The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-03-04

"Oh, now, don'tr' said Dotty'
soft little voice from the sofa.
"Why, Barbara said her moth
er from the doorway.
Bah hung her head and he
cheeks grew redder still. Sh'
wasn't often called Barbara just il
that way.
Il don't carer' she cried, hel
eyes fairly running over now; "sht
ought to have one. She's so mean
mamma, you don't know! She's
never 'vited me to her party, hel
valentine birthday one, mamma, al
ter she said she was going to, too
Oh, dearr'
Perhaps she will, yet, daughter y
said Mrs. Tyler gently; sit isn't
too late"
But poor little Bah shook hel
head mournfully.
"She's 'vited al the rest two OF
three days ago. said she; "and IT'S
going TO be tomorrow, you know
And they're going to have chocolate
Ice-cream and make barley-candy
their own selves, cause Kathie
Hatch told me so, and Jennie told
her, and have the splendldest time
that ever was. o, mammal
Mamma stroked the bonny brown
hair lovingly and smiled, though
she was a little puzzled herself; be-
cause Bah and Jennie had always
been the best of friends.
Haven't you said or done some
thoughtless thing, dear? Think
hard, now"
But Bah shook her head once
more, decidedly.
I'm sure / haven't" said she,
'.just as sure as can be, mamma,
cause I've tried and tried to think
aud / can't. o, mamma! can't 1
send her the meanest old valentine
l can find and let her get it right
'mong EN- all. And 1 hope she'll
know l sent it."
"That isn't the right way to feel,
DEAR" Mrs. Tyler said, sitting down
to rub Dotty's poor little sprained
ankle; "and that wouldn't be the
right thing to do, either. l guess
We won't say anything more about
it now"
But Bah thought all the more.
She was SO vexed and disappointed
and she couldn't help thinking that
Jennie Hopkins was the very mean
est girl that ever lived and breath
ed. Dotty, looking at her sister,
saw herlips shut up tight and
little frown grow between her eyes,
and she knew just as well as she
wanted to that Bah meant to send
the valentine after all.
And so she did. She went down
that very afternoon and bought
one of the dreadful green-and-red
and-yellow, two-fora cent ones, with
the prettiest envelope she could
find to send it in
"That'lI fool her," Bah thought,
hurrying home again. "She'll think
its real nice till she opens it-'fore
'em all. Won't it be funp'
But she was little ashamed oft,
all the same. She only gave Dotty
a glimpse of it; but that was quite
enough
"Oh, / wouldn't send it, Barbie,"
she said, her little white face look
ing somewhat troubled. 81 would
not, now"
"Well, I SHALL" Bah declared,
"after I've been and bought it and
everything. And Jennie Hopkins
is a tickle jade just the way it
says, so! And if you much as
whisper word to mamma, Dotty
Tyler, you'll be a tattle tale, and
that's bout as badp'
And of course Dotty wouldn't
tell for anything in the world. 1t
wouldn't be of any use to say an
other word, either, she knew, be-
cause Bah had a will of her own, as
big brother Jack said, and the more
she shouldn't the more she would.
Did you ever see just such another
little girl?
But Dotty had a wise little head
on her shoulders.
After Bah had gone out, leaving
her valentine in q corner of the sec
rotary, she lay very still and thought
it all over; and when Jack came
whistling through the hall an hour
later she called him in and had
long talk. At its close she ques-
toned, anxiously:
cit won't be wicked or mean, will
it Jack?-if I can DO it, you know.
Because / know she'll be real sorry.
You don't b'lieve twill, do you,
Jack?"
Somehow there was queer little
stir behind Jacks eyes and queer
little lump in his throat, He stoop-
ed and kissed the eager, anxious
little face against the sofa pellow.
81 should say DON'T" he an
sWered; shut ] do believe if there
were more little girls like my sister
Dorothy in the world there wouldn't
be half so much trouble in it. I'll
get what you want, Dotty."
"Oh, thank your cried Dotty;
''and 1 hope it will work just 'zact-
ly right hope everything will"
And so everything did, I AN
sure. Next morning, just as Bah,
who really did not seem tie enjoy
her half-score of dainty valentines
as much as she ought to have done,
had finished writing the address on
the pretty Powered envelope which
was to carry that dreadful valentine
to Jennie Hopkins, Jack put his
head in the door.
Hello, Babp' said he, "don't you
want to take a valentine sleigh
rider Come on, if you dor And
he relied his eyes in q funny way
at Dotty, who could hardly keep
from laughing. "Hurry now, Bah,
if you want to CO." he said.
OF course Bah wanted to 60. 1t
was beautiful sunny day and the
sleighing never was better, She
dropped her pen and few around to
get on her things--her pretty, fur
trimmed cloak and browDeand- scar
let hood with mittens to match.
- aid h.