The record-union., 1891-02-15
''VIOLET'S VALENTINES. !"
[ Written for the SUNDAY UNION by Gal
Rraith !

Joyceline lazily stretched pair of shape
ly white arms far above her rumpled,
curly head, just raised from the pillow,
and sitting up in bed smilingly regarded
her young sister Violet-a child about s
years of age-who lay curled up like a
little mouse sound asleep, and breathing
gently seemingly quite unconscious that
| 1t was st. Valentines morning. "Heigh-
ho" yawned Penelope louder than be-
fore, " wonder how many valentines
l will get to-day. Last year it was six
teen. Heigho! Violet, wake up, Violet"
with vigorous shake of the sleeper's
shoulder, 7" Violet, wake up, l say
The child's eyes half opened in startled
inquiry, and in an instant she was sitting
by her sisters side-a sweet little blue
eyed child with the rosieSt dimpled face
and lovellest hair imaginable.
Do you know what day this is ?"
The little girl hesitated moment. "Oh,
yes" q bright smile lighting up the
blue eyes, "St. Valentine's''
The elder sister nodded, and then. coax
lngly, will you run and take peep into
TIE letter box, and if there are any valen-
tines for me bring them all here / am
SO anxious and impatient / cannot wait
TO dress, see, as she noticed a shade of
hesltancy III Violet's sunny face. Throw
eAiptilid .Jo1. SI1ID2iJlG from lne bed
| and wrapping long blue dressing gown
about the tiny form, there now, you
look exactly like q grown woman. You
Will go, won't you and remember'-
laughing" the first person you meet
Will surely be yonr valentine"
Ihe tot started for the door, tripping
and stumbling ut almost every step, en-
numbered by the length of the dressing
gown, but returned almost instantly with
flushed face, bright tears of grief spark.
Ing on the long cnrling lashes and stand
ing IN great round drops upon the plump,
pink cheeks
The elder girl turned pale as she
gasped, What, no valentines ~
Oh, Pennier' sobbed Violet, "the
butcher boy.''
Penelope burst into fit of uncontrolla-
bic laughter. Poor Violet, so the butch
er boy is your valentine, eh?" Then
quickly noticing an increase of grief,
Don't cry, dear. After all it may not be
true, you know"
- Yes, yes, it is true,' moaned the
child. saw him put valentine in the
box, and-and know it is for me-,
Penelope bit her lips sharply to Keep
back the fast returning mirth "Welf,
! darling, we must try 10 change your for
tune somehow. The valentine is most
likely intended for the cook, or maybe
one OF the nlaids.' But Violet shook
her head disconSolaiely. % No. no.
ieei as if the dreadful 5hing was for me.n
And sure enough III Jhe breakfas table.
when the contents q >he letter box We're
distributed, very (. rty, greasy envel-
scraWling hand, to - .s.3N ilet Joyceliue.'
accompanied with eo,lle couple of really
not badly compcscC verses, and signed
y. c., which, upon icing opened, occa-
stoned great deal OF mirth at poor Vic
let's expense.
4" 7 m afraid there is no help for you,''
sighed Penelope, mischievously. ssIt
surely means something; of course you'll
throw it in the fire?''
Mrs. Joyceline patted her youngest
daughters shoulder af1ectionately with
Don't tease her, Pennie."
And Miss Pennie, with saucy shrug,
soon became deeply Interested in her own
valentines, which numbered just two
more than upon the previous wear.
Wen, ten years have glided swiftly by.
Ten years! What q long, long space does
ten years cover, turning us from child
hood to girlhood, from girlhood to wom-
anhood. All, ten years of our youth, ana
yet how very, very short ten years seems
after all, passing almost like dream. still
how we are changed, some for the better
and some, alas for the worse. Ten years
has changed Penelope Joyceline from a
merry handsome girl to languid, posse
woman Of %. All! those previous ten
years; strange changes have they wrought,
wonderful, kindly changes for they have
transformed Violet from a pretty simple
child OF into gloriously lovely girl
of Is.
1t is st. Valentines night, and Pene-
lOpe Joyceline is sitting in front of her
bedroom fire with bitter smile upon her
lips. for not one single valentine had she
received that morning. Violet received
the whole dozen, which used to be her
share, and this fact reminds Penelope
she is no longer young.
" Eeigho!" signs she. "This is the
first time | have been neglected since [
was able to toddle. Heigho 81
A moment later her young sister enters
the room, a charming vision in gray and
regards the slim, graceful girl before her.
A tall, radiantly beautiful girl, whose
ball dress is marvel of loyeliness, a
shimmering, clinging silken gray en-
broldered profusely with yellow mari
Colds, great cluster OF the same flowers
at her breast, and one or two caught in,
and almost falling from her reddish
brown hair, which is little bit rum
pied. One wavy strand has escaped from
its fastenlngs and falls in a curling,
tangled mass to the slender waist She
stands in silence gazing steadtastly into
the charming fire idly pulling q mari
gold, petal by petal, to pieces, letting it
Weil,'' at length yawned Penelope
after waiting in vain for her sister to
speak, "who was there? But then''-
without waiting for an answer the
same old crowd L suppose. A lady be-
comes tired of seeing them-the Red
stones of course ?''
Violet nodded absently.
+" do really think it is time Maud Red
stone stayed at home,n continued the
speaker. ''She must be 80, if day; and
the ridiculous way in which she dresses
is positively indecent"
:" think yon are mistaken, Pennie.
Maud, am sure, is only couple of years
older than l. which would make her at
the very most 20-not too old to enjoy
ones self, | think. And | always fancied
she dressed with the utmost simplicity"
Penelope gave snort OF unbeiief.
There was,' continued Violet, g one
stranger, however, quite the lion of the
evening"" meditatively pulling off long
pair of gray kid gloves; 'and,' resting a
dainty gray y-siippered foot upon the fend-
er, s. he paid me the most marked atten-
ton, aud just before leaving the ball
room | overheard him beg mamma to
allow him the privilege of calling"
All, indeed!' And then as if unable
to resist a slice Of malice, was he any
thing at all like the butcher boy?"
Penelope" sharply, Twill you never
cease referring to that foolish, childish
joke? 1t annoys me more than I care to
own"
Penelope regarded her sister curiously
for a few moments.
'Well, well, vi, what was he like? and
what was his name ?"
4ou mean suspiciously.
No, no. laughing, not the butcher
boy, but the stranger. Tell me about
him. Was he handsome? Was he tall /?
Was he dark or fair ?''
Violet laughs good-humoredly.
Yes, he is very, very handsome:
quite tall and dark, with the finest pair
of eyes 1 ever saw