The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-02-15
PORClE'S Valentine.


old man was Robert FELTON,, but his
years sat heavily ON him. He was grave
and quiet, and any one who had watched
him would have detected some mental
trouble, daily increasing.
AS be meditated, pen in hand, and
eyes fixed on vacancy, while his left
iorefinger touched the point where cal
culatIOn was to be resumed. when the
weighty question that engaged his
thoughts was settled, the door opened
and Miriam Heathcote glided ina
slight, fair girl, with dove-brown eyes,
and hair and cheeks OF tender bloom.
shyly she glanced at Robert FELTON,, and
lie mechanically at the clock.
81 know it is late, Robert" she said,
with an embarrassed laugh. t'That is
pens. aud l thought you would give me
one.n ..
"To write valentine with, MiriamW
"Yes, r Ibert," said the girl, lifting
her eyes frankly; 'it is for Yalen-
Line."
And Robert saw a curious, half smile
fit across her face.
He handed her box of pens, and as
she stood choosing one with great delib-
Ell alton, he, with his forefnger still on
the same spot in the column OF figures,
and the pen, which he had laid down at
her entrance, lifted ready for use, looked
at her under mis- eyeDrows.
"Miriam," he said, graVely, attracting
her attention.
There was no consciousness upon her
face, no bushes evoked by her con-
iession. She looked up IN the same
frank, unfuttered way as before.
"MIriam, my child, l wrote valentine
five years ago, which l never sent, for
The reason that l knew it would not be
accepted. OF course made mistake
in writing it, in wishing for Impossible e
things; but there are worse Mistakes
lie is iull OF them. suppose you would
scarcely understand me ii could tell
YOU my thoughts, Miriam; but l trust
u cd and your own wisdom will save you
from blighted youth"
She was bushlng painfully now,
though he would not have guessed IL
from ner tone.
You hint, Mr.. FELTON,, that-Charlie
has chosen me for his valentine" she
said.
"That is no secret, I think" he
answered.
"And that it would be unwise-that
we could not be happyW
Understand me, Miriam! ram not
deiaming any one, Charlie is"
"Thank you, Mr.. Felton," Miriam
Heathcote interrupted. "You mean
kindly, l. am sure; but my valentine is
Tor Charlie. Good night" ..
With O deep frown ON his brow, Robert
FELTON, went steadily on up the column
of figures, down the next, noted the re-
suit, then closed his boUks for the night,
and laid them III methodlcal order.
SIT was not my business; that is what
e,,iH ith s,rI,
"Well, Welll Or course it must be
| thingV
Again the door opened, and young
man in a velvet smokins-jacket and cap
entered.
Il say, Felton," he began.
'Take a seat, Charlie"
'tNoL necessary, thank you," said this
secOud intruder, tllting over the back of
an easy-chair to lean upon. "Not neces
sary. l just want to ask you ques
tion."
HWhat is it, Charhew
"Ynn're not very young, I suppose.
Mr.. Feltunr'
"Not very" said Robert, with grim
smile.
"Almost an old bachelor, eh ?'
20 lite, Charlie"
"po you think a young man loses
anything by marryingT
'sHe Is generally supposed to gain
something"
eyes, 1 know all that rubbish about
lhelpmates, and 80 on. But here's q
young fellow with plenty of money,
lgood-looking, rather SO, and he goes and
burdens himself with Wite1
"Talking of yourself, Charliew
"Well, yes, 1 am. Miriam's pretty
girl, don'G you think sop
Robert FELTON, only made a sort oil
grlmace. 1t was scarcely the kind OF
|questlou he cared TO reply to.
"She's my cousin, to be sure, and some
neople object TO cousins marrying: bui
| since l brought Porgie down to see Uncle
George, Pye begun to think it miphtn,l
be Dad thing. Indeed, Pye about made
up my mind. thought, perhaps, it was
better not to hurry matters, and that
might as we'll ask your advice"
| "And"
"On, nothing. I suppose Pm boring
you. Good night. BY the way, TIl jusI
borrow a pen."
AS the door flung behind Charlie with.
out closing, little figure stood on the
tnreshold--a tiny, brown-iaced thing,
round-limbed, rosy-cheeked, curly heaa.
ed, and dressed In just such pretty
Whlte' garment as CupI0 might wear
one Of Lnose elf-like boy babies that peo.
pie can never bring themselves to call
Uy sober Christian names-and this was
Porgle, otherwise Miriam's Cousin
George, and Charlie's younger brother.
| "DO you want pen, tooW asked
Robert FELTON,.
| "rate me up" was Porgie's answer.
| He had business on hand not to be
communicated from a distance.
Tue man, amused, though not q little
weary, lifted the child to the arm OF his
chair, and Two little brown arms closed
around his neck in coaxing caress.
81 'ant 90 TO yite me balumtine."
"What about, P0rgIeW .
"About Myiam. Pse doin' to send il
| to her in tue mornin."
~ can't write valentines" said Rob-
ert FELTON,, with sigh.
''Es 90 tam" ..-.
"Pll tell you what. Porgie-PI give
you one l wrote five years ago, an d
never sent; ips too late now" ana from
some inner receptacle in his desk Rob.
ert FELTON, produced copy OF verses.
He smiled as he read them oYer-smiled
and sighed almost In the same moment.
Then he said to himself: nTnere's moth
ing there to betray me-" TO the child :
nGet some one TO sign your name to it,"
"All yight." said Porgie, trotting off
with his prize in great glee. But he