The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-02-12

10 Duy some OF the lovely tnlQRS IOr
mamma, that beautiful silk for dress,
or one of the great easy chairs. or
some of those books. He stopped
longest at the book window, for, though
he didn't read very much himself. he
liked the pictures and mamma loved to
read always. But to-day there was
something more attractive than the
brightly bound volumes in this win
dow. Scattered here and there, in ar
tistic groups, were the most exquisite
picture cards, all flowers and hearts
and arrows-and a great white card
hung in the midst, containing one long
word in big letters
"V-a-r'-spelled Laddie. "V-a-l-e-n-
times! Why, of course it's going to
be Valentine day tomorrow, and
never thought of i'll"
His cheeks 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 only three pennies in the
world. and that money was scarce at
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 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:
"How much is that blue valentine?"
Five 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 Laddie's 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:
"A 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 the 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 a few minutes?'
Now this was very hard, for it was
to get down to the Western station by
the time the 4:30 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, feeling a little ashamed. began to
rub more slowly.
Say, mamma" he asked-unable to
keep the subject quite out of sight;
did you ever have valentine?"
But immediately he was sorry he