Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1892-02-13

Got any mail to posti" asked Jed
carelessly "Fm going down the stree
presently"
His uncle glanced hastily at the tahl,
and a look of relief came over his fac,
as he noticed that the envelopes no.
only contained the communication,
that he ha p~ycTar"d, hut lay, fac,
down, upon the baize top of the table,
MOI" he answered, testify, at the
same time sealing and stamping the
envelopes. Jed watched him as he
waddled down the street and deposited
his letters in the nearest mailbox,
That's all right" thought Jed.
Now for developments" and he hast
ened of to see Helen.
Little Tommy Davis puckered his
mouth UP into a round o and sent forth
Il sharp >hrill whistle.
My eyes, he said, ''it that doesn't
go ahead of anything ! ever see,' and
/ he danced around the room on one
foot. Then he sat down to read, Tor
the fifth time, a letter which he had
lust received. For it was 1t, Nalen-
tines day and he had already opened
a number of suspicious-looking en-
velopeS,
The red legs that protruded from his
knickerboekers were g~rayely crossed,
and Tommy, with wrinkled forehead,
traced the lines of the letter with one
mischievous f%oretinger.
''NNill YOU consent to be- he reSl,
Then he looked at the envelope again.
But all he saw was Master Thomas
Davis, Center Street" in the same stiff
hand.
"lliram Brown thinks he's smart!'
he finally calculated. I'll show him
to write me such stuff as this, mean
old codger, He's mad at me cause |
tripped him up with a string last
April Fool" and Tommy chuckled at
the thought,
Just then his sister, n fair, womanly
girl. entered the room.
"Whats the matter, Tommy? Got q
bad yalentine?"
II sh'd say l had gruntcd Tommy.
Just read it," and he disdainfully
tossed it to Helen.
10. that isn't so very bad she said,
laughing, "You had better let me
keep it. 1t might make Mr.. Brown
some trouble But new thought IN
tered Tommy's malicious little head,
just then.
Not mucheer.' he cried, and nc
snatched the letter and danced out of
the room before Helen could prevent it.
Down the street to Miss Abigail
Robins store he ran as fast as his pudgy
little red legs could carry him, and in
between the two short counters, where
he found Miss Robins. 50 indignant
oven what appeared to be a comic
valentine, that she hardly saw him,
Ills eve fell on the valentine and his
face heightened. He saw it all now,
and, hinging the letter down on the
counter, he cried, angrily;
Take your old valentine. lie got
EN- mixed, | know" and was off like a
shot.
That very afternoon, Miss Robins
locked her shop door and, arrayed in a
''sleazy' green silk dress, sought the
residence of Hiram Brown.
Marry him?' OF course she would,
as soon as eyer he wanted her to. She
had not powdered and crimped aud
curled all these years for nothing, it
seemed Rich old Hiram Brown had
ahem, fallen in love with ner, and had
actually proposed She would not
trust to the tickle mails, but would
answer this delightful question in per-
son.
But when Mr.. Brown saw her, vine
gar-faced old thing as She was, he was
attacked by something very like stage
fright and, for the first time in his life,
prevaricated.
IL" lie stammered. "Are you
sure ! wrote it? Changed letters, you
say-probably done as a joke on your.
self and Tommy Davis, the little
rascal'' he muttered. in an undertone.
wait a moment, dear Miss Robins, las
if She had the slightest thought Of
leavingJ will speak t. Jed. Some
prank, probably"
But when Jed came lie de MED writ
ing such a letter, and asked to see it,
"Uncie's writing-uncle's writing
he murmured, loud enough for Miss
Robins 10 hear.
And Miss Robins? She fairly jumped
up and down in her rage.
Send such a picture to a poor, lone
woman like me- she shrieked. "And
then deny the letter you wrote. | will
sue you for breach of promise, you
old sneak she screamed. Il certainly
wil.'
jed, JEDI whispered his uncle,
hoarsely, drawing him to one side,
Get me out of this and | will do any
thing you want-anything!'
II will on one condition, uncle-and
one only
Dear, dear moaned the old gem
tleman. ITS a little rough, jed, to m
sist upon conditions, when I'm in such
a fix
Cant help it, unk, returned Jed,