Nevada County picayune., 1891-02-12

| y
Will Saunders very attentive to her"
"Yes, and he is very attentive to
her yet. She lives with her aunt,
and Will spends half his time there,
but he has never found courage to
ask her to marry him. | don't be-
lieve he loves her, but is just shilly-
shallylng"'
What are the symptoms, Miss
Ethel" asked Halsey.
But Ethel was offended at his
flippant tone, and kept silent the
rest of the way. She took her par
eel and dismissed him at Jenny's
gate, and did not ask him to call.
He went back to his friend Cyril,
and bought the lovely valentine with
the lace on it, and the scent of he
liotrope, and in the dainty perfumed
satin box he laid parlor match.
Then he selected half dozen
comic valentines and addressed them
hurriedly to as many young girls as
he could remember, and sent them
off by the errand boy with charges
where to leave them, lest his hand
writing might get him into trouble.
"a valentine,' cried Jennie Win
ne, as she answered the bell and
brought in a good-sized package,
''now who could have sent me val
entine:'
He had good bit of impudence,
whoever he is, answered Mr. Saun-
ders, who, as usual, was calling on
the young lady.
Il don't know why" answered
Jenny, plucking up spirit, 'am l the
only girl that can not have "A
valentine
Il didn't mean to offend you, y
said the young man, perhaps l had
better 90. Your valentine may wish
to call in person. l presume he
sends his card?"
Jenny had opened the box, aud as
it lay there with its white lace, and
blue satin, and delicate iiligree work
her eyes sparkled with pleasure and
her checks glowcd. She really look
ed handsome.
"Oh, what sweet present. 1t is
intended for a jewel box-see." and
she lifted the delicate cover of the
little box in the nd; "why-why
what is it? match box how fun.
nyW
"Oh, no." said Will, with green
eyes and a rising jealous infection
to his voice, "that is bit of finesse
YOU see. 1t means that the sender
is match for you, a very delicate
way of telling YOU of the state of hi.
affections.
His voice was cold and sarcastic
and Jennie Whine felt that somehow
she had offended him, but she callct
her pride to her aid, and began tt
read abound the valentine verse:
"lIcart find
Heart bind
WIN You bo my valentine;
Hearts love
Hear, prove,
Aud their union /, ivinc.'
She got through it bravely, hut a
she finished it, and saw the look o
ill-temper on the face of the lover
who had never told his love, sh'
broke down and burst into wild fl
of weeping that was almost hysteric
al.
| Jenny, forgive me, don't cry 81
darling -
Could she believe her ears. trust /
woman to catch word of love
though it were whispered ever 81
low.
"Do you love the foo|-fellow,
mean, that sent you that valentine? !?
Then she laughed. And it wa:
like the sun and whole sky full o
rainbows breaking through cloud.
"Why, | haven't the least idc'
who sent it, she said, truly, "but-
but nobody sends me any valentines
nobody cares
The rest of the sentence was in
distinct, from the fact that denny
face came in contact with Will Saun
, ders' coat collar at that moment
whilo ho poured into her ear th'
pcnt-up confession that he had lovcC
her for a dozen years.
"But why did you never tell m'
50 bcfore?' asked Jenny, when late
they sat and reviewed the matter.
II couldn't be sure that | loved
you, and | didn't want you to scnC
me off because because | had no
where else to spend my evenings,