The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-02-09

criukle and wave of the sunny hair re-
flected there, still there was new charm
in it as shown by the FURNISHED surface
of the photograph card, and she imagined
her lovers pleased surprise when he
should open the envelope which he would
receive on St Valentines Day and find
her face, arch and smiling, looking up at
him.
She had had only the one taken. She
was little exclusive, and preferred that
her face should not be shown promiscu
ously. and it was proof which spoke for
itself of her affection for Harvey Ingra-
ham, when she was willing To entrust him
with the shadow of herself
He knew of this popularity of hers, and
would, she was sure, read the act as
she intended he should. There was an
other asprant to her hand and affections,
Harris Miller, a mail-clerk on the b. & Y.
road at one of the stations of which
Harvey Ingraham was telegraph operator,
but to his chagrin Helen had resolutely
refused to listen to his suit, and he was
angry aud Jealous of young Ingraham in
proportion.
Harris Miller was of good reputation, edu-
cation and family, still there was something
in his face VIII CHI gave warning of some
tAing wrong in his character; a downcast,
furtive pair of eyes, making it difficult to
catch those wary organs in a straghtfor-
ward, honest look.
Helen, with her quick woman's instinct,
had taken dislike to him for which she
could hardly account, but, with q rare
sense of honor, she had kept her unfavor-
able opinion to herself, not wishing to
harm the young man In any way, and had
not spoken of her dislike even to Harvey
Ingraham, who looked up l young Miller
as rival, though how dangerous he could
not determine from Helen's manner.
She wrote but the two conventional
words. "Your Valentine" upon the back
of the photograph, but under the circum-
stances they conveyed all the answer to
his question that he could ask for
On the very morning on which Helen
prepared her valentine for mailing, Har-
vey Ingraham sat before his desk. smile
upon his handsome features, as he also
prepared his mail for st Valentines Day
An elegant affair in satin and filagree
with silver cupids pointing to an i'm
passioned love verso lay side by side with
a comic monstrosty.
June will dance with wrath when she
gets that" he soliloquized, as he looked at
the ugly creation of fancy June was his
sister, and the two were in the habit of
playing jokes upon each other, June's last
effort in that direction having been so
successful that h r. brother had no COM
Functions OF consc ence in choosing the
worst looking parody on females that he
could find, even touching on her gait,
her one tender spot for sensitive feeling,
for June was decidedly wobbly in her
walk and as decidedly averse to being re
minded of it.
He directed his envelopes, laying them
face downward as he did so, and as an
other matter called for his attention he
Slipped the valentines hastily in and
sealed them, never dreaming that he could
possibly make a m stake.
Helen waited impatiently for the p . man
on St Valentines morning and e.serly
broke the seal of the envelope directed in
the hand she knew so well. She changed
color as she took out the contents, and her
eyes fairly blazed with anger as she gave
a comprehensive look at the hideous comic
horror which it contained, for Harvey in
his haste had changed the envelopes, and
while June was in raptures over ''dear
Harvey's" unexpected display of brotherly
affection, poor Helen was correspondingly
unhappy over what she supposed to be an
open insult, or. at the best possible con-
struction, most lamentable lack Of good
taste.
She few to her own room and burst into
a passion of angry tears.
"To think that he of all others should
insult me with such thing as thatp she
cried. "Oh, how repent sending him my
picture; but he shall not gloat over the
knowledge that love him for long" she
rejoined, with shuddering sigh, and ris-
ing hastily she took q package Of letters
FrAn ,.r;x 4 -. ba.
making them into package with his gifts,
she enclosed a freezing cold note, and
hastily descending the stairs started for
the express office.
Il have asked him to burn every thing
pertaining TO me, and, of course, that in
cludes the photograph" she said to herself
as she went out, land il he is any gentle
man he will comply with my request"
She did not stop to consider her own
pain in the matter, or how barren life was
going tO.673sne 20 her with Harvey left cut