Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-02-11
VAL'S VALENTINE.

1 live "uptown"-I'm not going to say
where, and you won t find it in the direc-
tory, because 1 live with my married
aunt, and sides-but l mustn't be in too
great hurry. Whether I'm pretty or
not is a matter of opinion. /, of course,
do not incline to thinking myself quite
horror, for my mirror tells me, when L
consult it-which is quite as often as
other girls-that l have bright eyes and
white teeth, and dimple in each cheek,
and figure that always seems to fit my
dresses. / am by no means rich, 1t Is
true, but no girl can consider herself
poor who possesses good typewriter
and skill to use it, Both these Qualih-
cations belong to me, and for nearly a
year have held good position in Mr..
John Postlethwaite' office, and from 3
to every day gayly rattle the keys Of
my typewriter.
Mr.. Postlethwaite is a rich produce
broker, and, though he is not at all old,
/ never looked upon him as young man
he is so grave and silent Although
saw him every morning, he never said
more than "Good-day, Miss Claxton, )"
and declare could not have told you
whether he was fair or dark, for l sell
dom ventured to raise my eyes to his.
All through the day 1 sat in my corner,
curtained off from the other clerks, and
far too busy to take any notice of them,
or of anyone else, except-ah! here is a
tremendous exception, for 1 had con-
slant visitor, my sweetheart! 1 should
mention that Postlethwaite was a
widower. That, perhaps, was partly the
cause of his seriousness, for l have
heard that his wife was young and beau
full, and that he loved her dearly. They
had been married but few years when
she died, leaving him baby years old.
That baby was now 5, and every day,
except in the summer when he was away
at Long Island on his fathers farm, lit
tie Jack would come in the carriage and
fetch Mr.. Postlethwaite away.
The very first day l took possession
of my curtained corner, just as the
clock was on the stroke of four, the
loveliest little head in the world peeped
around my desk, and pair of big,
roguish eyes, blue as heaven, looked up,
laughing, into mine. Then the head
disappeared, and saw no more of those
sweet eyes until the next afternoon.
Then, however, the little rogue, with all
the confidence imaginable, walked in
side the curtain, and revealed the dain-
test darling, picturesquely clad in
black velvet, with long golden curls
falling over his deep lace collar. 1 fell
in love with him on the spot, and l am
| bound to say the passion was mutual,
for he sat on my knee and returned my
kisses with interest, and when the fol-
| lowing day cemented the friendship
with an Offering of French candles we
pledged eternal fidelity in the spirit, If
not in the letter. The day was indeed
| dull one to me that did not bring my
little Jack to kiss his sweetheart Val.
The winter passed, and at Christmas
and New Years Jack and / exchanged
appropriate gifts-Jack always assuring
nae earnestly that his presents had been
his own unbiased choice, and purchased
with his own money from his own money
box. / noticed that as early as Febru-
airy days slipped away Jack became inn
mensely mysterious. His little bosom
swelled some tremendous secret, and
sometimes, after gazing at me for few
seconds with widening eyes, he would
ripple with delicious little gusts of
laughter from head to foot. After these
| tiny explosions he would kiss me We
hemently, and rush away as though
afraid to trust his secret any longer in
| my presence.
cannot pretend to say that had no
inkling of coming, events, and, sure
enough, when l arrived In the Office on
st. Valentines morning, there on my
desk lay a package, sealed almost all
over with red sealing wax. and with the
stamps and address huddled into one
corner, as though OF very secondary ac-
count. i opened 1t as eagerly, declare,
as any girl in New York that day who
hoped to find her valentine handsomer
than that of her bosom friend. There
was beautiful little hand-painted
satchet, tied with big bow OF white
satin ribbon, and-herein lay the cause
of Jacks mysterious rapture-a letter
partly printed, partly written in wonder
full hieroglyphics, but all his own writ
ing and composition:
~dere darling val. luv u so mush do
waite till am man 80 we can be
married. | will be as quick as ican, no
am quite big now | luv u wild all my
hart, u ar mi only darlin, ure luvin Jack. "
Now, am very fond of children, and
never having had brother or sister, or
niece or nephew, or little one brought
close to me by any tie, my whole heart
went out to my baby lover, and anyone
who chooses may think me a fool when
own that tear-I scarcely know IL Ii
was a sweet or bitter One-fell on that
little smeared and blotted scrawl. The
next minute, however, laughed heart
lly, and, although / had already sent
Jack a pretty valentine, / resolved to
write him an answer to his letter, and,
10 make It more legible to him, used
my typewriter.
This Is what said:
sMY DARLING-I will wait for you until
you are quite a man. and you shall always
be my only sweetheart Who could help
loving such dear pet2 Certainly not your
own VAL"
This addressed to
Mn. JOHN POsTLETHwAITE, JR