Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-02-08

schooihouse was filled with tie boys
AID girls eff the town, February l4th
was as great Il holiday as could be
made OF il with school in session, ana
somebody had Il party, or some one got
up ride, or there was a. grand pop
corn froiic. In fact, there was always
something going on that day, II all
other days IL; the year should be dry rs
dust. though that could never he the
case with forty girls and boys to make
them lively The excuse for this extra
fun on the 18th was that it was 10 Jen-
nings' birthday, and they must celebrate
it; and when any of the parents tried to
demonstrate the ready argument was
that they didn't celebrate other birth
days, because nobody was ever born on
a day they could celebrate, and with
such Il good reason what could be said
further? AL the girls sent him valen-
tines, and all the boys wished they
could change places for just that one
day. AS he grew older the custom re-
manned the same, for he was, and had
always been, a great favorite in the
town. The mail bag which came in on
the stage that night fairly bulged with
the number of missives directed to j. j.
IL Dc sure SOiilt VI SiS q II -
had married and left the town, but all
who remained kept up the custom.
Everybody called him 10. and as he
came back year after year seemingly
unchanged in his love for the old home,
and just as cordial with all the old
friends, they decided that travel could
never make him other than the kind
hearted friend he had ever been.
Always impartial in his treatment of
the young ladies OF the place, he took
one to the picnic. another out driving
behind the fat, black pony, still an
other on the harbor excursion, and a
different one up the mountain after
blueberries.
Everybody called his mother Aunt
Judith. because she was such a lovely
old lady they simply couldn't help it.
A face sweet and beautiful in its youth
only grew more sweet as the years
made wrinkles and drew lines mere and
there. The eyes, always sympathetic,
only filled with a deeper light of love
as time fed. The hair, in earlier years
n rich crown for the erect figure, only
laid itself in more caressing waves
about the face Truly she had grown
old gracefully. An invalid, she was
cared for by her eldest daughter.
Martha, who had already sent away a
lover because she would not leave her
home just now.
She did wish 10 would marry and
bring his wife home to live. That
would make all clear. Martha could
be Happy. and she knew for herself she
could love anyone of the village girls
whom he might choose for Il wife
Why didn't he care for some one? The
year before something had happened.
They had all sent valentines according
to the usual custom. There We're
eighteen of them. The next morning
down at the Corners, 10 was talking
to Jimmie Hazen. and Jimmie asked,
carelessly: 'How many this time, Jo?"
Eighteen splendid ones; but l don't
s'pose one of the senders can make a
biscuit to save her life"
OF course Jimmie mentioned it as a
good joke 20 his sister Ruth, who had
black eyes and a lively temper of her
own, and she told the other girls. con-
sidering it anything but joke, and
that was what caused all the fiutter.
Now Ruth couldn't make biscuits, and
she had always thought 10 just
little better than ordinary mortals.
and to have him come down to biscuits.
and then to throw out such remark
as that to her brother. He probably
meant to have Jimmie tell her.
Ruth told the girls at the next social,
and, with her eyes flashing, declared
she wished she could bake, but she
couldn't, and she hated dough; but if
she could make biscuits she'd make q
bushel and smother him. So now! She
cried q: home. and thought it very
unl,ind of 10, ana declared she
wouldn't send another valentine as
long as she lived. But when the sum-
mer came ana the girls, not forgetting
the fling at their lack of ability. took
to refusing him when invited to picnics
or other places of amusements. Ruth
was sorry, and yet glad, for she
couldn't stop liking him all ut once,
even. if she tried her best. So when
the anniversary came again she decided
she would just send as always and not
mind what had probably thoughtlessly
Eeso said