Milford chronicle., 1883-02-09

! Suppose we dOn I meet any DOuJ
asked another somewhat anxiously.
"Why, then, of course you will he old
maids.
"Oh oh ! Horrors That's awful. -
"Well, but how ever can we manage
to get off alone we have to take our
daily walk as body" murmured Es-
telle Pinkerton.
''Well, now, Miss Estelle, look before
you leap or rather speak. St. Valen-
tines dayis good enough to come Satur-
day this year, and, best of all, girls
Saturday.
"Now we often go straying off by
twos and threes, and if we come back
one at time nobody thinks of it, except
maybe that one made some special call
alone, or had more shopping to do than
another. I'm so glad it comes our Satur-
day."
Believers in co-education, yet they
we're not permitted to walk together even
when preceded and protected by rear
guard of Argus-eyed teachers.
They had each alternate Saturday,
D. M. off from to o'clock.
"Why, never thought of it, but it is
so. how fortunate; I believe it is right
for us to do so or the way would not be
so clear for lis. We can separate as soon
as we are out of sight of the teachers. "
"Bessie and shall not separate, said
Tressie, confidently.
"Then how will You know if you meet
anyone whether it is your Valentine or
hero ?" asked particular Estelle.
ooh, we will draw lots" answered
Bessie.
probably kind, obliging Fate will
send both Valentine and Orson to meet
You inseparables, said Portia, loftily.
ST. Valentines dawned sunnily, and
the girls hastened away the moment the
clock struck one, most of them village
ward. for that way lay the confectionery
and millinery establishments, likewise
mostly what few chances there were of
seeing their Valentines.
Portia soon returned in silent disgust,
without visiting the village at all, though
she actually needed both chocolate
creams, and a new pink satin bow to
wear at her throat at the coming We'd
nesday's social.
To Portals disgust she had soon met
the hook-nosed jew who repaired watch
es and sold cheap jewelry in the village.
She knew that he was free, for he had
recently lost his wife, but that did not
comfort her, strange to say.
Estelle Pinkerton, the most tinical of
all the girls had been fated to meet the
butcher; his linen frock not snowy as
earlier in the week, but bearing the
memoranda of the weeks labor; there,
was where the liver spattered him when
he sliced it; there were yellow,
roughened spots where the tripe liquor
had dripped there were several patches /
of tallow and lard and two large dark /
spots one on either hip where he had |
rubbed bis soiled hands, when there was
no towel at hand. And if what the girls
had said was true, it would be her fate
to we'd this man.
At night she would not tell her ex-
perience, but the girls said, " Estelle is
as cross as a bear tonight and it must
be. her fate was not a pleasing one.
wish we knew whether it was nobody or
somebody just too awful for anything.
Few fared better than Portia and
Estelle; Bessie and Tressie came near
faring much worse; having chosen to
walk out of rather than into the village,
they were soon chased by a vicious,
white gander, which came at them as
they passed by farm-yard. The girls
by dint of speed and much screaming,
kept Just out of reach of the ugly biped's
wicked bill, until Bessie turned faint
from fright and over-exertion, and
oosening her grasp upon Tressie's
hand, fell; faithful Tressie sank beside
her: leave Bessie she would not. yet her
shrieks had no effect upon the snowy
plumaged savage and he fastened his
nippers upon Bessie's long braid OF hair
and viciously tore it, what should she
10?
All, here come the twin-eousins; good
bows. brave seniors. allowed an afternoon
put even girls Saturday !"
Valentine and Orson sure enough
With their lnotty canes they easily
,anquished the enemy. They went
separate ways on their return lest the
believers (?) in co-education be scandal
zed. But their fates were sealed; the
yander had played successfully the novel
,art of-Cupid.