The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-06-29
MAGGIE'S VALENTINE.
BY s. ANNIE FROST.

Maggie Clinton smiled again, while a
pretty blush upon her fair, round cheek
deepened in its crimson tint, as she an
swered:
''It is st. Valentines Day, papa"
ooh, no So your letter is Valen-
tine? Ny guess was not such bad one,
then"
II thought" said Mrs. Clinton,
roguishly, THAT Valentines were en-
tirely confined now to the nursery and
kitchen"
Maggie laughed pleasantly, and held
up for view what she had kept carefully
concealed in her hand 1t was small
breastpin-a knot of ribbon of gold,
with small forget-me-not in the center,
formed of turquoise, with tiny brilliant
in the heart. 1t was not very expen-
sive gift, but it was tasteful and unique
''How very pretty !" said Mrs. Clinton.
Small, but so beautifully finished
Where did it come from, Maggie"
"Now, mamma, who ever heard of
St. Valentine sending his post office adj
Dress"
'sI'll tell you who sent it," said Mr..
Clinton. His initials are W. NJ"
Maggie gathered up her pin and
verses, and fled from the room, blushing
like rose, and quite forgetting she had
not finished her breakfast.
my DEAR" said the old gentleman to
his wife, as their only child had thus
deserted them, Il think Mr.. Wilfred
Mansfield will present himself in person
this evening to try to take Maggie away
from us. He asked my permission yes
terday to tell her he loved her."
"Well," sighed the old lady, "you
would not have Maggie live all alone
when we are gone ?"
"No. There is not man living either,
to whom I would so willingly trust her
happiness. / believe Wilfred to be q
good man, one upright in all his deal
ings, temperate, honorable, and trust.
worthy. He is not a wealthy man, but
he is in good business, and he tells me,
makes an income sufficient to give Mag
gle all the comfort she has here. She
has never had Injuries, so she will not
miss them. You know. my dear, that
what have saved will scarcely keep you
from want if I am taken away. don't
seem to have the money making faculty"
Mrs. Clinton smiled. Before her men,
tai vision rose orphan nephews started
in business, orphan nieces furnished
with trousseaus, vagabond brother
saved time after time from rain, an old
clerk living on q little pension, q dis
abled washer-woman coming for her
weekly rent and fuel, little ragged beg
gars clothed, hungry ones fed, small
charities where the left hand knew not
where the right hand gave. She crossed
the room and pressed her lips upon the
face that goodness had made beautiful
in her eyes for forty long years.
''Your wife and child can never be
poor" she said, lovingly. ''The bread
you have cast upon the waters will come
back. Even Wilfred Mansfield owes his
first start in business to your influence
and money"
He has paid me back all I loaned
him."
Every true. But you did loan it when
he had an opportunity to purchase his
present business that, but for you, he
must have let pass by him."
sTut! tut! Let him make Maggie
happy, and he will owe me nothing.
Half-past nine! What do you mean, Mrs.
Clinton, by keeping me from the store
till this time of the day?"
Perhaps Maggie Clinton guessed at the
news which formed the subject of con-
versation between her parents on St.Val-
entine's Day. She had carried her gift
from the patron saint of lovers to her
own room, and read the verses there in a
murmuring tone, dwelling upon The
fond words with lingering emphasis.
She was not q beauty, she was not an
heiress. Her accomplishments were
summed up by limited knowledge Of
the piano forte, and the gift OF singing
ballads in O sweet but not very pow
full voice. Her education had been care
fully superintendent by her father, and
she was thoroughly grounded in her Own
language, fair German scholar, and
we'll read for her eighteen years. But
you might 60 in many homes before you
would find neater housekceper, dan
tier seamstress, or q more loveable mai
den than Maggie Clinton. Her pretty
little figure Was always neatly dressed,
though Maggie had never owned more
than one silk dress at . time in her life.
She had soft, brown hair; large, blue
eyes; nice. fair complexion; and. with
no pretentions 10 positive beauty, was -
pretty and winsome . maiden as ever
was coveted by flowing heart to brighten
Q homo. Wilfred Mansfield, though ten
years the senior Of Maggie, had never
seen face that was so lovely in his eyes;
and with his whole. honest. loyal heart,
he loved her, hoping for no greater hap
piness than to win her from her own