Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-05-13
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
st. Valentines Mistake, and the Grea
Good 1t Accomplished.


the world on ST. Valentines Day? The
postman, of course. All eyes are on
the alert for the postman. All ears
listen for the merry jingle of the door
bell, and many a pretty foot is poised
ready to start for the door at the first
tinkle-te-tinlle.
On certain ST. Valentines Day, in a
certain street Of certain city, a little
girl stood in a deep bay window. 1t was
one of those streets where splendid
blocks Of tall brick-houses almost join
poor, umble-down tenements. The
bay window was draped with costly
lace curtains that fell about the little
figure, touching her pretty curls ant
her soft pink cheeks This grand house
stood by ITSELF and next door was a
tiny, implanted cottage with green
holland shade at the window, where a
pale woman sat all day sewing. To
this window sometimes little girl
came and laid her cheek against her
mothers face, and the mother stroked
the child's hair, then went on with her
work.
All through the morning of ST. Val
entine's day the little girl in the lace
curtained window watched and
watched, her eyes aglow and her heart
beating fast. She was expecting a
famous valentine. 1t was no secret
Her "best uncle" had promised her a
pony. Postmen have a great deal to
do Ibid you ever think about it), tramp
ing from end to end of the long streets,
over and over and over wet days or
dry days, hot days or cold days, still
days or blowy days, but even they are
not expected to carry ponies about and
distribute them to little girls No,
Uncle Tom was to send the money
seventy-fve dollars-and the little girl
agnes was her name) was to buy the
pony herself, with papa's help. There
she stood, watching, inside the lovely,
filmy, fowery curtain. 1t was bright
day, with good deal of snow on the
ground. The boys were out with their
sleds, the stages were on runners and
shoppers, rag-pichers. telegraph boys
and postmen found a great deal of
fault with the walking. Perhaps that
was the reason the postman was SC
late.
There he is! Mamma, there he is!''
shouted Agnes, at last. ''He has gone
to that house across the street, where
the lame boy lives"
ST hope the poor little fellow has got
a wheeled chair for a valentine" said
mamma.
Agnes was too busy watching to an
swer. "Do you think my pony came in
this mail?" she said.
sob, why don't he hurry?" said the
child. Hes going to that next house
who would have a valentine there
They're only an old shoemaker and his
wife"
perhaps their children have sent
them pretty present., said the lady.
''Oh, there he comes, straight across
the street! My moneys come! my
moneys come! And I'll have my dear,
dear little pony! I've named him, mann
ma, already. I'm going to call him
Swallow" and away ran Agnes down
the stairs to the area door to get her
valentine.
She came back crying. Its some
old bill, mamma, and not for me at
ALL" she sobbed.
ooh, fer' said her mother 81
wouldn't be a baby. There are two
more deliveries to-day. Your valentine
will come before the day is over"
1t was just dusk when Agnes saw the
postman from her place behind the cur
tain making his last round. This time
he went to the little house where the
sewing-woman lived. Agnes could hear
the bell ring; and she heard the seam
stresses daughter say as plain as could
be: "Why, it's for me, mammal" 'Now
he's coming here" said the excited child,
holding her breath as she watched the
blue suit gliding through the darkness.
But he went straight by the gate, that
hard-hearted, stiff-necked postman, and
Agnes, with tears and questions, ran to
her mother to be comforted.
What was more surprising and more
serious, the money didn't come at all.
Uncle Tom was off on a long journey
across the Pacific, and, of course, could
not be heard from directly. Had he
sent the pony, or had he not? Agnes
mother counseled patience. But what
child was ever patient in such a case?
In the house near bv, where the
seamstress lived, there was something
unusual going on. The little parlor
was lighted very brightly, and the
seanstress laid down her work for a
few minutes.
The next day other things happened.
The carriage of a celebrated doctor
stood before the door. And somehow
Agnes mother found out that the little
pirl who lived in that house was blind.
The celebrated doctor had come to eX-
anime her eyes. The seamstress had
fallen heir to some money, SO the
grocer boy told Agnes mothers cook.
OThe winter passed away, and the
money was not found. When ques-
toned, the postman said he had deliv-
cred all his letters at their proper
places on st. Valentines day. Neither
had the pony, so to speak, run into the
dead-letter Office. Uncle Tom could
only say he had sent the check in a
splendid valentine. But it was long
after the check was cashed at the bank
that Uncle Tom was heard from.
More news came by the way of the
cook and the grocer boy. 1t appeared
from the boys account that the little
girl in 1883. that is to say, next door to
the lace window curtains, was lying in
darkened room, with Aer eyes band
aged. The celebrated doctor had per-
formed an operation on them, and had
promised that she should see again If
all went well.
'n'~ - talk to her dearie," said