The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-02-11

come to time as GOOD as II she were bOVii
dragging out handful of smart valentines
each and every one addressed to Miss
Nathalie Carr, SO Clement avenue.
These he carefully placed on the library
| table, and then executed for his own diver
| sion, around this center of attraction. a
series Of hops that would shame Digger
Indian Of the best developed muscle, at
last tearing himself away to occupy the
time elsewhere, with both ears on the alert
for Nathalie whenever she should come
running in.
'Tm home" she cried, suddenly appear
| ing in the door with the rosiest of faces.
sit was royal fun, Philip
GLOW did you get inF' he cried, bound
ing forward in dismay.
Game in the basement door; the market
man was just ringing, and slipped in be-
hind him and his basket"
"Have you been in the library?" asked
Philip, nervously.
mo; didn't stop. Twas in such a hurry
to tell you. 1t was just the loveliest fun I
ever had. 1 guess 1 enjoyed it more be-
cause l did what l should want done to me.
and wrote the girls just what l know is
| true"
Eyes, yes; we'll come on" said Philip.
interrupting you've a lot of valentines
in the library-came in the post, you know.
Let's go down and look at them"
"Only lot of Stiles, l suppose" said
Nathalie, with her most grown-up air, yet
| speeding with intense delight for the stair
Still, we might as well look at them and
guess who sent them"
That's So" said Philip, hurrying after.
'Oh ah! oh!' Nathalies eyes sparkled
at the pretty heap, and her girlheart
swelled at the Importance to which she
was suddenly lifted. "Tenl Who could
have sent them alln'
"Look and see,n advised Philip: stbat's
the way boy does when he gets a letter,
but girl obs over an hour, and then spells
out the postmark and guesses who it is
from, another hour. Here's my knife"
'Id rather take hair.pin +" said Nathalie
81 can do it twice as quickly" and she
pulled at that necessary article, tumbling
down half Of her loose coils as the chief
support was Withdrawn.
Take care! the whole thing will be down
upon US if you don't look outn said Philip,
regarding her head in alarm.
"Never mind twill hold together till 1
get these open," laughed Nathalie, deftly
doing duty with the hair-pin, in the way
only girl and woman can, till the ten
sealed envelopes were all laid open and
ready to yield their contents, when the
coils were shaken into place, and the little
hair support run in through them again.
There" she said, with satisfied breath,
snow Pm ready to enjoy my valentines"
The loveliest bit of paper lace-work was
withdrawn from its white cover, in the
center revealing two hearts held fast by
the arrow of fate, while all sorts of flowers
bloomed around these two "beating as onen
who could have sent thisan cried Ma
thale. 'It's pretty, isn't it! Why, here is
a perfect lot of writing inside" whirling
over the page. philip Carr, Flo Williams
sent thisr'
GLOW do you know?' asked Phil.
'There, just see therew Nathalie pointed
to pinched signature off in the farther
corner "What does she find to say to spin
such lot?r
Read ahead and see," cried Philip
DEAREST NATHALIE" began the valentine
receiver, in tremor of delight that Flo, whom
the girls always thought bit cold and I'M
demonstrative, should have finally developed
an affcctionate nature, 81 think ought to tell
you that have noticed lately that the buttonS-
on your boots are falling off in weakness. Now
you know that nothing so marks the lady as a
trim boot and really needle and thread would
help the difficulty ever SO much.
with the greatest love, am your Valentine
FLO. WILLIAMS"
"4Hy Valentiaei" shrek Nathalie, her
rosy cheeks trying to turn pale, and dash
ing the two hearts and the lace work to the
table. 1.-THE ideal What does she think
Pm made of, to endure thisl And it isn't
so, Phil Carr; at least it was only once she
saw me with just one little button off near
the top, and was in hurry to go town
for some caramels. So! And she's mean
enough to pretend that always 90 around
with my boots hanging"
80, no. Nathalie; l guess she doesn't
mean that" said Philip, soothingly; "she
only does it for your good.'
"But l wouldn't care if it was true"
cried Nathalie, stopping suddenly. cpd be
willing and glad to have her tell me; but it
isn't true. She only saw me once"
'Well, open your others; perhaps they're
BETTER" suggested Phil.
Nathalie's eyes shone with their own
pleasant light dancing in the brown depths
as she saw Cousin Sues handwriting
DEAREST NATHALIE-I feel quite sure that
ought to tell you that your unpleasant habit of
giggling seems to be growing upon you. Now 1
snOuluH mention InlS, Dut, as L am relation,
can say things that the other girls might not
like to. So believe that love you very much
and take me for your Valentine.
cousin SUE"
''Take her for my Valentiner' cried Ma
thalie, sharply; ''indeed won't. The idea,
Philip Carr, of her doing this thing because
she is relative!'
"She only does it for your good" said
Philip, taking refuge in the old remark,
and only wishing that he might be pre-
served from bursting into laugh.
81 could take it and love her all the
same" cried Nathalie, with grimace, ''if
she didn't seize the chance to tell me she Is
doing it because she is my relative. That
makes it impossible for me to love her."
"Pull out number three" said Philip
"here, I'll do it," for Nathalie seemed to
have little heart for further investigation
This is from Trixie."
"What does she say2" asked Nathalie,
family, with one eye on the smart epistle
rafting in her brothers. hand.
"Im rather afraid to tell,n said Philip
maintaining grave face; sits pretty
hard.n
81 think can bear it," said Nathalie,
drawing herself up stiffly, and wildly essay
ing to stop the quivering of her lip. "Go
on, Phil; let me know the worst"
'She says you are saying things behind
her back,n began Philip, slowly, ''and-,
"SGying things behind her back" broke in
Nathalie with a sad wall, "when l-love-
her-tool Oh-oh--oh p' and she dropped in
q nisera hla Iittla hean IN tho floor sohh;n =,