The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-02-13

t-i.n-esl Why, of course it's going TO
bo Valentine day tomorrow, and
never thought of III"
His checks burned with excitement,
as he looked at the gay pictures, and
thought how surprised and glad his
mamma would be, If he should send
her one!
Without stopping to remember that
he owned ON ly three pennies in the
world, and that money was scarce ut
home, he began trying to decide which
one of the valentines would be most
appropriate for his sweetheart mamma.
Finally he chose one which had blue
background, with Cupid riding across
it on rose-colored cloud. The card
was framed with a plush border and
would look very rich on mammals man
tel-shelf. So in he walked, boldly,
and said to a clerk, near the door:
GLOW much is that blue valentine?"
give dollars" answered the clerk,
with queer smile at the small, rather
shabby little figure before him. The
smile changed to look of pity, how
ever, as he saw Laddies eyes fill with
tears. He put his hand on the little
fellows shoulder, and said: See here,
my boy, there are some very pretty
valentines on this shelf, for fifty cents,
and here are some nice ones for only
twenty-five"
Laddie frightened, and then began
choosing among the cheaper ones, until
he remembered that even twenty-five
cents was large amount when ones
entire fortune consisted of three cop
pers. He suddenly looked up, and said:
IA fellow couldn't earn TIVE nty-two
cents between now and tomorrow,
could hep"
"Why, dare say he might, by try
ing hard" answered the clerk, cheer
fully. "There's quite a bit to be
earned sometimes by carrying peoples
satchels from tho station"
So, quite hopefully our little man
sped away again, wishing he could be-
gin TO hunt for work at once-but re-
membering the soap for Hannah, he
hurried to the store and bought it, and
ran home with it as fast as he could.
Then, as he was about to start off once
more, mamma called to him from the
sofa where she was lying and said:
"Laddie, dear, Will you just rub my
head for few minutes?"
Now this was very hard, for it was
already four O'clock aud he did want
to get down to the Western station by
the time the 4:S0 express came in, so as
to carry some body's satchel. But he
couldn't tell his mamma this, so he
bravely put aside his impatience, and
began to rub the poor head so hard and
fast that soon the pretty HAIR was all
in tumble,
Gently - darling gently" said
mamma, in her patient way; and Lad
die, fe cling little ashamed, began to
rub more slowly.
Say, mamma" he ashed-unable to
keep the subject quite out of sight;
'did you ever have a valentine"
But Immediately he was sorry he
had asked that question, for mammals
thin hand went up to her eyes, with
the quick, panied movement she always
made when he asked about papa; but
she answered, quite calmly: Yes,
dear, when l was young / received a
good many, and once "a very beautiful
one"
Then she was quiet for such long
time that Laddie concluded she must
have fallen asleep; so he tip-toed out
of the room, and, seizing his cap and
muffler, fairly ran in the direction of
the Western station. AS he neared the
place, he saw that the train had al
ready come in, for numbers of people
were hurrying toward 'town-in car
riages, or on foot. Very few of the
latter, however, appeared to have much
to carry, and at first there seemed no
chance of getting a job But soon he
saw big, good-natured looking fellow,