The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1872-01-11

no rope to throw. Again the Colonel,
meaning to do anything else but that,
opened the way. At the breakfast table,
the next morning, she received from him a
magnificent valentine. All at once she
saw her method. 1t was St. Valentines
Day. The rope was in her hand. Excus-
Ing herself from breakfast she FASTENED TO
her room.
TO send valentine to the faithful lover
was the uppermost thought. But how 7?
She dared not write her name, for, after
all, she might be mistaken in counting on
his love, or she might offend his prejudices
or his pride by so direct an approach. She
went fumhllng in a drawer for stationery.
She drew out a little pine boat that Henry
had whitfield for her many year. before.
He had named Hope, but the combined
wisdom of the little boy aud girl could not
succeed in spelling the name correctly.
And here was the little old boat that he
had given, saying often afterward that il
was the boat they two were going TO sail
in some day. The mis.pclt name had
been the subject of many laugh between
them. Now-but | must not be senti-
mental
1t didn't take Jennie long to draw an
exact likeness Of the little craft And
that there might be no mistake about it,
she spelled the name as it was on the side
of the boat:
II 0 4 p
There was not another word in the val
entine. Sealing it up, she hurried out
with it, and dropped it in the post Office.
No merchant, sending all his fortunes to
sea in one frail bark, ever watched the de-
parture and tremble for the result of ven
ture as she did Spain did not pray half
so fervently when the invincible Armada
sailed. II was an uttered praver-an mt
terabIe. For heart and hope were the lad
ing Of the little picture boat that sailed out
that day, with no other wind but her
wishes in its sails.
She sat down at her window until she
saw Henry Gilbert pass the next street
corner on his morning walk to the post of
fee. Three minutes after he went home,
evidently in a great state of excitement,
with her valentine open in his hand.
After a while he went back again toward
the post office, and returned. Had he
taken a reply
Jennie again sought the office. There
were people all around with those hideous
things that they call comic valentines open
in their hands. And they actually seemed
to them funny. She had a reply. 1t did
not take her long to find her room and TO
opcn it. There was another picture of a
boat, but the name on its side read de
sPAIR. And these words were added:
Your boat is the pleaSaateSt, Jm IN
derstandiag that there ras no Uaca,.t place
upon 1t, / hare been Obliged to take Pcs
sage on Mts.'
Slowly the meaning forced itself upon
her. Henry had fears that she whom he
thought engaged was coquetting with him.
| think, Doctor, YOU will hardly justify her
in proceeding further with the correspond
ence?
why not, Hasn't a woman a. much
right to make herself understood III such
matter as a man? And when the social
advantages are on her side the burden of
making the advance often falls upon her.
Many women do it Indirectly and are not
censured.'
Well you know I'm conservative, doc
tor, but | am glad you're consistent. She
did not send another valentine. | am
afraid she strained this figure of speech
about the boat But when everything in
the world depends on one metaphor, it viii
not DO to be too fastidious. Jennie drew
again the little boat with misspelt name.
And this time she added five words:
'Thc masters piace IS rdcant.'
And quite late in the afternoon the re-
ply was left at the door: 81 an an apptj-
cant for the cocaat place, if y0w uui take
that Of masters mute
Good cried the doctor: 4 always ad-
vocated giving women every liberty in these
matters.
But viii stump You yet, Doctor, sail
Hubert That evening Cough WAS to
lecture in the village, and my friend went,
not TO hear Cough, but to see Miss Jennie
Morton ut a distance. Somehow in the
stupefaction of revived hope lie had not
thought Of going to her house to see her
yet. lie had postponed his departure and
had thrown away his scruples. But some
time after the lecture began he discovered
the Morton family without Jennie Slow
~ it all dawnel upon him. She was at
home waiting for him. lie was near the
| front Of the church in which the lecture
was held, and every inch of aisle was full
| OF people. To get out was not easy. But
as he thought of Jennie waiting it became
q Ai'AlbCi VI IiIC anu ttdlll II the lOuSt
. had been on fire he would not have been
more intent on making his exit. lie
reached the door, he passed the happiest
evening of his life only to awake to sor-
row, for JennIe's father is dead set
against the match.
He has no right to interfere said the
Doctor yehemently. You see | stand by
my principles
But if tell the story but / am afraid
you would not, said Hubert.
why isn't it done 2
Il beg Your pardon, doctor, for having
used a little craft. l had much at stake.
have disguised this story in its details. But
it is true. | am the hero
The Doctor looked quickly toward his
daughter. Her head was bent low over
her back. Her long hair hung about it
like curtain, shutting out all view Of her
face. The Doctor walked to the other
window and looked out Hubert sat like a
mummy. After a minute DR.. Hood spoke
'Cornclia =
She lifted face that was aaamc Tears
glistened in her eyes. and | doubt not
there was prayer in her heart.
You are brave girl. | had other
plans. You have right to choose for
yourself. God bless YOU both. But it s
great pity Ilu is not a lawyer. He pleads
we'll So saying he put on his hat and
walked out
This is tie conversation that Hubert re-
peated to me that day sitting in his own
little parsonage in Allenyiile 4 minute
after his wife came in. She had been pre-
scribing for the minor ailments of some
poor neighbors. She took the baby from
her crib, and bent over her till that same
long hair curtained mother and child from
sight.
4 think, said Hubert that YOU folks
who write love storie. make great mis-
take in stopping at marriage. The honey
moon never truly begins until coniusal af-
lection is enriched by this holy partner
ship OF loving hearts in the life of child
The climax of love story is not the we'd
ding. 1t is the babyr
What do you call her ? | asked
Hope, said the mother