's |
death would be sudden and icnomin-
lous- common report provided her with
a sharp tlngue. But this detriment in
the mind OF her male acquaintances
was more than balanced by the mate
rial auVaFages she could confer on
possible iuccessor TO the late Mr.
fottsey naturally, woman who snIit
her own Food, MIXED her own cow
ana o1d fher things commonly sun.
posed to + mans work, had MANY ad-
mirers. "u-
AS Le4ueI Jones-caIIed .r
Jones" byhis friends. in playful ain,
sion 10 fs well-known dislike 20
manual la lor-expressed it to select
coterie of his cronies: "You ,vo,1s
not nave do a thing but jest set down
and take easy; she'd do the bnst
ing a fman thatIl climb Iadde~
and paint Ier own house is the woroo,
for me-" 0''iah
"hen Jones one afternoon IN
'trruP'eo Mrs. Pottsey's strenuous
processes y knocking at the door. she
~ e"s'9u ID putting the finishing
'ouehes tos color scheme" in her he.,
i AnePredominating shade was
sort of BIZ, sh red Tn .h;. ,..
munity thscolor was NJ. - ICON. com
..aD;,;~ Dut was simply called
v;,Ia % III was quite fad in the
"no1eVerybody who had any
ul1incion possessed some
pn.ts uyeu this particular hue. Mrs.
49, ha1imparted the startling
rbs ~ seViai objects in the room.
iinRham lacAurtains ~S~ me Not
,iIS. ''sl'ce YIN the dye pot. The che
ay the famik bible tooS ~ V a. when
'poplectic sbw. same
Mrs pottsA
os'se was engagedin putting