Daily Republican., 1884-02-13
[oRIGINAL.1
TWO VALENTlNE ES.
BY MINNIE TRYATT.

| ORIGINAL.
TWO VALENTINES.
by MINNIE TRYATT.
Rap, rap, rap. went somebody
knuckles on the old wooden door. Or
In the kitchen pretty brown.eyed, ros,
checked Flora McGown stood besid
her mother, both up to their eyes
foamy suds, VIII lie piles of snowy line
threatened to en- velop them.
Faith, Flora, sure an it's washir
in some one is, but III no be afthe
lawn me snds this pine mornin' an
1t be's the Queen hersel' '-Hivin rist he
sowl!'
Flora, meanwhile, dried her hands
and hastily pulling down all that re
mained of the tattered sleeves hurrie
nto the front room, and threw open tn
door.
No one was in sight, 20 thinking sh
had been fooled by some OF the rascally
boys in the neighborhood, she wa
about to close the door, when something
white caught her eye, tucked halfway
under the door, in upon the clean oil
cloth.
" Sure, an what's the meanin' O
this, wonder? Och! by me sowl,
behave it's valentiDe,an a beauty, too
at that. Now who'd be aftner sindin
sich a purity thing. till the loikes O. me
But mebbe it's not fur mssel' at all
AZ all, but jis an it is that same"
Miss Flora McG-o-W-n," she spelled
slowly, =" that's me name, an no mish.
take. o mither, m ther," she cried
running but to the kitchen, "did liver
ye see the loikes tLla '. ito valentine
an it was me sell, as he'd cIane forgot it
was 81. Valentine the day"
" Who's afther sindin' ye thet, me
darlint 90 asked the mother, it Is a
beauty, an no mishtake."
Together they stood for as much az a
quarter of an hour, which was a great
deal of time for those two, and admired
the gay colors and "swate" words of
the valentine. 1t was only y small one,
half the size of a sheet of note paper
a marvel Of brilliant red flowers and
dark blue ones of a color and shape un-
known to the florist. On the upper part
Of the outside page was lily.white
hand holding bunch of those same
flowers, and tied TO them
WAS a card inscribed "To my own
love" Within the valentine were the
words
II l can find
One 20 my mind,
III take little wife,
TO make my tea
And wO'k for me,
And love me all my life.
"How sinsible," said Mother Nc.
Gown, he does ma waste his tonne
With nonsinse, but it's wife to wurruk
le's atther, an wha'iver he be he'll git
girtul as can wurruk as well rs the
lixt one, whiniver he gifts ye, Flora,
ny jewel "
1t would be hard to tell which was
most pleased, mother or daughter. To
make u living they were obliged to do
Washing and ironing, and a very hard
Iud unpoetic life 1t was, but for many
! day the duh tedium Of their work was
frightened by thoughts of F.ora's
'alrntine. Many times a day Flora
night be heard singing: al have a
amo for her, but she never found out |
sho had sent her valentine on that |
february day of their first year in
america, and probably never will |
now unless she reads this story.
This same fOurt senth of February, !
'hich brought SO much joy to the heart
I Flora McGoHn, brought also valen-
inc to Miss Ethel Vanecoate. Miss
.thei appeared at the breakfast table
/ quarter of two, looking tired and
leepy from last nights frivolity. Her
retty face looked like March day,
Loudly with prospect of storm.
James" She said TO the waiter,
this is St. Valentines day, isn't it?"
Yes, miss, it is" answered James,
milling as he thought Of the pretty
alentine he had dispatched that morn
x to Susan, the black-eyed house,
raid.
Has the mail come yet 2"
" Not yet, think, Miss Ethel"
just then came a clsar, sharp ring at
10 door.
go, do 90 quickly, James. l am
l'e that il the rostman's ring" Then
} her'elf: "Im nearly crazy to see if
erd has sent me the cats-eyes and
ianonds that he knows | want 80
ldiy."
James returned bearing on his salver
lc letters and papers which the post.
an left, and in one hand he carried n {
.autiiul basket of roses, Jacqueminots ,
I'd Marechal Niels. Attached to the q
lsket was Il plain white card, hand l
mely engraved with the name o. her {
,trothcd husband, Ferd Benham
thels face colored with anger. Iy
" Place the basket on the table In the
brary, James" Is
"Shall | not send it to your own
ON, Miss Ethel ?" II
"No, have said where I wish 1t to Il
!; place it there !" and she swept out b
the room.
Any other girls would have been dc t
GIFTED with the exquisite flowers, and I
II heart would have warmed toward b
II lover for 80 dainty and beautiful a t.
#. Not so did Ethel Vanecoate re-. 0
rd it. She threw herself on a couch d
her room and sobbed. An only Il
lid Of wealthy parents, every "
AnJ WAS dullClpattil, every WnlH VI
atihed. She had made up her mind ci
at she wanted certain pin set with o.
ts-eyes and diamonds, which she had ft
,n at Tiffany's one day when with 81
rd, and she was disappointed that Ii
rl had not sent the pin as valen- Ii
10. Her father would have ordered
0 pin Immediately, but that would
answer, 1t must come from Ferd. IL
she wept and bemoaned the slight q
Sighted ! Nothing but basket of
wers ! don't believe he loves me-"
Il she wept again. ca
Evening came, and with it Eshel's OF
'er. She met him coldly, and was al
~ quiet. "You ara tired, dear, from p,
+ nights dancing" IN
| will not keep you long" he said.
10, am not tired. Tell me, Ethel, 1T
" did you like my valentine? l Al
4d hard 10 please my little lady," tt
rd said, playfuily. vi
1t was quite pretty" Ethel replied, v
ily. ia
I hoDa1 n aae vou waa rinv II a.,