The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-02-17
Aunt Ruth's Valentine.

the door hear the bell again"
"Deed, :" Missus, it's only another OF
the mizzable boys with their valentines, |
spect. My legs is about broke now, and
Use got a dreadful misery i'll my back
a-runnin' to the door, with nothin there
but them no count pictures and chalk
marks on the steps,"
Muttering thus she sailed from the
room with an air of an offended princess );
opened the door cautiously few inches
and peered out iuto the snow storm that
was raging: but seeing no one, proceed
ed to shut it with muttered invectiyes
against all ''mizZable white trash" when
small boy, ten or twelve years of age,
black as ebony, scantly clothed in Il cot
ton shirt andragged pants a world too large
for him, which were drawn nearly to his
shoulders and held in place by suspenders
Of twine, and turned up at the ankles
showing pair of bare feet, rose from a
corner beside the door. Surveying her
for moment quite as coOlly as she sur
veyed him, he at last deliberately stepped
into the lighted hall dragging by the hand
a shivering little girl almost hidden in the
folds of ragged coat, which he dexter
ously jerked from her shoulders, saying
"Here's valentine for the lady wot
lives here y"
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 ''val-
entine," so unceremoniously delivered,
stood motionless under the gasight
awaiting further developments. Dinah
speedily recovered speech and action and
closed the door with a bang.
"Mssus, Missus for the Lo'd's sake
look "a here y
As the lady obeyed the imperative sum
mons 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 a Quaker
cap. Seeming TO recognize friendly
heart shining in the serious eyes, she
thrust into her hand scrap Of crumpled
paper, saying:
"Dick writ it.
Aunt Ruth took the document and, with
a puzzled look at the bearer, proceeded
to decipher the queer hieroglyphics.
1t had evidently been a laborious task
for the grimy fingers that had traced
them; but she at last picked out the mes
sage 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 consider
ations Of orthography and punctuation ::
This littul CURL Hain't got no folks nor no wares
to sta only womman that betes her ortu and NE
and Box with straw into it to sleap in nights
I've brung hur to bee yure wallintne Shoes hun
gree DICK,
While the lady was laboring over the
odd missive the little Waif stood looking
soberly up into her face, aud when she
raised her eyes, full ofpity and compassion
the child said:
"He told me he writ into it that | was
not nobody's girl only his'n, and I'd be
your valentine. | don't look like 'em,
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, rag
ged and run over at the heels. "They's
Dicks. He made me wear 'em when
cried"
"Thee may take the child to the ktch-
en-, Dinah, and give her something to eat.
| will come presently and perhaps | can
find out where she belongs
Dinah led her down the hall, the wet
boots shut1ling heavily over the carpet,
and the bright blue eyes, shining out Of the
smutty face like stars from mud hole,
lifted apprehensively to the dark face
II do declare fer it," muttered the old
woman, "white trash and black trash is
mostly alike in their no count pranks,
that's fact, Blest if this amt the queer
est piece of business Ise ever seen at this
house yet. 4 valentine. Missus Ruth's
ways is so unexpected. Here, you poor,
little white beggar!"
Dlnah's crusty manners softened 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 her feast, the "lttle white
beggar" slid from the chair and caught
and kissed the big black hand, saying:
81 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
Dlnah herself, down on the floor, had the
almost frozen feet in her lap, warming
them, and giving vent to some very unor-
thodox expressions of opinion as to the
ordering Of Providence.
"Sakes alive. don't knows it's so, but
the Lo'd seems to pay a mighty sight of
'tention to some folks and fergit all about
the rest. Pears like chilun ought to be
looked after anyhow. They amt though
half on 'em. Things is queer in this world
if it's the Lod's world !"
"Well, child" said Aunt Ruth, ''now
that thee is warmed and fed will thee tell
thy name and where thee belongs ~
She shook her head
''Don't belong nowhere. Father always
called me 'Drat-y -you-Bab y"
Aunt Ruth sighed over this dolorous
compound co gnomen.
'Has thee no mother ~
''Once. She called me Here you Bah y
Father struck her once with bottle, and
I. 7