The Penn's Grove record., 1894-02-23
responded

school house.
Miss Kate arose aud went. slowly to
learn his errand ut the door, for she had
no idea of inviting him to enter. 1t was
only when she saw big drops OF rain
pattering upon his shoulders that she
said, reluctantly:
evil you come in, Mr.. Deaue, out
of the ra!a7"
He ste )ped within and drew Q letter
from his breast pocket.
al had no intention of intruding," he
said, pleasantly, "but merely desired to
deliver this letter, which was handed mo
O few moments since by Lemuel Miller,
whom I met on the road. There seems
10 have been some mistake, as It is al.
dressed to Miss Kate Morrison"
~"Strange!" Kate said. ''And here is
one which I just now found directed to
yourself"
Flo two boys, ~unaoticad by the teach
e., be Jan s:dlins to ward the door.
sac hastily oaelel the letter just
given her, and the minister did tae sane
vita his. As their slslt wa, greeted by.
the gorgeous llluminations OF hearts aud.
roses, each glauoad up, and their eyes
meeting, both laughed. The laugh
seemed to take away from tho stiffness
besween them.
! II had forgotten" said the minister,
"that this is st. Valentines Day. But
it seems that boys never forget the occa-
SION"
And he looked toward the two cul.
! prits near tae door.
Kate glanced at the name scrawled
beneath the printed lines on the paper.
lie cheek flushed and she said, hastily
"Mr. De ine, Is my name i%nscribec
; upon that work OF art in your haudf'
''Yes. And | presume that you ask
because you find NY own Mans upon
yOurs2 You caa sec Il is, il you like,
You will iud the poetry worthy of tn
artistic design.'
She took 1t, and read:
'If you will be ny Valentine,
Our lives with h sppiness will shine
Like Jule-bugs Oh a pumpkin vinei
Hiss KATE MORRISON
Chow absurd" said Kate, with .
mixture Of indignation AMI amusement.
Mr.. Deane smiled.
az should like to know with VIVA,
poetic sentiment they have credited me,
May | sect"
Il haven't road it," she answered. as
she handed him the ,aoeF.
He rea aIond;
'If you love M, as I Iowa th,s,
Your faithful ioy1r | will be;
And long as this years. stars do shina.
viii c aim you for my Valentinei
"REVEReSr AISrER FRANK DEEN.n
"iyhat 4 wretchei joke!" KatD ex,
claimed. "Ol, those boysl"
She turuel t. wlere she supposed the
two guilty one to be, but they had van
ishcd, thoIya the rain was still fallin,
in Il turreat.
Her eyes illed with tears of vexition,
and that the minister might not see
them she turned to the window, and
stood looking out GA the deserted roal
and the hose aud gig standing beneath
the shelter of the big oak tree near the
gate.
But Mr.. Deaue had seen the tears, and
he drew a step nearer, as he said gently;
"Let them have their little fun. It
nas done no harm, and has afforded us
some amusement as WE'LL"
"They deserve to be well punished. "
"No, don't punish them. I feel It 10
my heart to forgive them," he urged.
"Why2"
"Why2 Shall I tell you1" lie came
and stood by her SIDE at the window,
and his voice took a lower aud softer
tone, because it hos afforded me an op.
portuniiy of saying to you what 1 have
long been wishing to do-almost ever
since l first saw you"
She made no reply, but stood still
with her hands claspe1 on the window
sill before her.
There was silence for a moment, aud
the tears which had moistened her brown
eyes brimed ovsr and fell upon tho
white hands.
The mex moment a firm and gentle
clasp was laid upon them, and a voice
sald:
Mot for a year only, Kate, but for q
lifetime-for all time"
Still she was silent, but he looked in
her face and was satisfied.
81 think ii is going to rain all the
evening"" she said, presently, with q
new tone in, her voies-shy and sweet.
~ had better get home as o as pos.
sible."
Sand willie me take you, of coursel"
said Mr.. Deane.
"lt is not necessary; I often 60 home
through the rain. I have an umbrella"
But he would not hear of it, and he
assisted her into his GIG aud gathered
the lap-robe about her.
Tho dim, rain-obscured landscape,
seemed to her fairer than ever she had be,
held it in its sunshiny summer beauty.
Miss Peachy Perkins, from her usual
lookout at her front window, beheld
them driving past.
swell, / do declared" she exclaimed.
"There's the minister taking Kate Nor.
rlson home in his gigl What shall we
hear of next, I wondergr
What she next heard in regard to Mr..
Deane and Kate Morrison surprised her
still more. But since the Minister'S wife
would be a person Of much more import.
ance than the school teacher, she wisely
decided to make the best Of it, and keep
to herself her thoughts upon the subject
of Kate Morsison's artfulness,
As to Tim and Dick, they could never
understand why it was that Miss Kate
never alluded to those Valentines, aud
that the minister seemed to take a par.
ticular interest in them at sunday.school
Saturday Night.
&Bz~U-