Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1882-02-11
ST. VALENTINES DAY.

work on this particular night.
A dismal February night il was, with
gray fog above, through which the
lamps shone like yellow dots of sickly |
flame, and desolation of thawing snow
and streaming cutters below. But Lily
was used to all sorts of weather. de-
gree more or less of dreariness and dis
comfort made but little difference to her.
Lily Vennor was "glove hand"
All day long she sat, with seven-and-
twenty other girls, in long, low-ceiled
room, on the upper floor of a monster
building in one of the grimmy, narrow
streets that run parallel to Broadway,
working at the machine, handling the
curious shapes of soft kid, buckskin and
lambskin with deft, cautious fingers,
piling up dozens and dozens of pairs
upon the shelf in front of her machine,
until she vaguely wondered within her
self if there were hands enough in all the
world to wear out those gloves. It. was
hard work, and it was poorly paid; but
Lily Vennor had known what it was to
be without employment for weeks at
time, and she was thankful even for
Mr.. Murex's dollar day, with the stip-
ulation that, in case of extra haste, an
hour or so overtime should not be OBJ
jected to.
The poor are generally worsted in
their bargains, nor was our little heroine
any exception to this rule.
But the machine was closed at last, the
work delivered up to the sOur.visaged
forewoman, and Lily was in the outer
room, tying her curls under the brown
felt hat, whose tasteful loops of ribbon
had been sponged and turned so often,
and folding her worn shawl across her
shoulders; and, as she took up her din
ner-basket, she heard the gay voice Of
Mary Reid, one of her fellow-workers,
saying, merrily:
"St Valentines Eve! You don't
mean that you have forgotten it, IdaP
Why, | expect a dozen valentines, at
least, tomorrow.
Lily Vennor glanced up at Mary
Reid, as she spoke. A dozen valen-
tinesp Yes, there was every probability
that she would receive as many as that.
She was dark-eyed, brilliant-complex-
toned young beauty, with pretty Greek
%Gd Be S 0H TO N a Fly ei ffy ShsfS 5sd apd
from this bondage of toll and poverty
and, for moment, Lily VennOr wished
that she, too, were beautiful.
And then came a second thought. st.
Valentines Eve; and she had prom
ised Nudge and Edith, the two little
twin sisters at home, a valentine for
this year when Nudge had submitted
to the ordeal of vaccination, and Edith
had been so docile at the task of learn.
ing TO mend Stockings; for Lily Vennor
girl though she was, had already been
burdened with the cares of life. Hel
father had married a second time and
lost his wife, leaving Lily, at his own
death, with the charge of these two lit
tie ones, Edith and Margaret, common
ly known as "Mdge."
1t was hard, hard task, but Lily
never quailed. She had accepted il
simply, as she would have accepted
any other decree of Providence, and the
two little orphans had learned to love
her with all their innocent hearts.
And now she paused in front of the
brilliant windows, with her worn
purse in her hand, trying to decide up
on some particular style of valentine
which would be pretty enough tC
suit the children, and which yet should
not be too dear.
81 should like that little gilt Cupid
nesting in the roses, she said to herself
cor the pretty child who puts the bower
of cut-paper leaves aside, and holds W
tiny letter, or the velvet humming
bird on its nest. But they must be a
least dollar apiece, and have but five
cents to spare"
So she went into the store, humbly
awaiting her turn, and bought the two
fivercent valentines, which the CLERK
superciliously tossed toward her.
:" L should like two postage stamps,
said she, meekly.
"StampS!" echoed the clerk. "Th
amt post-oflice!'
Lily pointed to a printed placard il
the window-"Stamps For Sale Here
and the clerk, grumbling under hi!
breath, reached down two stamps, anC
took the two pennies.
He did not relish doing business on 81
small scale, especially while other Gus
toners were waiting at the counter.
The next morning, however, littl
Nudge and Edith danced up and dow
with JOY when the postman left the TIVE
valentines at their door.
"And here's a valentine for you
Lily" said Nudge. "Only the envelope
hasn't got such pretty gilt roses on a
mine and Edie's have"
Lily was standing with her hat on, al
ready to 60 to the glove-factory, as tn
child ran up to her
"a valentine" said she, "for me
But | think you are mistaken, littl
Mdge.n
She opened the letter with sensa
ton of wonder as to whom it could pos
sibly be from. For she got so few let
tiers, this gentle, drudging little crea
ture, that the very sight of an envelope
in strange hand was circumstance t.
startle her.
"From Doctor Ingraham," she said
TO herself. 'lIe will call here to see m
this evening. Oh, dear, dearl | kney
how it would be. lie thinks it s.
strange that | haven't said anythin
about paying him for his attendance OF
Nudge and Eide when they had tn
scarlet fever. But he doesn't know no,
poor we are! Aud he doesn't know
how should he?-that | was going t
his office this very week, to ask him 70
the bill, and try and saveup the amount
little by little, until | had amaSsed tn
sum. Oh, dear, oh dear What am