Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-02-15

snow
Aye; but a warm heart breaketh a
path like the sun, Peedee.''
BY the time Lady Ann reached the
great house. her breath came very fast,
and she was Obliged to sit down ON the
stone steps To rest. As she sat there, n
huge dog came and rubbed his cold
nose ON her red cheek and wagged his
tail most politely. When she was rest
eel. she walked up and down the wide
piazza and looked in through the long
/ windows. There, ut last. the house
keeper saw her, came out. and told her
gently tO 90 away. "Are YOU not little
ANN she sal 9. THE Squire is i'm
pain to-day. and If he should see you
h would be very angry
The key hurts him very much. -
thought Lady Ann. but she said: " Here
IS walunt'ne for him; will YOU put IL
ia his hand9''
~ dare not. little Ann" said the
woman.
"WhyP' said Lady Ann. in wild n -
constituent. Don't you dare give him
q waluntin,. big though you are! Then
let me 20 in"
"Well, then, come in" said the
houseSccpcr. kindly, adding under her
breath. "may'bc. good will come Of il. -
With the house dog close following nj
her heels, and her waluntine" so
tightly clutched that the doves and
flowers within were sadly mixed. little
Lady Ann, for the first time, entered
her grandfather's house.
In n great chair before the open fire
of his own room sat the Squire. with his
head ba X aud his eyes closed.
his j. Mary child" said the old
dog, coming in before Lady Ann, as il
be felt called upon to Introduce her.
And then he thought within himself:
" This chili's mother fed me when |
was pup. Should n dog remember
better than hi ma>ier?'
/ IL may be the Squire understood him.
Tor he raised his cane high in the air
and cried -tcTnly: "Bcgonc. sir, " But
] when he saw the round little figure OF
LAZY Ann he dropped the cane, pulled
down the gold spectacles from the top
\ OF his heal and stared at her without a
I word. And as she advan eel and placed
the valentine upon the old man knee
/ the house-dOg followed close behind her,
wagging his tail slowly.
''What Is thjs?' demanded the crusty
/ Squire. knitting his brows.
| "A waluntine." said she, not without
n small pang. rs she thought of the
beautiful doves and flowers. now lost
10 her forever.
What's waluntine?n he asked,
looking down at her bright little face.
~ walnut no is a softcncr.' she said
instantly. rather proud that she had not
forgotten Billy's definition.
~ 'ciGt:' exclaimed the Squire,
frowning licrcely.
"A S0ficHcr.' said Lady Ann. not at
all AFRAID, and sure that the word must
mean something very nice. And then
she added, in toaXing tone: Read
il.
Col seldom closes every channel to
an Oil mans heart. Proud. unforpiv-
ING, even cruel sometimes, u e old Squire
II u hat rare sense OF the ridiculous.
and he read aloud:
e. viii no part from thee. will not let thee
frCC.
! TIN thou dost promise me my Valentine 10
Z he"
When hc had read these lines. and
/ looked over the top of the valentine
and when h saw tn small Lady Ann
/ sitting before the fire. he wondered if
she meant To- sit there until he had
/ promised. lie thought hc saw a M
/ uent determination in every feature.
/ not excepting the stubby rubber boot
/ which persistcu.ly pointed at him. on
: account OF its owner hc:ng obliged to
| hold IL up across the other to rest the
/ little short legs which hail trudgcd so
far to give him pleasure lie never
could tell Just how il was-he only
knew he laughed rs he had not laughed
for years, which opened the one chan
mel tO his heart 80 wide that. almost he.
fore he knew il. the little Lady Ann
/ went drifting I'm. coarse red hood. rub
/ ber boots. aud all!
What name do YOU bcar?" lie
asked. rs he wiped away the tear, that
followed the laugh.
" iIy namc?" she said, laughing, too.
" Yes what name does yOurEwhat
do they call you?"
Il" Ann. ="
:" just Ann. plain Amp he said.
" No les nor e-y's?''
" Billy calls me Lady Ann" she ar
swercd.
A" Ave. that beggar Billy. 1 know
him drives Stones grocery-wagon.
When see him he shall feel my cane
ON his back"
What. Billy my Billy. Why he
gave me the waluntincr'
oh. he did. did he? Told YOU 10
fetch Il to mc. may be-.
"No. he didn't. but he told me Won
wouldn't have any. and he told me
about the kew"
What Key, child? Billy seems very
well informed about me-knows more
than myself"
He said You locked all your doors
and swallowed the key. and u hurt Won
but L guess now that he Just said il
for fun-but | b'l.eved him-at first. ="
She shrugged her small shoulders.
laughed and looked up at the Squire as
II she felt quite willing that he, as well
as herself. should enjoy her simple con-
iidence in Billy.
"Well, l aim 81 believe the Young
scamp was half right, Lady Ann; for
when we turn the key against our own.
II rlists in the heart in spite Of ourselves,
and that makes pain.
Lady Ann smiled cheerhllly. and
rubbed her boots. polishing first one
and then the other with her bright nit
Ten. What had she to do with ANYTHING so
old as pain in the heart?
The winter sunshine flooded the room.
The old dog slept by the tire, and did
not even talk in his sleep.
30 home. little Ann. said the SQUIRE,
and take this bunch of KEYS to-to
Mary, your mother. and tell her thew
unlock every door of her home. But.
Lady Ann-hoRg your father! Yet hold,
child, moment: you need not saw that. .
mo" said Lady Ann, with the same
cheerful smile; Il won't say that"
When the merry sun went down
Lady Ann was sleeping in the great