Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-02-19
TWO VALENTINES.
The Rich Girl and the Dress
Makers Daughter.

! Gertrude Lewis had just finished di-
recting valentine in n 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, pseped
in at the open door.
l-Come here, Mint" called Gertrude,
Watching sight of her, "you are the very
person want"
rs glad rs de very pusson you
wants." said Mint, coming into the
room. "'deed is, Miss Gertie."
well, sit down and listen attentively
TO what l am going to say to you"
"rs lis'nin' orful tent'y. deed is"
snid Mint, perching herself on the edge
ola 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
sand candy. Deed it do, Miss Ger
tie,n
"Never you mind what it smells of
uhtil 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 thisp''
holding up the box.
",Deed | does, Miss Gertie. It's a
hansum box wild little flyin' angels onto
it; deed it am, w'ite angels, dey am.
Nebber seen no box, no nothin' wild
brack angels onto it; deed l didn't,
Miss Gertic. Amt der no brackp"
S'Gan' tstop to answer questions now,"
Interrupted Gertrude. II want you to
take this box," and she proceeded to
wrap it up in nice white paper, and
write an address neatly upon it-"To
Miss Kate Archbold,s house. You know
where her house lisp"
i"'Deed does, Miss Gertie. It's dat
splendificent house war dar's two nor
meous big stone lynn dogs, all of 'cm
a settin' on de front stoop. rs scam
lously 'fraid of dem dogs. Deed l is,
Miss Gertie."
TYou 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" ~r..F n
-"Deed i WILL" promised Mint, slip
ping down from the chair and holding
out her little black hands. =
.'Wait a moment; I'm not through
yet" said Gertrude. "After you have
left the box at Miss Archbold's l want
you to go around to Ray Martin 8.
You've been there, haven't youp" g.!
"'Deed 1 have, Miss Gertie. She
drug me darby de har of my head one
day and made me AK her pargiocness
cause frowed SNOWFALL at her. Deed
she did, Miss Gertie."
Miss Gertie burst out laughing. al
don't see, Mint, how she could have
dragged you by your hair" she said.
Its so very crisp and short. And you
shouldn't have thrown snow-balls at
her. But that's neither here nor there
atpresent. This letter. showing the
brown envelope, sis to go 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 go to de big dog-house an Civ
dis yer box to de pusson dat opens de
basement do. An'Tsto go to Miss Mar
tins house an shove dis yer letter
under de front do an den pull de
bell'an' run like as a p'liceman war
after me-"
"That's all right. And now be off.
And come straight up to me when you
come back"
"'Deed, will, Miss Gertie, !" snufiing
again. 20! wat lubly place dis yer
is to sniff in. Pears do / smells pea
nuts, too.''
And as she vanished out of one door
Mrs. Lewis, Gertrude S mother, came in
at the other. ir
"I've sent Mint out with two valen-
tines, mother" said Gertrude; "twO
valentines to two girls. The pretty one
bought last night has gone to Kate
Archbold. I'm quite in love with her,
though I've only met her q half-dozen
times. She is SO sweet-tempered and
ladylike.r don't believe she could dc
or say rude thing. In her valentine
have written some verses of my own
composing, wishing her all the happi.
ness the world can bring, and path
way strewn with roses, and all that sort
of thing. I'd like ever so much to have
her for an intimate friend. " --------
'1sn't she daughter of the Widow
ArchboldP" asked Mrs. Lewis.
"Yes,' replied Gertrude, "the only
daughter. In fact, the only child"
"And she has been reared carefully
and tenderly and has health, wealth
and dbeauty."
'.Yes, mamma" said Gertrude, look
ing at her mother with inquiring eyes
"Well, under those circumstances, '
Mrs. Lewis went on, ~ should be mucl
surprised IL she were not amiable ant
ladylike. But to whom did you sent
the other vaicntinep'' r'set
20. that was a sort of a comic one.
sent.it toRay Martin. She's the wors
tempered girl in our school, and read,
to fy out at you at a moments notice
and she frowns ten times while sh,
smiles once.p' al
.tAnd she is tho daughter of widow
too, is she notP" asked Mrs. Lewis.
Eyes, ma'am. Her mother is :;
dress;maker. But Ray is not the onl.
ohild."
mo. indeed! She has seven beside
Rayz-four boys and three girls; bu
Rayis the Oldest And it must be YER
trying, for girl especially, TO be tn
eldest in a family of eight chi
dren in house where money Is yer
scarce. Poor Ray! don't wonder tha
her disposition Is little soured. Iy
no doubt that she has as much house
Wprk TO do before and after sch0'