The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-04-12

came into the wonderful blue eyes.
Brother john" said Winnie, az she
paused.
swell, my dear ?" said Mr.. Trueax,
coming step forward.
"Mrs.- By-the-by, what is your
married name, Red Riding-hood?"
"Mulgrove."
"Bless my heart T. exclaimed John.
sold Lawyer Mulgrove-old enough to
have been her grandfather y Then,
recollecting himself, he stammered: "a
good and clever man. / knew him well
in years gone by. And he was your hus-
band ?"
"Yes, SIR"
"Yes, sir p muttered Mr.. Trueax.
CT wish she wouldn't be 30 confounded-
ly respectful"
"I was about to say, Brother john"
continued Winnie, with decision, "that
Mrs. Mulgrove muGt not remain here"
"Of course noticing friend Of
yours, Winnie"
"My sweet-tempered, loving little pet
she was at school, John"
"That Only makes it tho moro imper-
alive that she should leave this place at
once, said Mr.. Trueax. "But what is
to be done with the baby?"
"Why, you stupidest of old fellows,
that must go with it's mother. Do you
imagine she would leave it here? Come,
Little Red Riding-hood. Brother
John" lowering her voice to a whisper
-" she is faint with nervous agitation.
1 will assist her, and you will-oh you
UiU, dear John, just this once-carry
the baby r.
And, before Mr.. Trueax could say q
word, baby was in his arms, Juggling
away at his long brown beard, and crow
ing with delight. And it was thus that
two of the strictest members of "The
Stanch Old Bachelors beheld their
Vice President that bright November
day coming out of the baby-show-a
baby in his arms and tUo lovely women
following directly behind -beheld HIM,
and turned to lSvi,lg statues on the spot.
A year and nearly three months had
passed away since Winifred Trueax
found her old school friend at the baby
show, and it was st. Valentines day.
The postmen, with twenty times their
usual loads, were hurrying from house
to house, leaving hearts, and Cupids, and
posies, ard true-lover knots, and doves,
and sweet verses, and some verses any
thing hut sweet, behind them.
But at the door of one small cottage
on the outskirts of the city rang special
messenger this Valentine morning be-
fore any of the mail-carriers were about
so early, in fact that the valentine he
carried was handed in with the bakers
breakfast loaf.
4ba
parlor, which faced the south, and
around whose walls still hung some
Christmas greens, was the contest,
brightest room you could possibly i'm
agine In one corner on crimson
lounge, covered with an old-fashioned
star quilt, lay handsome old woman,
her still-bright eyes dwelling with a
look of fondness on the golden-haired
2year-old girl who sat in her little rock
ing-chair softly singing her Santa Claus
doll to sleep.
And by the window, the bushes COM
ing and going in her happy face, stood
Daisy Mulgrove re-reading for the TWEEN
tieth time the verses that came in with
the morning bread.
"What is it, Daisy ?" at last asked the
old woman. turning her eyes in the di-
rection of the pretty reader. ga valen.
tine? May see it, dear?"
cts some thing of the sort, answered
Daisy, with another blush; "but if you
don't mind very much, grandmamma,
I'd rather not"
A gentle knock at the door interrupted
her.
"Pull the bobbin and the latch will
fly up" called out Daisy, laughingly,
sinking into a chair and hiding the val
entine behind the window curtain.
"Aud, reversing the old story, the
latch flew up and in walked the wolf, u
said John Trueax, as he came into the
room, where he WAS Immediately clutched
around the leg by the baby.
"Such terrible, terrible wolf r
laughed Red Riding-hood.
, $50 terrible that he feels as though
he could eat you this moment" says the
wolf, showing his strong, white teeth.
Then unclasping wee Daisy's hands,
and putting huge sugar plum in each
one, he went TO the side of the couch ON
which the old woman lay-her wrinkled
face lit up with pleasure at the sight of
him-and laid bouquet of fragrant
flowers on the starry coverlet.
Then, returning to the young mother,
who had taken her little one upon her
lap, he asked: I" Did you receive val
entine this morning?"
CT did-instead of pat of butter"
"And what did the writer of it say?'
You could never guess.
"That is the reason I ask"
He says speaking slowly, and
with a bright smile dancing on her lips
and in her eyes" that he loves my ba.
by, and thinks her the prettiest baby in
the world"
"Any thing else ?"
"And that, not content with having
shamed her far-away cousin into giving
her part of what should have been hel
fortune, he wished to share his own with
her if"
"If?"
Her mother will consent to be sister
to darling Winnie, and mistress of his
beautiful home"
"Do you intend to reply to that val
entine, Little Red Riding hooda"
CT do, Wolf"
"Then reply Immediately