River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-03-14
Aunt Mollie's Valentine,

around from one to another, speculateC
upon, laughed over, and then Mrs Nor
GROSS without noticing the exchange Of
Chances between her mischievous daught
er, Fan, and sam Reynolds, Fans most
devoted admirer, and also the alder and
abettor of all her jokes called a servant
and sent the missiye up to Aunt Mollie's
room.
The young people were all so busy
with their own valentines that Aunt Mol
lie was left to read hers in peace. She
looked long at the direction, as many OF
us do, wondering who wrote it, before she
broke the seal, but, as she read il, the
color came to her cheeks and the light
and sparkle to her eyes, which shone as
they had not done for many a long year.
What she read was no valentine, but a
letter from Col. Sargent He wrote that
he had long loved her, but, having had a
sister and niece to support, had beed UNI
able to marry; but now he was free, and
he entreated Aunt MOllie, if she had any
love for him, and was willing to marry
him, to let him know it at the earliest OPP
portunity.
The letter fell from Aunt Mollie's fin
gers as she gazed into the fire, while her
thoughts flew back into the mast.
How we'll she remembered when she
first knew Col. Sargent; he was friend
of her brother-in-law, and was at their
house almost every day; in many of their
excursions and gayeties he had been her
escort. Handsome and agreeable. kind
and attentive, was it any wonder, she
thought, that, she, a girl of twenty, had
lost her heart to him! She thought over
all their pleasant intercourse SO many
years ago, and tried TO remember some
word or act that betrayed warmer inter
est than the brotherly affection he had al
ways protested for ali the family. Alas
she could remember none-uothing but
the sharp pang of sorrow in her own
heart when he told them all he was going
away to India to be gone for years. He
had always been her hero, and although
she had schooled herself to indifference,
and had never betrayed her secret, and
on his return from India, few years ago
had met him with only a friends well
come, yet she knew now what had made
all other men seem small in her eyes.
Aunt Mollie had refused several good
offers, to the surprise of her friends, and
was now an old maid of forty, with
nephews and nieces growing up around
her, quiet, reserved and lady-like, and
somewhat domineered over by her eldest
niece, Fanny Norcross, as wild but as
good hearted little thing as ever lived
Aunt Mollie looked into the fire, and
became thoughtful.
"What has made MIN love me, wonder,
and when did it begin, and why did he
keep it to himself, and treat me so indif-
ierently, startling me with an offer.'
1t was ali a puzzel Aunt Mollie had to
give it up. She read the Colonel's letter
again; there was no mistake about it; he
said plainly he loved her, and wished to
marry her, and would like an immediate
answer.
Well" said Aunt Mollie to herself.
why not2 Why shouldn't l marry him?
Ii he loves me as he says, why shouldn't
| accept the happiness offered mel oh,
if this had only happened years ago." and
Mollie gave sigh as she thought of the
past lonely years; but the loneliness would
all be gone now; there was some one who
loved her.
So Aunt Mollie wrote her answer to
Col. Sargent with bright smile and
blush that it was pity no one saw. She
told him she would be bis wife; and not
only that, but with candor most women
think unnecessary, she told him how
happy his letter had made her, and how
long she had loved him, and finally that
she would be at home the next evening
and happy to see him.
Then ringing the bell for servant, she
sent the letter to the postoflice.
At tea time, when Aunt Mol!ie shade
ncr appearance, her valentine had been
forgotten in the more absorbing topics OF
the sleigh-ride for that evening, and a
tea-party for the next, so she could think
her own thoughts undisturbed.
The next evening they all went off to
their tea party, after yainly cOaXing Aunt
Mollie TO accompany them.
"Mollie, you had better come with us, "
said Mrs. Norcross; you will be 50
lonely"
But Mollic, with a guilty blush, de-
clined. They left her, and she sat down
to wait for Col. Sargent.
Col. Sargent received Mollies letter in
due course of time, and was -thURder-
stIusk!
:'She had received his letter, had shel"
WHY, he had never written to her. "She
loved him, did she!" Well, Col. Sargent
rather thought not. What did he want
with a witel
The Colonel had no words strong
enough to express his astonishment at
receiving such letter from Aunt Mollie,
but when he read it again some glimmer-
ing of the truth dawned upon him. He
saw what a cruel joke had been played
upon Aunt Mollie, and he had now no
words strong enough to express his in
dignation against the offenders.
Poor little Mollie!' he said, lit will
kill her when she finds it out" Then
his thoughts went back to the past.
"What pretty girl she was when | went
to India. hated to say good by to he~
then. All! if had only had money then
wonder if l shout have asked her to
marry me?'
The Colonel sat long time lost in
thought, from which he suddenly aroused
himself with the rsmark:
'I'll do II. Why not2' And putting
on his hat and overeoat he started for the
residence of Mrs. Norcross.
We we'll not intrude upon his interview
with Aunt Molle. 1t was apparently
satisfactory to both parties, for when at a
late hour he said good night, they both
looked supremely happy, and he Colo
nels handsome diamond ring sparkled
upon Aunt Mollie's finger.
joe said Fan, the next morning, to
the colored boy, as he passed the hot
cakes around al their late breakfast, "who
called to see me last evening"
Nobody, Miss Fan"
''Oh, dear, how neglected l am! did
Nobody calli
''Only Col. Sergent, Miss Fan; but he
asked for Miss Mollie, and he stayed all
the evening"" said Joe,who was privi-
legged character.
Fan laid down her knife and fork, and,
fnr the first time remembering the valen.