The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-02-13

Iricc ~ them. but the shop-keeper had
not given her satisfactory answer Hc
had gl.nccd n her shabby little figure.
and decided that she had not enough
money to buy an icr-pick. 10 say nothing
of purchasing pair Of silyer-plated
skates. so he had only said that he
.'reckoned that they wouldn't cost
hundred dollars. and Margery was
till in doubt about them
A hundred dollars, She gave a great
sigh at the mention Of so large sum.
To her childish vision II appeared like I
great fortune. She wondered how me
shop-keepcr could speak Of IL in that
glib unconcerncd manner. just as she
might have mentioned dandelion, or
something even less pretentious.
Nevertheless. she looked at the COW
eted pair 81 skates every time she passed
the window in which they were dis
PLAYED. and one day she noticed a ticket
fastened 10 them on which was printed
the price. She read that eight dollars
could buy the best pair Of skates in the
window
Now Margery had some money in a
bank Not great building with IRON
barred Windows. mysterious vaults and
safes. and crowd Of silent. attentive
and well-dreSsed clerks behind it,
desks. Margery's bank was a tin one.
which she had bought for ten cents at a
toy-shop. II had door which never
opened, and chimney with little slit
| in the center through which penny
might be dropped The bank. which
was no larger than good-sized apple
dumping. contained Margery's entire
fortune
She bad been dropping her pennies
\ into il for some time. and she deter
mined At last to pry the roof of this
..institution' and count its contents.
II was the only way 10 get at the
money. Tor penny entering that bank
was in about the same position as the
foolish fly id the spiders parlor. Il
s.could ne er come out again.
And so the roof had To come of
But when the pennies were counted
there were only seventy-four OF them ~
seven hundred and twenty-six less than
was required to buy the skates
Poor Margery buried her face deep
into her pillow that night. and cried
herself asleep. She had been saving
her pennies for year. and this was the
result. She had hoped against hope
that the bank contained almost enough
for her purpose. She had fancied her
self gliding over the smooth ice, hei
cheeks as red as roses. her head hall
dizzy from The pleasurahle motion. hel
feet making graceful circles. and hcl
heart heating hard and fat from ths
excitement. the exercise and the fun
And after all her plans and fancies shs
had not one-tenth Of the amount needes
to carry them out
She was inclined TO rebel against he
fate. There was not \ scholar in tn
Delying Seminary who had not pal
Of -kafe~. and not one could skate a
well a. she She. the very best skat 4
in the whole building. had 70 go Dor
| rowing when she wanted TO skate. i
! really did not seem 70 be fair.
She never rrcited with the boys. bu
, She H., a to attend the opening exercise
/ az the school. She had habit Q
: shrinking into the corner where her In
4 tie desk stood. and never looking ~ he
!. envied tormentOr>. On the mornin
!. after her bank mad burst. she had take
1 her place A. usual. and was surprise
1 "a find a number OF envelopes on NJ
desk. directed 10 herself. What did
\ All meane Who could have been wri
: ing 10 herr The hot. angry color cam
!, into her face a. she remembered tn
II this was the 18th Of February-St. va
I eniine's Day.
= She had reason to remember H. u
4 this dav a year ago she had found II
4 same number OF envelopes She ha
a opened each envelope with q FOOLS
N hope that il contained something wort
a having: and every time she had bee
/ disappointed. All Of her valentino
a were hideous caricatures Of herself.
4 which her nose and mouth receive
d particular attention. She had locke
TX them all. hoping 10 find one that W;
u not uciy. II she could have found 81
K Of those hits If lace paper. decorate
Dr. with roses. or cupids- or turtle-dove
pr she would have been happy. She h:
u not found ANYTHING Of the sort wh'
= he came to her sixth and last enyelop
~ This was directed in Hector Wood
"A writing. She knew il BY the flourish
on his capital letters He. the be:
Il tempered. hc>t-mannered hoy IN q
II whole school. would certainly not e,
Re her one Of those ugly pictures. :
er was sure Of IT, She tore open this II
III envelope with fingers which tremblcd
4. little with eagcrness- And what
Is he find? Another ugly caricature a
hi this verse:
\. .-Oh. Marrcry Wright
u such fright
Al linn always san
~ when she's in sight
N She hal burst into tears from diss
~ pointment and anger. and she had TO
~ her valentines into thousand piec'
~ When -he saw Hector Wood her tenn
n arose afresh.
ri I'm glad your name i Hector,
Al said. 1T Is horrid name. and y
IA deserve IL for hectoring girl who ne'
~ harmed you. Ill never count yt
Al collars any more
al N a