South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-02-26
A Valentine OF vlolets.
A CALIFORNIA STORY.


+. Msrv Hops. LIMA, Jennie. al ,he
girls Of my ass, coma here. wan,
you, every one, cried Stella Hays,
standing at the schoolhouse door az
The pupils were coming out to lunch.
have some hing very important TO
tell you, she continued a. the girls
left their ranks and clustered around
her, bring your lunch baskets and
come drwn to the brook as soon as
,ou can.
Shall we like wha' you ara going
TO tell Us, Stella 2 asked Mary
Hopps.
] guess 90. ] know you will.
/ know what il isl cried Jennie
Ashley. ~,
No. you do not. l am the only girl
in tho school who does, and found
is on. accidentally But. girls, do get
yonr baskets. the bell wi ring before
l have told you my secret. With n
merry laugh the girls dispersed. anil
Stella ran down 10 the brook. There
WIS an old summer house near it
which S'eila AID her friends con i'd.
cred their special property, and they
a'e their lunches in IL every day.
When Siells entered the summer
house size was surprised TO frd it oc.
cupied by Ne'tie Ru- sell, one OF her
ciassm atcs. but with whom she and
her friends rarely played beo ,use che
was what they called charity pu-
ril.'
Well. Eettie. sail Stella impatient
Iy when she saw her, what are You do.
ing here
Esther Lake told M that You want.
ed all the girls Of your class, answers
ed Net,ie timidly.
But never meant you 10 come,
Netue.
Oh, said Neftie blush ng. iii no,
IN iers'and that or should not have
come / can go away.
SDce you arc here you may as well
stay. said Stella carelessiy, only W hat
! am going TO tell the others will no,
interest you ry much. That is to
say. you may not have q psrt in it,
even though il does interes, you.
Why not, Steli.f asked Nettie Gu.
riously.
Il cause, because -ntver mind the
reason.
Is it because sm poor and dres.
bsdiy
] wish you would not say such
things. Nettle. you know We do not care
for your clothes at all-bus ah, here
are the girls, she cried. pleased TO
have the conversation interrupted.
Now that ne are here, Stella, cup,
pose you tell Us what you want u,
for, sail Susie Ellis.
4 have made a discovery.
OF wha'P asked Susie Ellis. a pas.
cage 10 tie North Pole 2
No; but that Tomorrow VII hf
Valentines Day, and
Every body knows that, said Lens
Wal'Acc.
And Miss Stoves birthday, con-
tinued s leila, not noticing the inter-
rnption,
Miss Stoves birthday cried Susie
Ellis how did you find It out3
! am not ct liberty to tell, bat
thought .hat We are ell so fond oil
her. IL would be good idea II instead
OF buying valentines for one another
We should get them for Miss stowe
We can buy them this AFTERNOON
when school is out, and tu-morrov
nothing We can put them on bot
desk. She viii DO 80 surpi ised aud
so pls
II will be lovely, said May Hops
but, eifls. do any of you know nhy
We send valentines on the fourssentb
Of February
don'G believe I ever heard, said
Susie Ellis did you, Stellar
Mamma told me once, but / havs
forgotten.
| Wish I knew.
II you like ] can tell you, Mary.
said Nettie Russell. adva noing: /
asked mamma last evening, and she
read al nb0nt IL 70 me.
Indeed. should like you 10 tell
me- Nettie you want TO know too.
do you rot, giris2 asked Mary.
Yes; cell rs, Nettie, cried the
girls.
Wen, you see, said Netiis, . long
time ago there lived q good man calf
ed valentine. He was quite rich.
and spent bis time 10 visiting the
poor and bringing them presents of
things that they needed. Hs was
pu' 70 death by one OF the Roman
emperors; and his friends, wishing
20 honor bis memory, continued the
custom u giving presents 20 ths poor
Bot, instead Of ing Il ell the time.
90 ~. Valentine did they chose one
day 70 the year which they called
Fslentine's Day and from that has
originated sending csris With love