The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-03-26
YEROAICA'S VALENTINE.

NLhVAACA - tALEN ZINE
After considerable debate upon she
subject IN boudoirs and parIors, as well
as at sewing society and other tables.
the ladies of est Philips" fiually de-
oIded TO hold their fair for the friend
less orphans of tlat parish some time
after the holidays.
Christmas and New Years follnrr
SO soon after Thanksgiving one WANTS
the few weeks that come in between to
attend 10 ones own orphans s." lauob.
lngly said Mrs. Whyte, at the last meet
ing concerning that event, upon wbic,,
piece of "gsOd doctrine" it was mali
agreed that the second week j., Febrnoryg
would be about the time best snite5 -
a.! IN which to bold their long-taIked of
:. IL Ooesnt concern me much when
u cores off, " said Veronica Vallerv TO
ne, aunt, as she buttoned M her seal.
SKIN jacket and pinned up her veil
L haven't any orphans of nv own to
attend to, and no rather nor mother tn
attend to me. care for nobody and
nobody cares for me- Good day. Mr.
Agnew." -'--'
The gentlemon thus addressed had
Iolned the ladies as they left the church
door, and, begging permission to walk
on nome with them, looked down at the
independent speaker as he said laugh
inglv:
- caught your last sentence, Miss
Nallery, snd doubt 1t. ="
Which part 90 yer doubt ?" asked
veronica, looking Up defiantly.
IL wodid be r1de to answer 'tbe
last halt TO One upon whom every one
seems to look kindly, and it would per
maps De presuming, upon so short an
acquaintance, to say 'the first half so
VIII merely repeat, in a general sort
remark"
''Auntie, Mr.. Agnew is p,avinp
sphinx. he speaks in riddles. 7 don9
understand him and I'm verv sure he
don't understand me-" and Veronica
walked on trifie faster.
beg pardon, Miss Vallerv. II is
no rIddie-merely knowledge 1 i'm
aSiue possess of your charaeter; bst-
Ter perhaps than you have of yourself"
Fray contine yoOr studies of char
SGter to the limits of your profession,
Mr. Agnew. Lawyers, L believe, have
every opportunity for studying human
nature IN the police dock and sucb
places. Until Miss ValIery occupies so
PuoIie p position she objects to being
studied" o
"Oh, Veronica what ale Won talk.
ing abouts cried Mrs. Whyte quickly
fearful that her two proteges wonid
quarrel in dead earnest now
Some natures when thev draw nAar
TO one another seem like summer storm
clouds, to be charged enc with the
positive. the other with tie negative
electricity, and in the meeting of such
opposite forces there is always a sbarp
report imminent; and Veronica ValIery
ana fal Agnew never we're balf an bour
Cogesber that there was not some little
hasn and play of Lightning in their
words that threatened danger. And
YET, somehow. ike he summer storm
cIai 2ed cloud l., they always seemed to
Seek one another, too
Tbe three walked on in silence now
untH they reached the steps of Their
boSrdng house then with some pleas
ant, Kind remark, Mr.. Agnew left the
ladies IN the hall and went up the long
wide stairs to his room. The ladies'
stopped a few minutes in the parlor.
Veronica Natlery," began her aunt,
In tone of reproof.
Exactly, auntie Veronica ValIer-v
only add spinster. and well calculated
TO take care of herself. and you will
nave my name and nature complete.
and no words about it, if you please "
cannot understand what makes
Neron.ca SO rude to Val Agnew," said
Mrs. Whyte that evening after she had
repeated the passage of arms she had
taEen place between them that after
noon; "and to me, too. for that mat
ter, when take Der to task about il, Il
never saw Val SO Interested in any oirI
before, Ee wants to talk abOut her
every time he comes into my room. and
asks all sorts of questions: while she
appears to be governed eutirely by his
opinions aud tastes, says be is the most
gentIemaniy gentleman she ever knew.
quotes bSyard's motto, Sans g1e,t- ct
Sa'SS 'Efrochc, when speaking OF him,
and pet she is too hateful to him for
any thing. don t understand it,"
Wei, do" answered Mr.. Whyte
from the depths of the long German
pipe he was smoking.
'You2 2-ridIeulousI" :" and Mrs WHY ta's
tone expressed absolute incredulity.
Yes, do. They're in love with
one another" and the volume of smoke
that followed the assertion seemed APP
prOErlate to the cannon-like effect the !
words had upon his hearers.
Jumping up from the rocking-chair |
as though she had been shot, Mrs. !
Whyte exclaimed:
"Why, James Whyte, Inever Thought
of that and is's the very thing, too"
she went on volubly. ''Val will make
the very sort of a husband Veronica
needs-some one to control her as well
as her fortune"
But remember, l don't say it will
eud IN their being husband and wife
Love does not always bring about that
consumatlOn so devoutly to be wished. |
They are precious pair of contraries, !
ana because IT is a good match for both |
tney very likely viii turn Just oppo- /
sitely, and both make poor ones. I
shan put a straw in their way, for nor
against. Let them manage il them
selves"
But this little CLEAN of light on the
subject of Neronioa's behavior illumi.
rated all Mrs. Wbyte's dreams bril-
Iantiy, and she saw IN her minds eve
her beloved but troublesome niece and
Protege the wife of a good man and
eminent lawyer.
Ihe fair was announced for the 18th,
and the ladies of the committee de-
clded they wonld have. as one of the
attractions ior the evening, the old
time honOred "poStoffice." ="
Aud, girls" said Mrs. Whyte. who
was one OF the prime ministers, "you
must all set your wits 90 work and
write the brightest kind OF notes. |
Veronica, you used to be apt ct verse
making. Hou shall do the poetry"
The evening Of the IA II arrived. and
the pretty little ball IN which It WAS
held was a scene of brilliant gayetv.
Val Aguew lonnged in late, and not
seeing Miss Val;ecv amongst the bevy
of pretty girls at the table, he inquired
for her.
"Oh. she's postmistress," answered
pretty little bruos tie at his elbow;
"and. by the by, I think there's a let
ter for you. Go see.
Mr.. Agnew obeyed the command,
and presenting himself at the narrow
little window of the Office, gravely
asked for letter.
VerouIco finished q littIa nc sba an