Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-02-14

| of that; and he can't make any mistake
bringing the letters, as he does every
day." $50 f969
As soon as Cupid could be spared from
his numerous aud important vocatons, he
| was dispatched on his daily errand to the
post-offce. with fearful threats from his
nanny IN case he overstayed his time or
WAS guilty of any more mistakes.
Nevertheless, a period thrice as long as
usual elapsed before he returned, in q
state of violent perspi ration, and looking
| as If he had just come of victor in a two
mile heat
"There it isr' exclaimed Edith, who
had come in some time before. as Mamie,
with trembling fingers and a face ripping
| with smiles and bushes, selected large
square envelope from the mass Of letters
and papers 35s5 f
There it undoubtedly was; the outside
envelope OF Whitley brown paper carefully
sealed and directed in large masculine
| characters to Miss Mamie Walsingham-
Cuthbert Marshall's hand with no pre-
tense of disguise about it The outer
envelope removed, there appeared the
usual embossed and decorated envelope
within.
all satin and fringes," cried Mamie. s'pd
| SO much rather have a written one all in
his own hand"
Carefully and tenderly she unfolded it,
and beheld a coarse. vulgar caricature of
'sThe Girl of the Peri6d,'' and underneath
the doggerel lines:
You want a husband, all can see,
And think to find that chap in me;
And so you throw your hook and line
Well-baited with q Valentine.
The fish won't bite: that's very plain;
So take your message back again.
1t rwas pitiful to see the change that
| swept ever that young face as the glad,
expectant eyes perused the dastardly in
suit. All light and life and color died out
| of it. It might have been the face Of one a
| day dead. so cold, pale and rigid it looked
| She stood motionless, gazing at the ugly
| thing, as if, Medusa-like, it had stricken
| her to stone Her cousin, who had been
watching her keenly, grew alarmed at her
pallor and silence. and, going up to her,
| shook her by the arm.
'Why, Mamie, what afls youi What
makes you look SO strange! You look like
| you saw ghost!'
II dol" said the poor girl. 81 see the
| ghost of my own dead love. killed by this
| shameful outraged On!" she continued
| throwing the valentine on the floor, and
| clasping her hands passionately together.
Il know ought not to have sent him one
first; it was forward, unmaiAenly: but so
many do it! L loved him so mucb-I was
| so sure he loved mel didn't think there
was any harm in it! Oh, it was cruel
cruel, to repay me thus!' And poor Mamis
| threw herself on the sofa, lifted up hf,r
voice and wept aloud.
Now, it so happened that some minutes
before there had come ring at the
street door bell which neither of the young
ladies in their preoccupation had beard.
But Master Cupid, whose business it was
| to attend to all the bells in the establish
ment, heard it; and with unusually
prompt attention to duty, fastened to
| answer it. And just at this climax he
opened wide the parlor door, and with the
brief announcement: ''Marse Cubberd
comm in," ushere1 on the scene hand
! some. tall young fellow who looked petri-
| fed with amazement. as well he might
at the tableau before him. On the table
his weil-recognised envelopes, on the floor
crumpled paper, and on the sofa pretty
Mamie Walsingham. the beloved of his
heart. in an agony of grief.
Was this the reception his beautiful
valentine, SO lovingly prepared and hope
| fully committed to the mail, had met
| witha If SO, goo l-bye to the hopes, if not
| to the love! He approached the sofa and
would have addressed its forlorn &C.
cupant but with fresh burst of tears
| she waved him tragically away, and in the
plainest terms requested him to leave the
| room, and never, never again to look at
| or speak to her on any pretext whatever.
What in heavens name does all this
| mean" cried the bewildered youth. turn
ing to Miss Fairfax. what have done to
| be treated in this manners If You can tell
me. Miss Edith. entreat you to do 500
Miss Edith looked a good deal confused
for a moment, but soon regained her self
possession.
81 think 1 can explain,' she said,
quietly; land an1 that imp of darkness
at the door must share the blame be-
tween us. The fact is, Mamie. as 1 went
down town this morning, I saw your
faithful messenger playing marbles on
the sidewalk with whole lot of idle lit
tie wretches like himself, and your mail
deposited on a convenient doorstep to
| await his leisure OF course, 1 detected
the valentine at a glance; and the spirit
OF mischief. caught, I suppose. from
Master Cupid, inspired me to taxa it in the
house-Fannie Leavitt's, my dear-where
with the help of steam from a boiling ket-
tie, easily opened it, removed the con-
tents, substituted the one you found. re-
! out that little ebony image even missing
| it, or so much as knowing 1 was any
| where near. SO engrossed was he in his
game. knowing your sentiments on the
| subject Of comic valentines, the rempta-
tion was irresistible to see if you would
really be as indignant as you said. ex-
pected to make you angry Mamie. but
believe me, I had no idea Of distressing
you SO; and Pm heartily sorry and
ashamed Of my foolish prank Please
forgive me this time, and pn never send
| another comic valentine as long as 1
live"
Mamie shook her head discousola.ely.
but her sobs were not nearly 50 violent as
they had been Young Marshall picked
mp the rejected valentine and opened it
His eyes flashed and his lips set sterniy
! together Is he scanned II, then looked full