Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-02-19

l had spoken to you. first. You see
never thought about her in Il at way.
And she won't know from whom ID
came, because l wrote in back-hand.
Only something about being better ma
tured and making her more liked, and
telling her il she didn't she was sure to
be an old maid.n 't'
'1f it be MS incoherent as your cx-
planation," said her mother smiling,
"rm 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 convcrsa-
ton had ended, Mint came bounding UP
the stairs and knocked loudly at the
door, "Come in," called Gertrude.
"'Deed, will," said Mint. shifting
as though she feared the tell-talc fra
GRANGE in which she delighted had de-
| parted during her absence. "l done
ruthcr hab more candy dan peanuts, an
apples dan candy, an twicet as much
| OBJ cbberyting,"
You must answer my questions be-
fore you can have anything. Who came
W lilc uOOT III MIS-. ATCnDOlu ST
"Jess no one, not q livin' soul, 'cept
Miss Kate herself"
miss Kate?"
"Deed she did, Miss Gertie. An l
| got to spcak-couldn't keep it no how,
Miss Gertie. An 1 says, GO way,
| Miss Kate, an SEN some odder purson
to do for dis yer valentine An Mise
Kate she laughs, deed she do, an turn,
aroun' ar gal comes out an takes it
az ! don't say nothin', deed don't.
b2s jss walks off wild my mouff shut"
"Oh, dear, how unfortunate. Kate
won't have the pleasure of guessing who
sent that valentine. She'll think at
once l did it, because she knows you
belong. here. Well, how, about the
otherp"
20, de odder. 1 takes dat wun to
Miss Martins, an it's too big to go
| under de do, deed it war, Miss Gcrtic,
| so sots it on the stoop, an pulls de
bell an runs, but goodness, Miss
Gertie, dat ar Billy Martin war scttin'
on de mex do stoop an l didn't see
him all de time. Deed he war, Miss
| Gcrtie; dc peanuts smells de strongest,
deed dey do"
II ought to have known better than
to have trusted you," Gertrude began
in a 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
Mints upliftcd. apron. "Therc,, take
them away with you.' she said in a
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
frowning face-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 thingP" And she held out the
valentine that had been destined for Ray.
"And in what way have l deserved it
from youp"
u never sent it to you," said Ger
trude, but before she could say another
word Miss Archbold broke in with:
That's falsehood-your colored
girl brought it and my maid followed
her directly to this house"
''All the same, have told no false
hood" said Gertrude. Ibid you not
read the address on the envelopep"
at had no envelope, as you must
very well know" retorted Kate with a
scornful toss of her head. --
Ut came out ufterward 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
lessness.)
''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 shoe
store" 4, C..'sti i#.fi.
"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: S'You dear, good
girl! No one ever sent me anything
half as beautiful before. And every
thing had been SO at skies and seyens
this morning that j was Just on the
point of sitting down for 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
wouldn't rise, when ding-a-ling-ling
went the door-bell, and there was that
beautiful valentine. / knew it was
from you, because Billy saw Mint run
away. And declare the fire began to
burn, and the room began to get warm,
and the bread began to rise, and the
baby began to laugh, and everything
turned from wrong to right exactly as
it docs in fairy story" .ari 81 ,r-
In all her. fourteen years never had
Gertrude felt so eonscience-stricken
But she gave Ray kiss, and then fol-
lowed Kate to the hall j''That valen-
tine, Miss Archbold," she said. "was
meant for you. and the other was in
tended for Ray Martin. Mint made a
mistake in delivering them. Shall 1
tell Ray sop'
| mo, no." answered Kate, hastily,
mot for the world. And I-I-beg
your pardon, Miss Lewis / have been
too hasty, but you see never received
valentine that wasn't very-very
complimentary before. I hope you'll
forgive me-"
Certainly said Gertrude, a little
coidly, it must be admitted. "Good
afternoon" And instead of be-
coming the intimate friend of the
rich girl she became the intimate friend
of the dress-maker's daughter. And