Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-05-14
Aunt Ruth's Valentine.
BY Lucy NJ. BLINN,

by LUCY NJ. BLINN.
"Dinah," said Aunt Ruth, "tLee
may light the gas in the hall, and see
who is at the door; l hear the bell
again"
"'Deed, Missus, it's only another Of
them mizzable boys, with their valen-
tines, 'spect My legs is about broke
now, and Use got dreadful misery in
my back a-running to the door, with
nothing there but them no count
picters and chalk marks on the steps I"
Muttering thus she sailed from the
room with an 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
no one, proceeded to shut it with NUT
tered invectives 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 was drawn nearly to his shout
ders and held in place by suspenders
of Irvine, and turned up at the ankle,
showing pair of bare feet, rose from
corner beside the door. Surveying
her for moment quite as coolly as she
surveyed him, he at last deliberately
stepped into the lighted hall, dragging
by the hand shivering little girl al
most hidden in the folds of ragged
coat, which:he dexterously jerked from
her shoulders, saying:
Here's a valentine for the lady wot
lives here !"
Then turning, he ran rapidly down
the steps and disappeared around the
drst corner in the snowy darkness,
while the bewildered Dinah stood star
ing stupidity after him.
The little smutty-face blue-eyed
:" valentine SO unceremoniously de-
Gvered, stood motionless under the
gaslight awaiting further develop
ments. Dinah speedily recovering
speech and action, closed the door
with bang.
Missus, missus for de Lo'd's sake
zook.a-herG ?"
As the lady obeyed the imperative
summons, and stepped into the vhall,
the little handle of tatters and rags
moved to her side and pcered up into
the placid face surrounded by the
prim folds of Quaker cap. Seeming
10 recognize friendly Heart shining
In the serious eyes, she thrust into her
hand scrap of crumpled paper, say
ing:
Dick writ it,"
Aunt Ruth took the document, and,
with puzzled look at the bearer, pro.
ceeded to decipher the queer hero.
glyphics.
1t had evidently been a laborious
task for the grimy fingers that had
traced them; but she at last picked out
Che message embodied in letters of all
sizes and shapes. The writer had evil
IDENTIFY made it his sole aim to give the
facts in the case proudly, regardless of
the minor considerations of the orthog-
raphy and punctuation:
"This littul CURL Hain't got no folks
nor no wares to sta only woman that
betes her orful and me and Box with
straw into it to sleap in nights. I've
brung her to be your valentine.
Shoes hungree. DICE"
While the lady was laboring over
the odd missive the little waif stood
looking soberly up into her face, and
when the raised her eyes, full of pity
and compassion, the child said:
=" He told me he writ into it that I
was nobody's girl only his'n, and that
I'd be your valentine I don't like
'em, but I'll be it. I'd like to. It's
3olly 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. They's Dicks. He made me
wear 'em when cried"
Thee may take the child to the
child to the kitchen, Dinah, and give
her something to eat. I will come
presently, and perhaps l can find out
where she belongs"
Dlnah led her down the hall, the wet
boots shutting heavily over the Garnet.
and the bright blxe eyes, shining out
OF the smutty foee like stars from a
mud hole, lifted apprehensively to the
dark face.
- / do declar for it," muttered the
old woman, white trash and black
trash is mostly alike in their no count
pranks, that's a fact ! Blest if this
amt the queerest piece of business Use
ever seen at this house yet A wallen-
tine Missus Ruth's ways is so unex.
i'eSted Here, you little white beg
DinaA : crusty manner softened q
little as she watched the greediness
with which the child devoured the big
slice Of bread and butter; but she
melted outright when, as she finished
Ecr feast, the % little white beggsr "
sid from her chair, and caught and
Kissed the big black hand, saying:
likes you, cause you looks like
Oick. Likes good black folks "