The state herald., 1890-03-28

swell, what can't be heiped, can't;
80 what is the use of talking? We
may just as well make the best of it |
and come right down and take what
fun there is going; so let's walk OH to
Betty plummcr's and toll her we will
accept her invitation for tomorrow
night, and go right in for good
time with the neighborhood young
folks. l said at first never would do
it, bht then l did not expect to stay
here forever; now begin to think we
may. But, let's draw the line at mar
rying, we will flirt with the boys and
have n good time. twill be some
thing to take up our time. Grandpa
and grandma will like all but the flirt-
ing; they will begin TO have hopes of
lis and think VIC arc at Inst growing
sensible, and we can keep dark about
our real opinions of folks and things.
| hope, though, they will not play
kissing games. just think of having
grandpa's hired man kiss us! OF
course, he isinvited."
Betty Plummer was quite overcome
by the sudden cordiality of Mabel
Tinkham and her adopted sister, Mary
Peck, and for the rest of tho day was
in quite fluttcr of excitement over
the event.
Roland Holland and his friend, Jack
Staples, had chanccd upon the Plum
mer farm for their llalting place in
this ncighborhood while sketching.
When they returned 10 late dinner
the voluble, gay-hearted Betty chatter
cd of her morning callers, and with
country freedom soon had given the
Young men full history of neighbor
Tinkham's oldest son who had ." years
ago left the farm and gone to New
York as clerk, and lately became
what the country people called II stock
gambler; had been rolling in money
few years, and married city girl;
later had lived in Europe few years,
and then, just as all gamblers do sud-
denly he began TO lose, and all at once
found himself at the bottom of the
heap and glad enough to send his two
girls TO his old home, which had never
been good enough for them to visit
when they had lots O. money"
She told the young man that the girls
were real nice, but couldn't do thing
to earn n dollar, and seemed actual
proud OF it
Then she talked of her valentine party,
and the young men having identified
Mabel Tinkham and Mary Peck as the
two stylish young ladies of the morn
ing episode, entered into Bctty's plans,
and soon had given the quick-witted
country girl some hints about valentine
tricks. Betty was always ready for a
good-natured joke and readily agreed
TO their suggestions.
In response 10 one of these she went
over 10 grandpa Tinkham's on the
evening of the thirteenth and told the
girls of these tricks. One was for the
girls tc take an early morning walk on
the fourteenth and the first man they
met would surely be their future hus-
band! Others We're TO be tried at the
house. One of these was 10 90 out
into the dark, and standing on the
doorstep unwind II ball of twinc for
few yards and holding the end of the
twinc in one hand, with the otler
throw the ball us far out into the dark
ness as possible, then begin to wind
up the end in their hand, repeating
these lines:
~ wind this long line so very fine,
Hoping 10 lind NJ the other end.
The love would call my valentine,
The man I'd choose for lover and friend.r
Then, unless one was predcstincd
old maid, at the end of the line would
stand before the maiden her future
husband who would yield the line to
her, clasp her in his arms and take his
first kiss and disappear In the dark
ness, and when the gates were propi-
iious she would meet This very man,
perhaps be introduced To him in the
most prosaic and orthodox manner:
and surely some day he would come
TO claim the hand Of the maiden hc had
kissed in the dark!
al shall go for walk before TO-
morrow morning, Mary; will you 20
tool" cried Mabel, glccfully.
"Indccd vii! not. You'll be sure
TO meet somebody's hired man driving
the cows 10 the spring for watcr,' re-
piled Mary. scornfully.
Then she continued, 81 will control
my impatiencc 10 see my hero until
evening. shall throw the ball of
twinc from our back doorstep, aud let
1t roll down the slope into the garden,
and then gently draw my hero up TO
give me that sweet betrothal kiss, and
as II is hardly proper TO accept any
thing from stranger, will return II
at oncc," and Mary joined In the gen
cral laugh.
Betty went home and reported.
Early the next morning Mabel went
out for walk and for half mile met
no one. not even hired man driving
cows 10 water, nor II milkman going
toward the village.
Suddenly, as she turned n corner, she
came face TO face with the dark. nous
Tackled stranger she had seen few
mo nings ago posi- 4 so gracefully be-
side tho stone wall M he lifted his In,
and passed around The corner.
Mabel was not more romantic than
tho ordinary girl, yet her heart
llrobbcd more rapidly. and the rich
color swnycd back and fort, In her
-hapcly checks. ms she wondered II
there could be anything In sucl, hap.
pcnings, and qucricd mentally over and
over again, "who could he be, where
from, and with whom was hc staying
In that ncighborlood, and would shc
maybe sometime really meet aud spc'k
with him!"
BG, !, was time TO return for break
fast. and. 10. he was returning, and
politely lifted his hut once more from
the closc-cui, dnk X. curling locks.
Evening came, and Mabel and Mary
were much entertained by the society
into which they were for the first time
inlrnlunel lllILnrIn ll,nu llnI LnlI