Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-14
AUNT RUTH'S VALENTINE.
PHILADELPHIA Times.J

Philadelphia TimesI
"Dinah,- said Aunt Ruth, 'thee may light the
gas In the hall and see who is at the door, l hear
"'Deed, Missus. it's only another Of them miz-
Fable boys with their valentines, / 'spect! MY
legs is about broke now, and Use got dreadful
misery In my back a-runnin' TO the door, with
nothin' there but them no count plcter5 and
chalk marks on the stepsv
Muttering thus she sailed from the room with
the air of an offended princess; opened the door
cautiously a few inches and peered out into the
snow storm that was raging, puI seeing no one,
against all ''mizZable white trash, !" when small
boy ten or twelve years OF age, black as ebony,
scantily clothed In a cotton shirt and ragged
pants world too large for him, which were
drawn nearly to his shoulders and held In place
by suspenders of Irvine, and turned up at the
ankles, showing pair Of bare feet, rose from
corner beside the door. Surveying her for a
moment quite as coolly as she surveyed him. he
at last deliberately stepped into the lighted hall
dragging by the hand q shivering little girl
almost hidden in the folds of a ragged coat,
which he deXterously jerked from her Should
erS saying:
Heres q valentine for the lady wot lives
here!"
Then turning, he ran rapidly down the steps
and disappeared around the first corner In the
snowy darkness, while the bewildered Dinah
stood staring stupidity after him.
The little smutty-faced, blue-eyed "valen-
tine" so unceremoniously delivered, stood mo-
tiOnless under the gaslight awaiting further de-
yelopmentS Dinah speedily recovered speech
and action and closed the door with bang.
"Missus, Missus for the Lo'd's sake look-a-
AS the lady obeyed the imperative summons
and stepped into the hall the little bundle of tat
tiers and rags moved to her side and peered up
into the placid face surrounded by the prim
folds OF Quaker cap. Seeming to recognize
friendly heart shining in the serious eyes, she
thrust into her hand scrap OF crumpled paper,
HDick writ It'll"
Aunt Ruth took the document and, with a
puzzled look at the bearer, proceeded go decipher
no DOR rltTrNlN too
1t had evidently been a laborious task for the
grimy fingers that had traced them; but she at
last picked out the message embodied In letters
OF all sizes and shapes The writer had evidently
made it his sole aim to give the facts in the case,
proudly regardless Of their minor considerations
OF photography and punctuation:
This httul CURL Haint got no folks nor no wares to
Box with straw into it to seap in nights. I've
brung hur to bee yure VALENTINE. shee's hnngree
While the lady was laboring over the odd mis-
sive the little waif stood looking soberly up into
her face; and when she raised her eyes, full OF
pity and compassion, the child Said
I" He told me he writ into 1t that wasn't no.
body's girl only his'n, and that I'd be your wal
lentinel don't look like EN- but I'll be it. I'd
like to. It's jolly warm here, only my feet's
cold, " and she looked down at the heavy boots
she had on, ragged and run over at the heel
eried.r
"Thee may take the child to the kitchen,
Dlnah, and give her something to eat. will
come con presently and perhaps can find out where
D1nah led her down the hall, the wet boots
stunning heavily over the carpet, and the bright
blue eyes, shining out OF the smutty face like
stars from behind a mud hole, lifted appre-
hensiveiy to the dark face.
az do declar fer It," muttered the old woman,
white trash and black trash is mostly alike in
their no count FRANKS, that's fact! BleSt II
this amt the queerest piece of business Use ever
seen at this house yit! A valentine, MisSus
Ruth's ways is so unexpected! Here, you poor
10 yIhi 70 hnf
Dinah's crusty manner softened little as she
watched the greediness with which the child de-
youred the big slice of bread and butter: but
she melted outright when as she finished her
feast, the little white beggar" slid from her
chair and caught and kissed the big black hand,
saying:
a likes you, cause you look like Dick. likes
good black folks !"
When Aunt Ruth came down she found her
'.wallentine" seated in Dinah's own rocking
chair before the fire. While Dinah herself,
down on the floor. had the almost frozen feet In
her lap, warming them, and giving vent to some
very unorthodox expressions of opinion as to
the ordering OF Providence.
"Sakes alivel don't knows it's So but the
Lo'd seems to pay mighty sight of 'tention to
some folks and ferglt all about the rest. Pears
They amt thosgh hail on EN- Things is queer 9s
In this world If it's the Lo'd's world! ~
Well child" said Aunt Ruth, snow that
thee is warmed and fed Will thee tell thy name
and where thee belongs?"
She shook her head.
"Dont belong nowheres Father always
called me 'Drat-you Babr"
Aunt Ruth sighed over this dolorous COM
pound cognomen.
"HaS thee no mother"
"Once. She called me Here you Bah" Father
struck her once with bottle, and In the morn
ing she went dead And one day the perlice
took father away, and old Bet told me to go
long, too, and went long fer as l could 1
hadn't nowheres to stop to, and crawled into
Dicks box and he put things over me and fixed
me Jolly nice place and ev'ry day he took care
Of me-, He, made this" and here the CHILD
stopped and drew from one of the capaciouS
boots which she had put on again, upon getting
down from the rocking chair, a doll, whitfield
from stick and artistically finished with coal,
admiringly for moment, rearranged its drapery
OF old print which was somewhat disturbed by
Its journey In the boot, and restored it to its
Aunt Ruth sighed again.
''Giye her warm bath, DiRah, and then thee
may make her bed on the lounge In my room
win give thee something that win serve her as
night dress
The poor little wandering child was soon
wrapped In warm shawl and curled down on
the lounge In Aunt Ruth's pleasant room; too
much excited by the novelty OF her position to
sleep-too comfortable to do anything but hug
her wooden treasure and stare first at the pretty
surroundings then at the kind face at the fire
side. Suddenly she raised herself on her elbow.
" Dick said he hearn there was nangelS that
lived somew'eres an took care OF folks Be you
one?"
mo, no, chlld,' said Aunt Ruth, gently; 81
am only Aunt Ruth. Go to Sleep"
"YeS, IN. But do wish Dick was Wallen-
tine. It's very cold into his box"
Aunt Ruth and Dinah sat late into the night
hastily fashioning warm garments for the little
one, and considered themselves well repaid by
the delight with which they were donned In the
morning.
While happy little "Drat-you-Bab" was taking
her breakfast by the side OF the kitchen stove q
shadow darkened the window, and the little
girl, looking up, exclaimed. joyfully:
40, there's my Dick"
Dinah opened the door and babe him tcome
long in" giving him jerk to facilitate his
movements. He shambled baShfully ill., and in
moment the childs arms were around his
neck, and her face, pretty In its unwonted clean
illness. nestled against his black cheek, while
she poured out a torrent or eager EXPLANATIONS
OF satisfaction at being valentine"
When she at last released him, Dinah took
him by his shoulders and seated him firmly in a
chair.
NOW said she, "you's Jest a goin' to set
there till you 'Splain this whole Management to
me and Missus- An you jest lay out to tell the
trufe the whole TRUE. an noffin but the trure
all the way through-that is, II ye kin. Niggas
is mostly mighty unsartin!'
When Aunt Ruth came down she found her
swallentine'' brlnger sitting by the lire With
little Bah at his side, her two little hands tight
ly held In one or his own, and supreme satisfac-
ton at the success of his odd scheme shining in
every feature OF his honest face. Her eyes filled
as she stood in the door moment unnoticed by