The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-02-19

dress-maker. But Ray is not the onl!
child"
mo, indeed! She has seven besides
Ray-fOur boys and three girls; bu
| Ray is the Oldest. And it must be very
trying, for a girl especially, to be thu
eldest in a family of eight chill
dren in a house where money isver,
scarce. Poor Ray! l don't wonder that
her disposition is little sOured. I've
no doubt that she has rs much house.
work to do before and after schoo
hours as one of our servants has to dc
in the whole long day. But what die
YOU write to her?"
"Indeed, mother. I'm almost ashamed
to tell you," said Gertrude hesitatingly,
while her cheeks flushed, "although i,
isn't so very bad after all. But l wish
had spoken to you first. You see
never thought about her in that way.
And she won't know from whom il
came, because | wrote in back-hand.
Only something about being better ma
tured and making her more liked, and
telling her if she didn't she was sure to
be an old maid"
eff it be as incOherent as your ex-
PLANTATION" said her mother smiling.
I'm sure no harm will come of it. But
never do such thing again. Gertrude.
Don't do anything that is not so very
bad but always try to do something
that is so very good. "
A few moments after this CONVERSE
ton had ended, Mint came bounding up
the stairs and Knocked loudly at the
door. Come in" called Gertrude.
Deed. WILL" said Mint. snifling
rs though she feared the tell-tale fra
GRANGE in which she delighted had de-
parted during her absence. Il done
dat ar GRAND. Miss Gertic. an I'd
ruther hab more candy dan peanuts. an
apples dan candy. an twicet rs much
oh ebberyting."
You must answer my questions be-
fore you can have anything. Who came
to the door at Mrs. Archbold's?"
jess no one, not Twin soul, 'cept
Miss Kate herscf."
Miss Katep"
Deed she did. Miss Gertie. An l
got to speak-couldn' keep it no how.
Miss Gertie. An l says. Go way.
Miss Kate, an SEN some odder pursOn
to do for dis yer valentine An Miss
Ka.e she laughs. deed she do. an turns
arOun' an a gal comes out an takes it
an don't say nothin', deed don't,
but jes walks off wild my moutf shut"
.'Oh. dear. how unfortunate. Kate
won't have the pleasure of guessing who
sent that valentine. She'll think ut
once did it, because she knows you
belong here. Well, how about the
Otherp"
80. de Odder. l takes dat wun to
Miss Martins. an it's too big to 90
under de do, deed it war, Miss Gertie,
SO | sots it on the stoop, an l pulls de
bell an runs. but 'clar goodness, Miss
Gertie. dat ar Billy Martin war settin'
on de mex do stOop an l didn't see
him all de time. Deed he war. Miss
Gertie; de peanuts smells de strongest,
deed dey do"
81 ought to have known better than
to have trusted you." Gertrude began
in severe voice, but seeing the grieved
look that came into the child's big.
black eyes, she said no more, but going
to her closet brought out some apples,
peanuts and candy and threw them into
MINIS uplifted apron. ''There. take
them away with yOu." she said in Il
kinder tone as she did so, "and don't
let me see any more of you to-day
But scarcely had Mint had time to
reach the kitchen before she made her
appearance again. '.Miss Kate Arch
bolts yere," she announced, IAN she
wants to see you. deed she do. She's
in de parlor an she says hurry up. yo'
little ink, deed she did,
With smile on her lips, Gertrude
flew to welcome her visitor. But the
smile soon fled when she beheld kate's
frowning facc-that face which she
had always found so sweet and sunny
before.
pray. Miss Lewis" asked Kate.
show had YOU the impertinence to send
me this thing?" And she held out the
valentine that had been destined for Ray.
''And in what way have l deserved it
from you??'
Il never sent it to you," said Ger
trude. but before she could say another
word Miss ArchbOld broke i'm with:
That's falsehood-yOur colOred
girl brought it and my maid followed
her directly to this house"
'sAll the same. l have told no false
hood" said Gertrude. ..Did You not
read the address on the envclope9"
ut had no envelope. as you must
very well know" retOrtcd Kate with a
scOrnful toss Of her head.
Git came out aftcrward that Mint had
dropped both valentines in the muddy
street and had torn the envelope off of
one and the paper covering off the other
and thrown them away, thinking that
would destroy all evidence of her care
leSsncss.)
''And l never was so surprised in all
my life. though it was just the kind of
thing one might have expected from the
daughter of man who keeps a shoe
store"
please say nothing about my father"
began Gertrude turning very white.
for no better gentleman ever lived than
he. And try to be ladylike enough to
remember that you are in my house.
There has been a great mistake, which
l can explain to you if you will be so
kind as to listen. A mistake that has
punished me"
But when she had got thus far in
rushed Ray Martin. her face fairly
beaming. and flinging her arms about
Gertrude she said: ''You dear, good
girl! No one ever sent me anything
half as beautiful before. And every
thing had been so at skies and sevens
this morning that l was just on the
point of sitting down for a good cry
when it arrived. The oatmeal por-
ridge had scorched and the cat had up
set the milk and the baby cut her hand
and the fire wouldn't burn and the bread