The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-04-29
AUNT RUTH'S VALENTINE.

"Dinah," said Aunt Ruth, "thee may
light the gas in the hall and see who il
at the door; 1 hear the bell again"
"Deed, Missus, it's only another Of
them mizzable boys with their valen
tines, I 'spect. My legs is about broke
now, and Use got a dreadful misery in
my back a-runnin' to the door with
nothin' there but them no count picters
and chalk marks on the steps"
Muttering thus she sailed from the
room with the air of an offended prin-
cess; opened the door cautiously a few
inches and peered out into the snow
storm that was raging; but seeing nc
one, proceeded TO shut it with muttered
invectives against all "mizzable white
trash, " when a 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 sugpenders OF twine,
and turned up at the ankles, showing a
pair of bare feet, roso from a corner bl
side the door. Surveying her for mo-
ment quite as coolly as she surveyed
him, he at last deliberately stepped
into the lighted hall, dragging by the
hand a shivering little girl almost hid
den in the folds of ragged coat which
he dexterously jerked from her shouI-
ders, saying:
"Hsre's a 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 star
ing stupidity after him.
The little smutty-faced, blue.eyed
valentine SO unceremoniously deliv.
cred, stood motionless under the gas
light, awaiting further developments. -
Dinah speedily recovered speech and
action, and closed the door with q
bang.
"Missus, Missusl for the Lords sake
look herel"
As the lady obeyed the imperative
summons and stepped into the hall the
little bundle of tatters and rags moved
to her side and peered up into the placid
face surrounded by the prim folds Of
Quaker cap. Seeming to recognize a
friendly heart shining in the serious
eyes, she thrust into her hand a scrap
of crumpled paper, saying;
"Dick writ it |"
Aunt Ruth took the document, and,
with puzzled look at the bearer, pro.
ceeded to decipher the queer hieroglyph-
les.
1t had evidently been 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 the
minor con sideratiOns of orthography
and punctuation:
"This littul gurl Hain't got no folks
nor no wares to sta only womman that
betes her orful and me and Box with
straw into it to sleep in nights. I've
brung hur to bee yure wallintine. -
Shee's hungree. DIoK,"
While the lady was laboring over the
odd missive the little waif stood looking
soberly up into her face, and when she
raised her eyes, full OF pity and COM
passion, the child said
"He told me he writ into ii that l
wasn't nobody's girl only hisn, and
that I'd be your wallentine! I don't look
like 'em, but I'll be it. I'd like to. It's
jolly warm here, only my feet's cold, I"
and she looked down at the heavy boots
she had on, ragged and run over at the
heel. "They's Dicks. He made me
wear 'em when 1 cried"
"Thee may take the child to the
kitchen. Dinah, and give her something
to cat. l will come presently, and per-
haps ] can End out where she belongs. |"
Dlnah led her down the hall, the wet
boots sbuflling heavily over the carpet,