Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1903-02-06

pas trousers We gave him. He hasn't
worn them out has he, Marthy?"
Nom N" Marthy said, with throaty
gigGle. He been a-savin' dem las
brooches. he is; say he spects he got
ter grow three-fO' more years fore be
can fill um up, dee SO odacious big up
round de waist parts
well. they'll be long enough II
Brother Brandon is so tall" Miss Ma.
rina said philosophically. settling back
on her pillow. Go and send Ben in
with 'em. Marthy, and tell him to tell
Brother Brandon we are sorry and that
well 80 with him to preaching. though
we didn't mean TO. | don't intend"
this vigorously to Miss Morris. that
anybody shall ever have II TO say we
were ASHAMED TO see another Liam
Standing in our fathers clothes"
Perhaps young Brother Brandon was
ambitious Of martyr1om. Certainly no
martyr at the stake ever showed a fin
er courage than II took to march up
the aisle at Horeb ten minutes late.
feeling himself the focus OF curious.
even hostile, eyes and conscious that
he looked very like cross betwixt a
circus clown and n scarecrow. The
late Squire Morris had been truly a
man OF girth. His black cloth bread
falls, thought shiny along the seams.
stood in plaits and Fuckers within the
saving compass of n yellow leather
belt. Above them the trim gray fan
mel sack lOnl-OH r.f1in..lAncIx, ~,
They bulged quite a bit at the knees
and sat very close around the foot.
But after one long, agoniZed whistle
over his own appearance Dick Bran
don had set himself to make his hos
1esses forget them, and so successfully
that, though they had been on the
verge of tears, In five minutes Ne had
them laughing.
The Riggs contingent was another
matter. II only Nelly would be mer-
cifully hindered! Brother Riggs was a
certainty. Nothing short of an earth
quake or sudden death could have kept
him away. Brandon caught the broth
er's measuring eye fixed upon him in
disappearing scorn, but he kept his head
high. All through the kneeling minutes
OF silent prayer his petition was for
strength and light.
He got up trembling. but read the
chapter and gave out the hymns In q
clear, hard voice. Through the singing
there came to him a breaking silver
strain, Nelly's voice. freighted with the
sweetness Of compassionate love.
Somehow the note melted him, soften
ed, strengthened. He lost the hamper
ing sense OF earthly vestures, earthly
things. When he got up TO speak, II
was with a tongue OF fire that searched
and sOothed equally, carrying all be
fore 1t.
Rapt, TRANSPORTED, intent only upon
the Kings business, he went from
height to height, arguing, persuading.
until rugged men sobbed aloud or shout
cd praises. The church was smallish
with bare, brown wooden walls and
high, narrow windows. Maybe IT was
the play OF light through the whisper
ing leaves outside, but more than one
believed that upon this memorable day
there was visible in Horeb church the
fiuttering of angelic wings.
Brother Riggs sat hard eyed and crit
zeal until near the end. The spirit tool
him when he least thought, and tool
him hard. He made leap across bench
and altar space and flung himself into
the pulpit, crying, The Lord gave me
my daughter; the Lord takes her away
to be your wife in spite OF nae and tho
devi1r' and hugging Brandon as though
he meant to break his ribs.
Then somebody raised hymn, al
old camp meeting chant, full OF mill
tant faith. Everybody sang and sans
until at last the congregation brought
A.; itself to the level of Sunday unin
| spired.
Brother Brandon rode straight to hi
boarding place, although he was hare
| pressed to go on and dine with Brother
Riggs. But he came next day, clothed
I'm his right mind, to propose properly
for Miss Nelly and be accepted In du,
/ form.
AS she nestled in his arms he said
smiling a tender, whimsical smile, ."
cannot feel that deserve you, darling
not even though have won yol
through ordeal by fire."