Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-03-16

We nave done almost
day work in the last ten minutes, and seel
TO have earned the right to 90 home an
warm ourselves. You are very wet, IN
child come, we can afford to do no NOR
to-day
get ''Oh EllinOr, wish you had not take
his money, burst out. 81 would ratht
have been cold and wet
She looked at me wondering.
ave were three times as well paid by th,
one as the other" she answered calmly -
land as for not liking to take the money
let US hope he has plenty to spare, and viii
always bestow the superfuity where it is a.
much needed as he did to-day
We said no more, for | was little
ashamed Of my involuntary OutbuTst and
our liberal customer was never named again
, between us. Indeed We had other things 10
think of; for taking cold on this very dav.
| shortly afterwards fell into a lingering
lever, and my poor sisters powers were
&c taxed to the utmost to keep US both from
starving. How early she worked how late
how patiently, how uncomplainingly, must
:, surely be recorded in heaven, as one CRATE
tul heart will remember it on earth while
lie lasts and yet, after a few weeks. we
had but a shilling left in the world, and
scarce prospect of gaining another.
Some months before this, Ellinor had
had written our sole relative IN the world
an uncle in Australia; and about this time
We had fallen into the habit Of watching for
the postman as be entered our street, in the
falntest, fOrlorn hope possible that there
might come an answer to it. On this morn
ing, when Nell had given me my scanty
breakfast, and made me as comfortable as
the miserable circumstances permitted, che
: sat down near the window TO take her own
poor meal, and watch as usual Tor the post
man. The watercress woman, the boy with
the rolls, the organ that always came at
nine o'clock-all made their usual appear
ance and departed but no postman caused
the narrow little street to resound with his !
thunderous raps and at last Ellinor rose.
"He must have passed before sat down, /
| suppose she said. chesriully. never /
mind, TIbbie darling, we shall have the let |
ter to hope for. What, Mrs. Smith really /
a letter for us at last - she called out,
darting towards our landlady, who opened /
! the door at the instant, with a letter held in
her apron, to prevent its contact with her
soapy finger and thumb. "Why, how could
| have missed seeing the postman ?''
''Lor, Miss pOsty won't be here for ever
so long yet always is an hour late on this
foolish Valentines day, i keeping people
out o their lawful letters, all along o that
tomfoolery as | calls it. However. p'raps
this letter, which didn't come by post, as /
understand my little Polly. may be valen-
tine, and then you won't be obleegei to me
for calling it tomfoolery."
"Not come by post p said Ellinor, in
disappointed voice, as she took the letter
and looked at the superscriptIon and the
seal, as people will do, to discover what
they could come at so much more readily by
opening the envelope.
"Open it, Nell dear said !, with the
fretfulness Of fever aud weakness and she
came and sat down on the bed beside me as
she did so. \ thin bit of paper futtered
out of the envelope, and lay unheeded by us ,
both, as Ellinor unfolded the enclosure and I
revealed valentine-yes, real valentine, l
glistening with frosted silver snowdrops and
blue forget-me-nots. :
"0h, Nell a real valentine and for I
you Who could have sent it?'' 1
at must be a mistake said Ellinor, /
turning to the superscription on the envel- t
Ope. but no name and address in full, {
and perfectly correct" il
"Who could have sent it?'' repeated |. t
"Who, indeed?" replied EIlinOr, soberly. .
''W hat pity that snowdrOps and forget =
me-nots are not good for eating STAY !.
here is something else-roses now, sup =
pose" :,
And she took up the folded piece Of paper L
that lay unheeded on the bed. In an instant =,
the color flashed into her face, the tears into
Der patient eyes. ~
''Oh, Hbbie 4! my darling, my child - Al
Five pounds "a bsnk-nOte for FIVE pounds - b,
"Five pounds, Ellinor i-nOnsense - "
"Yes, yes & real note look - she m
'ried. "Oh, my darling, you will get well
low you shall have all / have never been er
lble to give you. Oh, may God bless the vi
ender Of such precious valentine - to
PART II. IA
The dawn Of another day of St. Valentine an
dark, raw, and gloomy. Out of doors the
Gene is wretched enough. The trees, in IN
he London square opposite, are dripping sr
With dank moisture and the Londcn street n
5 slippery with the same. Inside il is diff mr.
erent. cosy breakfast-room, luxuriantly wi
ppointed, the fire dancing brightly in the sh
,Olished CRATE, and the whole atmosphere gl
cented by the breath Of the exOtics, that dc
omes floating in from the open con- Sc
eryatory adjacent. Two ladies are Its
occupants, one of whom is busy at the
breakfast table, while the other stands at q
window, looking out.
"Why, Nell, one would think you expect to
d a valentine"
My sister did not answer and looking x.
nerrily towards her, saw so vivid a color di
tealing into her fair pale face, as made me tn
instantly sileut in wonder. of
"What were you and Captain Mildmay =.
alking about so long in the dark yesterday NJ
yening?" | asked presently. hi
"About valentines" answered Ellinor, of
Iuietly. "Yes, Tibbie, was telling him =.
If the time We earned eur bread by making W
hem an
"0h, Nell ~ called out, aghast. But in
ny sisters noble face rebu ked my paltry 8;
oride into silence. III
at seemed to me only right" she went sa
N. ah
land did he-do you think he had ever ii,
us for the poor girls he bought =
he valentines of that day?'' faltered. oe
81 don't know-if SO, he did not confess tn
t; but think it very unlikely. Ii was tic
natural VIC should recollect him not likely
hat he should associate the idea Of two for DC
orn looking creatures with the nieces of the to
ich Australian merchant, whom be saw sa
living in luxury. No: | dare say he has
ong forgotten us as be first saw US though
have always thought, Tibbie, in my own ny ~
oul, that he sent that precious valentine ,u, re
hat saved you, my darling, after the fever" W. W.
"0h, Nell and you never told me be- isI
ore Well, and what did he say - w
last night very little. thought it da
My honest to tell him; it seemed to me mt
light; but perhaps it has lost us friend, Ur
Tibbie 1 don't know pc
Her voice shook little, and she turned
ler face so that l could not see 1t. Just
hen the postman's knock made the house tn
esound; ; and. as If the noise had galvanized Te
lef INTO motion, Ellinor darted out into
'he hai. don't know what she expected,
u what did but followed her, and leant to
'ver neI shoulder as she opened the boz, with an
ler little hands trcmblino so that the let tai
ers as she lifted them fiuttercd in her grasp. tn