The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1866-03-14

ed and even smiled in answer to him.
Meanwhile the well dressed young lady
behind the counter looked ON with much
lofiuess, not TO say disdain, which was
not abated when she saw the other gentle
man finally fix upon the forgct-nie. nots and
Cupids, which his friend had pronounced
so killing, and the pi.e Of which Ellinor
said was five shillines l don't know
whether the elder one had by this time
become aware Of the irregular nature Of
the proceedings, or whether he was en-.
lightened as TO the same by the aspect of
the young lady, but certainly, with a
smile und bow towards Elinor, he turned
away, and, after purchasing some triAc of
her, lie and his companion left the shop.
Very short indecd was the young lady's
tone when she said 'that they had no in
tcnilon at present Of increasing their stock
Of valentines" and very supcrclious was
the look with which she eyed Ellinor's
fair, dehcatc face, as my sister was re-
storing the unsold valentines TO their box
once more Dear Nell so pretty and go
unconscious! If the handsome and kind
young gentleman had been an ugly old
woman he would haye been as interesting
in her eyes, provided be had bought the
valentines.
She sighed a kind of relieved sigh,
when we were once more in the street.
"rhcre, 1ibbie, we have done almost
days work in the last ten minutes, and
seem to have earned the right to go home
and warm ourselves You are very wet,
my child; como, we can afford to do no
more to-day"
"Oh Ellinor, wish you had not ta-
ken his money" l burst cut. ~ would
rather have been cold and wet"
She looked Mt me wondering.
"We were three times rs well paid by
the one us by the other," she answered
calmly; "anJ>as for not liking to take his
money, let us hope he has plenty to spare
and will always hestow the superhuiiy
where it is rs much needed as lie did to-
dav."
We said no more, for was little
ashamed of my involuntary outburst; and
our liberal customer was never named
again between us. Indeed we had other
things to think of; for taking cold on this
very day, l shortly afterwards fell into a
lingering fever, and my poor sisters pow
ers were taxed to the utmost to keep us
both from starving. How early she
worked; how late, how patiently, how
uncomplainingly, must surely be recorded
i'll heaven, ms one grea;ful heart will re-
member it on earth willie lite lasts; and
yet, after a few weeks, we had but a
shilling left in the world, and scarce a
prospect of gaining another.
Some months before this, Elinor had
written to our sole relative in the world
--an uncle IN Australa--and about this
time we had fallen into the habit Of
watching for the pnstman when he enter
ed our street, in the fantcst, forlorn hope
possible that there might come an answer
to it. On this morning, when Nell had
given me my scanty breakfast, and made
me as comfortable as the miserable cir.
cumstances permitted, she sat down near
the window TO take her own poor meal,
and watch rs usual for the po,iman. The
waterrress woman, the boy with the rolls,
the organ that always came at 0 o'clock
all made their usual appearance APP
pearance and departed; but no postman
caused the narrow little street to resound
with his thunderous raps and at last
Ellinor rose
''Ilc must have passed before / sat
down, l suppose" she said chcerfully
''ncver mind, Iibbie darling, we still
have the letter to hope for. What, Mrs
Smith really letter tor us at last -
she called out, darting towards our land
lady, who opened the door Mt an instant,
with letter held in her apron to prevent
its contact with her soapy finger and
thumb. "Why, how could have missed
seeing the posiman =
''Lor, Miss posty wont be here for
ever so long yet; always is an hour late
on tins foolish Valentines day, keeping
people out o their lawful letters, all
along O. that tomioolery as l calls it.
However, p'raps this letter, which didn't
come by post, as understand my little
Polly, may he valentine, AMI then you
wont be obleeged to me for calling il
tomfoolery."
''Not come by post I" said Ellinor, in a
disappointed voice, as she took the letter
and looked at the supcrscrjption 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 l with the
frctfnlness of fever and weakness; and
she came and sat down on the bed beside
me as she did SO A thin bit of paper
futtered out of the envelope, and lay uI,-
needed by us both, as Ellinor un!olded
the enclosure and revealed valentine
yes, real valentine, ghstening with frost
ed silver suowdrups aud blue forget-me-
pnts,
"Oh, Nell q real valentine and for
you Who could have sent iti'
at must be mistake said Ellinor.
turning TO the superscription on the en-
velope. "But no name apd address in
tull, and perfectly correct"
"Wbo could have sent Il !" repeated l.