Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-06
Miss IIuldah,s Valentine.

Miss Huldah,s Valentine.
Margaret Sidney In the Oongregstionalistl
''Huldah" was q little Old woman who lived
down at he corner Of aooseee s 1ge lape NJ
Beeswax kept the shop, and mended and made
shoes and boots for an the people for miles
he always went up the rickety stairs, and piped
out in thin voice miss Hubby, win you obleege
me by minding shop today My hands are
And Miss Huldah always laid down her mend.
ing basket and the big roll Of stockings. and
said cheeIily; "oh, yes, neighbor; III be down
And she always went up the rickety stairs at
night Jingltng contentedly some silver bits, the
very sound doing her old heart good. For HUI.
aan was poor, and year after year, with all heI
than ever; until the wonder was how she man
aged to live at all
And she never told anybody any more than
with her poverty had come along a terrible LOT
moiled, until-but here Is the story ''>' '''''
many af SeE are yoa going to give
envy, remembering the huge pile upstairs, care
.S6. don't know; a dozen I guess" said Clio,
''Gimme soIne!n cried Jack, eagerly "You've
got so many, sh'd think you might"
Yes, and go without myself then, y said Clio,
If give to you must give to Fraser, and Bsp,
and Mappy, and even little Jim! No, indeed,
keep your old lot them" exclaimed Jack,
plung1ng upstairs to look at his sorry collection
81 won't tell you what Pm goin' to dor he sang
provokingly back from the head OF the stairs.
''They look awful mean, declare" he said to
himself i1 pulling out the upper drawer In tbs big
old fashioned bureau that this month belonged
to him, and peering into the depths Of an old
coilar-box to fine three or four rather shabby
This upper drawer being considered prize In
the room conventences and decorations, was SO
scufled for by all the boys that their mother
babe them enjoy its possession by rightful turns.
Accordingly every month, which was slightly
1nconveDient In many respects, they moved In
and moved out, thus adding to the general at
traetive order OF the room. But high exhilara-
the delightful thought of soon budging the pres
ent occupant when turn about should bring
it around again to him.
year I'll begin in season and make a lot OF real
pretty ones. Hullo! here's my dollar bill
Uncle smith gave me toward my skates /
must put that up safe" He took up a little old
peered into it lovingly, and after thinking
busily for moment or two, tucked it. as he
thought, safely into good resting place. in
stead Of which it went into crack Of the old
bureau and fell to the floor unseen.
"I'n have fun out of Miss Huldy's," he con-
tinued with laugh. "Oh, my eyes, won't she
stare! "a give anything to see her: And as
shell never know who sends it, twon't do any
ture down at SlocumS. ThatlI be Just gay'
With conscience striving to be heard, as he
thought of what his father would say, he
slammed the drawer and flew off down
stairs.
lone OF Jacks valentines" said Fraser, COM
ing into the boys den an hour or two later And
he kicked it with his foot contemporary. He
was above such things, so he opened the top
bureau drawer and tossed tt1n. "Come to think
of it, I'll take look at 'em - he said, "just for
the fun of seeing what a silly he Is" so he
Thought he was going to honor Miss Huldy..'
he said. with little laugh" "Don't see her
name among 'em. This must be it." And he
she shoua be o OUT Of
I'll address it myself" And, having an idle
had a superfine address, emitting Miss Huldah
Jack came In from play that night, down sick
with cold. So he was dosed with hot camphor
and wdat s, had lovely piece Of salt pork tied
bed. And his purchase was unmade and next
day was Valentines day.
Its mean shame" said Jack, as hoarse as
crow: II can't go and give my valentines
around"
Hrn take said Bep, glad of the chance.
Cup II drawer Sn in the bureau o
"1H take 'em, every single one," exclaimed
Bep stumbling upstairs two at time
And he did! If Jack had known how his little
white envelope with its precious contents was
travelling fast, fast away from him, would he
have turned over on the old lounge and gone to
sleep to dream OF cherubs flying around witt,
white missiVeS that only told of love and happl-
ness?
But Miss Huldah dreampt that night, so it's
all the same. And she couldn't see to knit, for
the tears Of Joy and gratitude that would come
IAN to think 1 never shaiI knnW who IN
thank" she cried, holding up the dollar bill be-
tween her thumb and foref1nger.
But Jack knew two days later, when he went
to look for his bill!
"serves you right" said his father, when the
story all G line out. "That was unintentional
charity. Next time see that it's real."