The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-02-17
ga VALENTINE DONE IT,

al hadn't never oughter been lone
woman; warn't cut out for one," re-
marked Miss Parminter. who kept little
stationery Shop, to Jane Miller, the
dressmaker, who rented the second floor
back. 1t was the 1st of February, the
valentines had Just come in, and it being
evening, Jane had time to step down
stairs and help in asserting them accord
ing to price and according to sentiment.
.''Walentines always takes holt OF
me-" Miss Parminter went on. ''Listen
to this:
%, what is life without heart
To bear of all our joys partr
I've often felt jist that way myself.
% maiden, seize the summer day,
Take love and sunshine while you may,
The hours grow dark, the way grows cold,
And lovers come not when you're old.
Lord-a-massy! but that's true!
These little Loves 'twixt you and me
Bear tender words continually.
And all them Cupids FLYNN. What a
lovely idee Dear! dear! Now, Jane,
where ever is them ten-cent ones? Put
'em in a pile to the left. Now them five
cent lace papers. So. Why, there S
somebody comm in. Sure's live it S
- Now, Jane, them lace papers is
all muddled up. Sure's | liUe it's Mr..
Eugene Brackettn'
The bustling old maid hurried to the
front of the shop, and gave friendly
greeting to the landlords son, Mr..
Bracket, very good-looking young
man. His skin was clear, his eyes were
dark, his hair was black and curly, his
eyebrows were clearly marked, his nose
straight, and every hair of his mustache
twisted in proper twirl right or left.
Is it any wonder that little dressmaker,
who had seen the world only from the
rickety windows of the second floor back
in mean city neighborhood, should find
her ideal in such coloring and such
curves? Not at all, and Jane Miller's
heart was filled with love and reverence
as Mr.. Bracket leaned on his walking
stick in pose that made him look some
what askew, but that was to Jane so be-
wilderingly graceful that Miss Parminter
had to call out sharply: ''Now, you air
a-muddlin' up them lace papers. Do
take care"
whats new in valentinesP" asked
the young gentleman presently, loung-
ing toward Jane, and after touching his
hat, settling it perilously aslant over his
left ear.
.'Nothin' much" she answered, with
poor attempt at being unembarrassed.
Miss Parminter, following him closely,
1--WE thought you might have dropped
in with some message from your father,
about rent or suthin', though dear knows
me and Jane is paid up square"
go no, "'he drawled out; LUST called
in friendly way"
"Did you? Really! If we d a known
that, we'd "a been dressed up for you,"
she answered, with that distribution of
emphasis entirely her own, and capable
of conveying the most subtle shades of
sarcasm or suspicion independently of
the normal meaning Of her words.
80, don't care for Dress said Mr.
Eugene, Watching James homely little
face, framed in its pale hair, and not
looking at all pretty, even with her
evident emotion. F"Dress is nothing,
beyond'-here he pointedly surveyed
the poor girls washed and turned and
much made over brown merino-"be-
yond neatness.' s..-r
Jane flushed. and hid her face in a
large box valentine, that, like prophecy,
represented young man in full swallow
tail regimentals leading yelled paragon
of loneliness toward a most hymeneal-
looking piece OF architecture.
Miss Parminter began to busy herself
spreading certain lengths of cotton cloth
to preserve the ''stock" from dust; and
now and then she nervously fingered the
wisps of gray hair cultivated by the side
of her face and called by courtesy curls.
This was habit she had when disturbed
in mind. Then she muttered to herself
at intervals: ''What ever is he up to,
wonderP' and by dint of keeping one
eye and one ear on the young people, just
as Eugene rose to go, she heard him say
"The Paramount will return in twelve
months at least twenty times the invest
ment."
lis its it silver mine?'' asked
Jane.
eyes, in Nevada; immense"
"Could-could as little as five hundred
dollars worth be. bought" Jane ven
tured, very timidly.
'Well," answered Eugene, with good
natured condescension, "we are only
'buyinglarge blocks-ahundred thousand
dollars at a.time-for heavy capitalists
but" he added, in a low and tender
tone, "'ll get you the five hundred dol
lars worth, and you shall make YOU
twenty thousand or more, my little
Jeanette, with the best of them.
GLOW good you arep' exclaimed the
dressmaker, looking up into his face
with her large gray eyes. All this plair
little woman's life was in those weary
honest eyes. They told of poor
pinched childhood in their unsatisfeC
eagerness, of an early orphanage in thei
confirmed sadness, of hard work in .thei
lack OF luster and the premature line
about them. Since her tenth year--anC
she was twenty-six now-Jane had beer
battling with poverty, sustained only BY