Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1875-02-10
q seIttt storp.
IDA,S VALENTINE.

81 wonder whom my Valentine will
be to-day -
Little Ida Cornell sat on the side of
her low French bedstcad, her gold-brown
eurls hanging like mist of sunshine
round her girlish faee--as pretty a young
fairy of eleven summers as one need to
see, on bracing February morning.
Your Valentine, Ida? What non
sense. echoed her tall elder sister, who
was braidiug her jot-black tresses before
the mirror. Little girls shouldn't talk
about such things"
"Well, retorted Ida, with a toss of
her small shapely head, Il don't see why
it's any worse for little girls to talk non
sense, than it is for big girls, and Tn
sure | heard you and cousin Clara whis-
pering together full half hour this
morning, when you thought l was asleep,
about your Valentines "
Jane Cornell laughed.
well, what did we say, little Miss
Eyes-and-ears :"
"Why, you said that the FIRST unmar-
ried gentleman you saw would be your
Valentine, and Clara told you that Earle
St. Evers would be waiting outside the
window for your first glances. l say.
Eve a great mind to run out and see Mr.
St. Eyers myself l would like him for
a Valentine, besides the pleasure of cut
ting my elder sister OUT
Ida started up with eyes brimfull of
dancing mischief, as the idea took pos
session Of her mind, and ran into the
hall, deftly eluding James outstreched
band of detention. Suddenly she check
ed herself with little surprised scream,
and ran back into the bedroom, hiding
her flushed cheeks and eyes of merry
mischief in the folds of her sisters dress.
"What is it now, you gipsy?" de-
manded Jane; ''was Mr.. ST. Evers
there y
Mr.. St. Eyers, indeed; it was the
milk-boy, Jane only think of it, COM
mon milk-boy, with great thick shoes
and fur cap down to his eyebrows, and
red hands like cooks. Oh, Jenny, is
he to be my Valentinef"
There can't be a doubt about it, .
grayely asserted the elder sister; 1.-THE
first unmarried gentleman
"But he isn't gentleman, Jane; the
idea of itm and the little aristocrat
elevated her exquisitely chiselled nose.
He is nothing but milk-boyl Oh,
Jenny, l can't have him for V Valentine
Jane laughed at her little sisters
evident CONSERVATION.
That makes no difference" she said
misehieyously; you must submit to
your fate. "What was he doing there?''
"0h, he muttered something about
waiting for mamma to send the money
for the milk tickets, when | asked him
what his business was, But say, Jenny,
do you think"
There, there, don't disturb me now
Clara is here with the new slipper pat
terms, and I've got forty thousand things
to think Of, besides.
Little Ida Cornell was left alone, to
climb into the window-seat and amuse
herself with her book of fairy tales,
still pouting little at the idea of fate
having adjudged her the milk-boy for a
Valentine
But what did Hugh Moray think, as
he sat uneasily on the very edge of the
big Gothic hall-ehair, every word Of the
carelessly uttered conversation between
the sisters distinctly audible to him.
His brown cheek flushed at first, and
then grew pale he bit his lips until the
blood came, and the sting of helpless
poverty and sensitive pride ranked
sharply in his heart. For Hugh Moray
was a manly little fellow for his fourteen
brief years, and hitherto he had known
no disgrace in toiiiug to help his widow
ed mother.
Nothing but a milk k-boy" herepcat-
ed to himself And are my hands so
very red and my clothes so very coarse
that ! am beneath her notice. used
% think her the pretticst creature | ever