American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-02-21

most suspicious. liking for walking by
moonlight for some time after The mum
Der of healthy appetites she ruined, the
many sleepless nights she caused, are
beyond my calculation yet suppose the
world has never seen a conqueror more
careless of conqucsts than my cousin, Ma
bel. often wondered that in lighting
so many flames in the hearts of others
she never burnt her own fingers. | be,
gan to think the old saying, that ''every-
body has been in love once in their lives,
an utter mistake; and that Mabel bore a
charmed life," for here January's last
days drew nigh, and her laugh was as
merry, her dimples as pretty, and her
eyes brighter than ever.
"Come, come, this won't do. Mabel, "
said my father; sit is positively unfair.
Hero have displayed the finest assort-
ment of goods, with every wish to please,
aud you are going to leave me without
making a choice. If you are as fastidi-
Gus over your ribbons as your lovers, |
pity the shopman."
'Lberty for me;
No mans wife I'll be-"
sang Mabel, and we all gave her up as
lncorrigible.
"Can you write good feigned hand?'
said Fred Pratt, entering the library
where | was sitting alone, indulging in
what Mr.. Weller calls "a referee. -
mot that I'm aware of" said l. "Be-
cause, if you can" continued Fred, 'just
direct this envelope"-and he put down
bulky looking letter on the table. 1--WE
been trying a new penmanship the whole
morning, but don't think it will do
and he showed me several hieroglyphical
specimens. "lf you had Chinese or
Egyptian postman, it might" said /, ex-
amining them but what do you want
to feign your hand for hope, Fred, !"
| continued in dgnifed manner, "you
would not be guilty of so mean an action
as writing an anonymous letter; remem-
bcr the man who can write an anonymous
letter only lacks too bad courage to grasp
on assassin's knife.
"It-it-it's only Valentine" STAN
rnered, Fred to morrow's Valentines
Day"
"A VALENTINE"
| was never more surprised in my life
Fred was certainly the most bashful
man had ever met-Goldsmith's hero
was bad enough, but Fred was worge.-
Why, he could no more have behaved as
Mario did to Miss, Hardcastle, than he
could have flown and yet here was Fred
sending Valentine How he ever got
his courage up to the sticking point" is
still mystery to me. "And who's tho
lady, Fred ?" l inquired; 81 never OBJ
served you admired any one in particu-
lar
"Mabel Grant, of course" said Fred,
with cheeks in an alarmingly appoplcctic
condition.
"Msbcl Grant p'
Here was another surprise.
"Why, Fred, we all thought you dis
liked her; you never joined in prasing
hcr-never danced with her-seldom
spoke to her; in fact never caught the
prevailing Epidemic as imagined at
all "
81 thought her far too beautiful and
good and myself too mean and unworthy
ever to aspire to her at first" said Fred
in husky tone "but love her so much
now, | must tell her all-or-or-die; :"
and he smote his forehead after the man.
ncr of men in his condition.
''Come old fellow, don't be down
hearted, " said |, quite moved.
"l"O no other way of letting her know
what | think and suffer but in this way"
continued he, taking up the bulky letter.
"And very good way too," said l,
encolragingly. "What sort ofverses are
they? Mind they're strong"
Il composed them myself" said Fred,
"they express exactly what feel !" and
he took out the Valentine.
Such Valentine punches of forget
me-nots-clusters of roses, which, on be-
ing raised up, disclosed the altar of Love
"a bleeding heart pierced with an arrow,
lying upon it-with all the rapidity of a
change in pautomine. A delightfully."-
healthyslooklng little Cupid stood at the
bottom of tho page unrolling scroll on
which were inscribed in golden letters
these lines -
"Doubt thou the stars are hre
Doubt thou the Doth move,
Doubt truth TO be a liar;
But never doubt love-
Isaid | thought ! had heard the lines
before but as FEsd Indignantly denied