Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-03-12
ST. VALENTINE AMONG THE SMITHS,

81. VALENTINE AMONG THE ShITHS.
s BY FANNIE E. NEWEERRY. 49,
It was almost too bleak day to
think of Cupids and mating birds, that
18th of February, and Jamie Smith
drew his oyercoat up about his ears,
nearly concealing his uniform cap, as
he plunged forward through the whirl-
ing snow, quite regardless of conse-
quences. Jamie was New York mes
senger-boy, in. the regular service, and
he knew from past experience that he
would have his hands full this Valen-
tines day carrying sweet missives, bon
bon boxes, and flowers about, so there
wasn't bit of use in fretting over the
weather. AS he tore around the cor
ner, head bent forward and eyes on the
ground, he felt sudden shock and
found himself sitting down very hard
on the sidewalk, while directly oppo-
site, in the same posture, and making
great ado over it, was lady Of un-
certain age and contortcd visage.
"You hateful, ha-ateful boy!' she
cried, clutching at the empty air in
her frantic efforts to rise. ''What do
you mean, running into people so? O
dear!' and she seemed about to cry.
Full of laughter as he felt, Jamie
was a little gentleman, so he sprang to
his feet and, holding out a hand to the
struggling lady, said very politely:
II beg your pardon, ma am, but I
didn't see you at all; won't you let me
help you up?''
A little Modified, she permitted him
to assist her, after which he brushed
the blackened snow from her sealskin
cloak and watched her travel on, think
ing what a crabbed-looking creature
she was, but without an idea that he
should ever see her again. All the
morning be darted back and forth, now
boarding strect-car, now on the ele-
waited road, once springing up the
gaAgway of a steamer, just before she
cleared her mornings, with some last
missive from home to an outbound pas
scnger--till noon found him in cheap
restaurant swallowing his lunch, ana
conda-like, at a stand-up, ready to be
off again without wasting minute.
But all through the busy day, one
thought kept him satisfied and cheer
ful--the thought of the dainty, scented
valentine he was carrying in his breast
pocket for Celia.
He had planned dozen times Just
how he would steal up to the door and
ring the bell, leaving the envelope on
the steps, then run quickly around the
corner and hide, soon to come in care
lessly whistling, as if just from the
street car. How to keep back long
enough not to excite her suspicious and
yet come soon enough to see her sur
prised face was a quandary-but Jamie
could solve it if anyone, for he was
used to planning pleasures for Celia.
The little Smith were orphans, and
kept house alone in doll-baby way, in
two rooms of a small cottage, .tenanted
by young laborer and his wife, who
took an interest in the children, and
Strengthened out the housekeeping some
times, when things got into a tangle
Celia went to school when she was we'll
enough, she was not very strong
Jamie took his lunches downtown,
ION the tly,' as he expressed it, but
she was always home to have cozy
little supper ready by 6 o'clock, and
then, how their tongues would clatter
as they told each other all the remark
able events of the day.
1t was quite dark as Jamie hurried
on his last errand--the delivering
large envelope, oddly enough address
ed to Miss c.. H. Smith, not that the
surname surprised him, as he delivered
quantities OF Smith matter every month,
but the C. Ell. were Celia's own initials,
which certainly was q little strange.
He ran up the steps of handsome
house and, though in hurry, stopped
an instant to watch a man-seryant with
in, who could be plainly seen through
the lace-hung windows as he lighted
the chandler III an elegant drawing
room, when, to his utter surprise, an
inner door opened to admit q lady
the very lady whom he had upset that
morning!
Excited and laughing at the recollec-
ton, he rang the bell, and, as the man
promptly appeared, handed the envel-
ope, as he supposed, and ran down the
steps. -F5 49,. "..s ... ..@.=
$50 that's. Miss G. H. smith!'' he
said, as he hailed a car. II thought
she was an old maid when tipped her