The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1886-07-15
CHAPTER y.

then both are over. I am surprised
to find that Leonard Holmes has his
birthday on New Years day also. |
don't much like it, for | have to di.
vide the cake, and then it doesn't seem
like my day, as it did before. L am
now fifteen and he is sixteen. He's
in some of my classes at school, if Mr..
Springs does think he's so terribly
smart. He's right good person, for
bow, I'll own, but he is such a tease,
and he didn't look bit like one at
first. Mother says, he minds her bet
ter than anybody about the house.
Its plain to see how fond she's get
ting Of them. | get jealous sometimes
but then 1 try to recollect they haven't
any mother, and reckon she feels
that way about them too.
It is nearly St Valentines day, and
Ada Hazlitt, who is dreadtnlly smit-
Ten with one of our teachers, Mr..
Springs, is going to send him valen-
tine, and as she don't want him to
find out who sends it, I'm going to di-
rect it for her because he's never seen
my handwriting, and even if he asks
me, l can deny it, that is that | sent
it.
She gave it to me this afternoon,
and its in my grammar now, all fixed
and ready to send. I've done my best
in directing it, and its pretty valen
tine too.
l wish valentines had never been
heard OF; my bad luck is always fol-
lowing me up, its just my fate. After
I'd fixed that thing, and put my books
on the passage table, 1 threw myself
ON the sofa, out in the hall to rest for
two minutes and half, mother"
Peggy said, chad gone over to Mrs.
Bruce who lives right back of here.
Belle was, l reckon, out driving
with one of her beaux, as it was a
mild day for winter. Spencer was, of
course, tagging after mother, and the
house seemed deserted.
But presently some one came in; it
was Leonard, "come," he says "to get
a ball." but he wasn't in any hurry to
get one, but stood, and fumbled with
my books [ had forgotten all about
the valentine, and wasn't even think
ing about his being near me, when a
prolonged whistle made me look up,
and there that awful creature stood,
with that valentine in his hand, read
ing the sentimental verses inside.
Since my drowning frolic, I've
scorned the very idea of love, but this
looked exactly as if was carrying on
with our teacher, and | wondered
what mother would do if she found it
out.
1 had promised Ada faithfully not
to breathe word about its being hers
and 1 knew it l tried to explain to
Leonard, without being able to tell the
truth, I'd get mixed up, and make it
appear more likely, so | thought I'd
let things take their own course
He folded it up finally saying, $50
you are going to send this to Mr..
Springs Miss, are you? heigho! what
a joke and he frisked about, holding
it up, and looking at it in such pecul-
lar way, that got exasperated, and
made a rush for it screaming, "give
me my valentine, its none of your bus
mess who its for but whenever / got
near him, he lodged, and slipped
away from me, but at last l caught
hold of his arm, and as Pm quite
strong, and was very mad, I nearly
had it, when he stopped and pushed it
through a crack in the wall, where
the plastering was broken, and down
it went to place, impossible for me
to get it,.
l was so furious, that I drew my
hand back, and, before he knew it,
gave him a tremendous slap right in
the face; then, he getting angry, L
suppose, gave me push, which, on
account of not standing steady, I |
reckon, sent me sprawling on the
floor.
1 wasn't hurt much, but / was so |
at his knocking me
down.
1 suppose he got frightened at what
he had done, for he kept begging me to
tell him if he'd killed me. I do be-
lieve he thought was dead, but can't |
see how he imagined I was to let him
know, if it was so.
He walked up and down very eA-
,itedly, actually Tying, then he tried |
o look at my face, but kept my arm
,ver it, so that he could not see it.
At length, he got dipper of water,
and baptiszed me pretty thoroughly, |
md just as he finished, there was a
loud knock at the front
door. Considering I was half head,
I jumped up very spry.
Leonard said, care you much hurt
Priscilla? I didn't mean to throw you
down, but your hand stung me So
paid no attention to what he said,
but stood looking at my dress, dragged
in every direction, on account OF my
recent tustle with Leonard, and real