The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-02-20
TWO VALENTINES.
The Rich Girl and the Dress
Makers Daughter.

Gertrude Lewis had just finished di-
recting Il valentine in common, brown
envelope; another, in pretty box, lay
on the desk before her, when Araminta,
better known as Mint" the nine-year-
old daughter of the colored cook, peeped
in at the open door.
Come here, Mint" called Gertrude,
catching sight of her, you are the very
person l want"
"Ts GLAD is de very pusson you
wants." said Mint, coming into the
room "deed is, Miss Gertie."
"Well, sit down and listen attentively
to what am going to say to you. "
"rs lis'nin' orful 'tent!y, deed l is"
said Mint, perching herself on the edge
of chair. ''Oh, dear, Miss Gertie, how
dis yer room do smell OBJ apples and
and shifting loudly, with her head
first on one side and then on the other
land candy. Deed it do, Miss Ger
tie"
"Never you mind what it smells of
ur til you come back from the errands
on which | am going to send you. Then
if YOU have done them right you shall
smell and taste too. You see this?"
holding up the box.
"Deed | does, Miss Gertie. It's a
hansum box wild little flyin' angels onto
it; deed it am, wife angels, dey am.
Nebber seen no box, no nothin' wild
brack angels onto it; deed | didn't,
Miss Gertie. Amt der no brackP"
Cant stop to answer questions now, "
interrupted Gertrude. 81 want you to
take this box" and she proceeded to
wrap it up in nice white paper, and
write an address neatly upon tito
Miss Kate Archbold's house. You know
where her house isP"
Deed l does, Miss Gertie. It's dat
splendifcent house war dar's two nor
meous big stone lyin' dogs, all of EN-
settin on de front stoop. rs scan'-
lousy 'fraid of dem dogs. Deed is,
Miss Gertie.
you need not pass them. Go to the
basement door and hand the box to
whoever answers your ring. Don't say
word, leave the box and come right
away again.
Deed l WILL" promised Mint, slip
ping down from the chair and holding
out her little black hands.
"Wait moment; I'm not through
vet, said Gertrude. "After you have
left the box at Miss Archbold's | want
you to 90 around to Ray Martins.
You've been there, haven't you?"
Deed [ have, Miss Gerte. She
drug me dar by de har of my head one
dav and made me AK her pargiocness
cause Ifrowed SNOWFALL ther. Deed
she did, Miss Gertie."
Miss Gertie burst out laughing. 81
don't see, Mint, how she could have
dragged YOU by your hair" she said.
'It's so very crisp and short. And you
shouldn't have thrown snow-balls al
her. But that's neither here nor there
atpresent. This letter." showing the
brown envelope, sis to 90 to her. Slip
it under the front door, ring the bell and
run away. Now do you understand
perfectly what you are to doP"
Deed does, perfeckly, Miss Gertie
rs to 90 to de big dog-house an civ
dis yer box to de pusson dat opens de
basement do. An'Tstogo to Miss Mar
tins house an shove dis yer lettel
under de front do an den pull d.
bell an run like as a p'hceman wal
after me-"
That's all right. And now be off
And come straight up to me when you
come back"
deed, will, Miss Gertie, snuffins
again. 20! wat lubly place dis ye
is to sniff in. Pears do ] smells pea
nuts. too.
And as she vanished out of one doc