Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-05-23

step of tic kind"
II certainly should" said tho doctor.
"But she could not find way.-she
had no rope 10 throw. Again the Colo
mel. meaning to do anything else but
that. opened the way At the breakfast
table the noxl morning she received from
him magnificent valentine. All at once
she saw her method. Ii was st. Valen.
tines day The rope was in her hand
Excusing herself from breakfast, she
FASTENED To hor room.
ITO send valentine to the faithful
lover was tho upper most thought. But
how? She dare not write her name, for
aitcl all. she might offend his prejndices
ar his pride bv SO direct an approach.-
She went to f,mblng draw for station
cry. She drew out little pine boat that
Henry had whitfield Tor her many years
before. lie had named H. Hope. but
the combined wisdom OF the little boy
and girl could not succeed in spelling
the name correctly. And here WAS the
little boat that he had given, saying often
afterwards that il was the beat they were
to sail in some day The misspelt name
had been the subject oil many laugh be.
tween them Now---but | mustn't bo sen.
timental.
ut did not take Jennie long to draw
m exact likeness of the little craft. And
that there might he no mistake about it,
she spelled the name rs it was on the
side of the boat-'HoAP.' There was not
another word in the valentine. Scaling
il up, she hurried out with il, and drop.
ped il in the post Office. No merchant
sending all his fortune TO sea in one trail
bark. ever watched the departure and
trcmhled Tor the result OF the venture rs
she did Spain did not pray half so fer.
yently when the invincible armeda sailed.
1t was an unuttered praycr-an unutter-
able prayer. For heart and hope were
the lading OF the little picture boat that
sailed that day, with no other wind but
her good wishes in its sails.
"Shc sat down ut her window until she
saw Henry Gilbert pass the next street
corner on his morning walk TO the post.
office. Three minutes after he went
home evidently in great state OF excite
ment, with her valentine open in his
hand. Aller while he went back again
toward the post. Office and returned He
had taken a reply
Jennie again sought the office. There
were people all around with those hide
ous things they call comic valentines
epen in their hands. And they actually
seemed 10 think they were funny She
had reply. 1t did not take her long TO
reach her room and open it. There was
another picture Of II boat, but the name
on the side read Despair And these
words wcr, added
"'Your boat il the pleasanteSt, but un
,lerstanding there was no vacant place
upon il, have been obliged to take pas.
sage in this
"Slowly the meaning forced itself upon
her. Henry had fears that she whom he
thought engaged was coquettng with
him. think. doctor, You will hardly
Justify her in proceeding farther with the
correspondence ?"
"Why not? Hasn't n woman rs much
right TO make herself understood III such
matters as Il man? Aud when the social
advantages are on her side, The burden
of making the advances often falls on
her. Many women do it, indirectly. and
are not ccnsured."
"Wcll, you know I'm conservative,
doctor bu, I'm glad your consistent
She did send another valentine. am
afraid she strained the figure OF speech
about the boat. But when everything in
The world depends on the metaphor. it
will not do 20 be too fastidious. Jennie
drew again the little boat with the
misspelt name. And this time added
five woi DIS The Masters place is UacdnE
"And quite late in the afternoon, the
reply was left at the door u am an ap
piicam for the racam place II you wiH
take that of masters mate ="
Good" cried the doctor; Il always
advocated giving women every liberty
in these matters"
But l will stump you yet, DOCTOR"
said Hubert. That evening Cough
was to lecture in the village, and my
friend went, not to hear Cough, but to
see Miss Jennie Morton at distance.
somehowIin the stupefaction of revived
hope, he had not thought of going to the
house to see her yet. He had postponed
his departure and thrown away his scru'
pies Knowing how much opposition he
would have TO contend with, he thought.
if he thought at all, that he must proceed
with caution. But some time after the
lecture began, he discovered the Morton
family without Jennie. Slowly it dawn
ed upon mm. She was at home waiting
for him. He was near the front OF the
church in which the lecture was held,
and every incl, of isle was full of people.
To get out was not easy. But as he
thought of Jennie waiting. it became a
matter of life and death. If the house
had been on fire he would not have been
more intent on making his exit. He
reached the door and passed the happiest
avauing I'm hi, life hut only 10 awake to