Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-03-10
ZOURrS VALENTINE.

lno sun hdu Coille out anu UlduS Things
look very bright aud happy. and in the
Southern country its light was so warm
and pleasant that three little girls had
come out among the grass and trees to
write their valentines These girls were
Seth Granberry's three little States. as
they were called.
The two Cranberry brothers, Seth and
Josiah, we're farmers, and their large
farms joined, Tie brothers were twins.
They were married on the same day.
There had been a sort of agreement be-
tween them, that whenever a baby girl
came to the household of either, she
should be given the name of State in
the Udion.
So it came about that when some
years had gone by, there were six little
States, three in each family. The boys
did not count in this Union, for it would
not do to call boy Texas or Mississippi.
Then came the time when Seth and
Josiah ceased to be twins in spirit, for
they had a serious quarrel about the
planting of division stake, and the
ownership of three or four feet of land.
Seth, the more self willed of the two
had planted the stake where he pleased,
and Joe had submitted; but from that
day the brothers had not spoken to each
other, and the six little States, who loved
each other, had been separated.
Seth's Zouri-whose real name was
Missouri-had just declared that she
should send valentine to Uncle Joe.
Il met him down at the branch the
other day, she said, sand he talked to me
real nice. / felt sorry for him, because
he said that Tennessee could never go
without crutches any more.
Lous'any and Georgia said they were
quite sure that Zouri would be whipped
If she did not keep away from Uncle
Joe's folks and stop sending valentines
there. But Zouri was the youngest of
the three, and not old enough to be very
cautious; besides, she had little curly
red head and her fathers own wilful
spirit
She went on, painfully writing the
words of her valentine:
@Deer Tinker Joe, luv you wish you
wud cum over an set on the uther side
of the chimly like you use to. Pa won't
let eny body set there now. inn sorry
Tenny has to go on cruches. frum your
LOVING valentine.
@'Taint right, Z)uri," L)us'any said.
@Pa'll punish you for it.
Besides, who'll take it over to Uncle
Joe: asked Georgia.
Il will, " said Zouri, and she shook
back her red curls and picked up her
sunbonnet from the grass. %'Taint any
use to bother me about it, cause Pm
going to send it, and don't care.
Zouri was SO young-scarcely years
old-and so much accustomed to being
petted that such opposition as this hurt
her feelings deeply. But it did not shake
her resolution.
She had written the valentine that she
had meant from the beginning to write
She left Georgia and Louisiana now, and
ran, pattering her bare feet over the
grass, to the fence that separated the
yard from the roadway.
She's gone to the fields, where pa
is," Georgia said, as she watched Zouri
disappear down the roadway.
LIS anu "tAdt 3 uOtes LOuiSldna
answered, shell make pa say she can
up and do anything she wants to.
They were right in guessing that
Zouri had gone to find her father. She
knew that he was somewhere in the
fields. looking about his farm and plan
ming the spring sowing.
Every few moments her voice rang
out in a loud call: Poppy, where are
your
AT last. from distance, she heard the
answer: Hallool Zouri, is that your"
I'm down in the potato field"
When she reached him he placed her
on the highest rail of the fence while he
stood beside her and listened. There
had always been q strong bond Of SYM
pathy between him and this little girl;
perhaps because she was "a chip Of the
old block.
whats the matter with Poppy's little
gal7" he asked.
"It's Lous'any and Georgia; they've
been botliering me.
Zouri's cheeks were flushed and her
eyes bright, and it seemed az il her hair
took on more defiant curl than usual.
Seth looked at her for q moment.
Then he took her sunbonnet from her
hand and placed it on her head
What have they been bothering you
about, honey?"
ZOuri quietly took the sunbonnet OF
as she answered: Because said I was
going to do something you didn't want
me "a But l just have 70 do it, Pcppyl
It would make me feel 90 bad il I
didn't.
Seth's face looked grave. Il was
puzzle to him, sometimes. to know how
to deal with Z1uri
Well, honey. he said soberIy, -did
yOu come way out here TO get me to let
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