Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-12
LOVES PATRON SAINT.
BY r. NJ. BARTON.

Il wOrdsr who my Valentine will be to-
Gay""
Little Ida Cornell sat near the parIor fire,
Ter gold brown curls hanging like mist Of
sunshine round her girlish face-as pretty
yOUEg fairy OF eleven summers as one need
To see Oh IA sracing February morning.
Your Valentine. Ida? What nOnsense!"
echoed her tall sister, who was arranging
her own jet-black tresses before a mirror.
Little girls shouldn't talk about SUCH
"Wen." re:orfed Ida, with toss of her
small Shapely head. IL don't see why it's
any wore for little girls to talk nonsense,
then II Is for big girls; and I'm sure I heard
YOU and Cousin Clara whispering together
fun half hour this morning, when you
thought was asleep, about your Valen-
tines"
Jane Cornell laughed.
We'll, what old We say, little Miss Eyes
and ears"
why, you said that the first unmarried
gentleman You saw would be your Nalen-
tine. and Clara told You that Mr.. st. Evers
would be waiting outside the window for
your first glaUces. i say, I've great mind
10 run ont and see Mr.. st Evers myself |
would like him for a Valentine. besides the
pleasure of cutting my elder sister Outi"
lea started up with eyes brimfull OF dane
1ng mischief, as the idea took possession Of
her mind. and ran into the hall, defIly elud-
iGg James OutStretched hand OF detention.
Suddenly she checked herself with a little
surprised scream, and ran back into the
pGIlur. hiding her flushed cheeks and ewes IF
merry mischief i'll the folds of her sisters
dies.
- " max Is ~ now. you EipSyt' demanded
JRre; was Mr.. ST. Eyers tneTe!r
MIR 81. Evers, indeed, 1t was the milk
hoy, Jane only think of 1t, a common milk
boy, with great thick shoes and n fur cap
down 10 his eye brOvs, and rel hands like
cooks ON, Jenny, is he 10 be my Valen-
tine"
serted the elder sister; "the EIst unmarried
geEtIemgn.''
"But he isn't a gentleman. Jane: the idea
Of liz and the little aTistocrat elevated her
- -
but mil boy, On, Jenny, cant nave h ~
Tor NalentiUe."
Jane laughed at her little sisters evident
That makes no difference" she sail, mis-
On evOu~ly; ''yOu must submit 10 your fate.
WHAT was he dom. there?''
On, he nuttCred something about waiting
Ior mamma To send the money for the milk
biii, Wnen asked him what MS business
was. fut say, Jenny, DO you think"
There, there, don't a .sturO me now. Clara
i here with the new Slipper pattern, and 4 ye
toi lofty thousand things 10 think OF, be-
SIDES.
Lsttle ia Cornell was left alone 10 climb
into ;he window seat anG amuSe herself
with the book OF fairy tales, still pointing q
Ettle at the 1dea OF fate having adjuigei he
The milk-boy for Valentine.
Bot what did Hugh Moray think, as ne sa
easily ON the very eige OF the big Gotni /;
tered conversation between the sisters dis
fmctly audible 10 him. His brown Cheek
flushed at first. and then grew pale; he bi
Dis lips until the DIOO1 came, and the sting
of helpless poverty and sensitive pride ran
Killed. Sharply in his heart. For Hugh Moray
was manly little fellow for his fourteen
brie f years, and hitherto he had known no
disgrace IN toiling 10 help his widowed
mother.
Nothing but milk boy.~ ne repeated to
himself And are my hands SO very red
and my clothes so very coarse that am BE-
neath her notice: used 10 think her the
pIettiest creature ever saw; but l will
never think so again. She is proud and
naughty and disagreeable, and am FOOLS
10 waste a thought upon her Idle words"
Nevertheless, Highs heart sweiled high
win wounded pride as he drew the obnoN-
lous FUR cap tighter over his DTows and went
upon his way.
al wish 1 Could ind something to do that
would earn money little faster. / wish
could educate myself Oh, Ii is very, very
hard 10 be poor"
Alas, Hugh Moray, thou art not the only
bitterness of spirit.
When, his days work done, and his milk
rounds ali completed, the boy returned To the
thlrd- story nOOr In poor street, where his
mother tried 10 make q home out OF most
unhomellke material, he was detected and
wearied beyond his usual wont. AS he
opened The door, a prOdigal glow OF red hot
Goals met his eye in the little CRATE where
The fire was usually boarded with such zeal
Gus care; the fragrant odOr OF strongly
bTewed Bohea salGted his senses; and MS
mother was sitting JOYOUS face lust oppo-
klte DTonZed, sailor ike man.
What cheer, my hearty" roared the lat
Ter ItTsonage, with a voice as strident as il
~ had projected forth from from Old Borea y
speakiDg. trumpet."Come here and shake
hands with your Old uncle! Bless his heart,
he's Moray all over"
This is your uncle, Hugh" explained his
smiling mother-"your uncle that we
thought was shipwrecked or the coast of
Madagascar, ten good years ago; aud he.
come home rich, and were 10 live with him
hugh; and you're 10 be brought up a gentle
man, and there's no more hard work TO grind
Us into the dust, my boy, and
But Mrs. Moray was compelled to pause
mere for very lack of breath.
DO you want 10 be rich, Hugh?' demand
ed his newly found relation. holding both
me Boys hands In his, and looking intently
INTO his eyes.
II want TO be a man, uncle, an educated
man returned the boy, speaking out the
ihongnt which had been uppernost in his
"I like that" was the weather bronzeJ
mans only. "YouT son Will do, Anne"
Hugh Moray sat down and gazed Into tine
IRE, with his chin supported upon his hands
mother talked eagerly over past. present nd
future. How ii Ike an Arabian Nights tale 4,
seemed 10 his excited fancy; a sudden influx
OF wealth 10 III him out OF the narrow boun-
dsrles OF sordid toll, To refine and cultivate
his nooler instincts, TO make a gentleman
out OF the poor hard worked milk-boy! And
then came The half vindictive recollection OF
pretty Ida Cornell, with her golden hair and
The scornful glitter OF her turquoise blu,
eyes
81 wonder what she would say TO being NV
Valentine now?'' he thought, triumphantIy
Like bright, vanishing bubbles On The sur
face of Times ever flowing river, the year,
passed away, ten OF them; and Hugh Moray
smiled sometimes to think OF the red-handel
nttle milk boy, whose sensitive feeling
were so sorely wounded by a certain littl,
fairy's Ill disguised scorn. He had changed
win Inc changing years into tall, dignidej
man, with raven black hair, slightly in
clned 10 wave, eyes deep and black as mid
night pools, and features straight aud cor
Iectly outlined. A years travel had tendes
10 give graceful ease to his manner; and no
one OF the attrtbC ties of wealth were wantinS
70 lend polish 10 his life. This was the Hugh
Moray of to-day.
What fun!' cried Ida Cornell dancing uE
and down as she tossed an open enyelOpt
urcn the table. MRS. Clifton is going IL
have ST Valentines Eve party; All Olsen
Gsget and unmarried people; ana nobody ia
TO know who else rs Invited: aud we're tf
draw our cavaliers by lot, aud be faithful fT
them one whole evening. Won't it be splen-
dido"
Jane Cornell, who was stu Jane Cornell
IN spite of the fslse and fair Mr. ST. Eyers
took up the note rather sourly.
1T Will DC sure 10 be a failure. Who eve,
btaId OF such a thing before"
'Jhats because You are not invited, )" SAID