The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-02-08

Srhoolhouse was filled with the boys and girls of the town, February 18th was as great holiday as could be made of it with school in session, and somebody had party, or some one got up ride, or there was grand pop corn frolic. la fact, there was always something going on that day, if all other days in the year should be dry as dust, though that could never be the case with forty girls and boys to make them lively The excuse for this extra fun on the 14th was that it was Jo Jen- nings' birthday, and they must celebrate 1t; and when any of the parents tried to remonstrate 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 good reason what could be said further? All the girls sent him valen- tines, and all the boys wished they could change places for just that ORC day. As he grew older the custom re-
 nained 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. Jennings To be sure some of the girls had married and left the town, but all who remained kept up the custom.
 Everybody called him Jo, 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 different one up the mountain after blueberries.
 Everybody called his mother Aunt Judith, because she was such lovely old lady they simply couldn't help it A face sweet and beautiful in it's youth only grew more sweet as the years made wrinkles and drew lines here and there The eyes, always sympathetic, only filled with deeper light of love as time fled. The hair, in earlier years a 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 Jo 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 tho village girls whom he might choose for 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 were eighteen of them. The next morning, down at the Corners, Jo was talking to Jimmie Hazen, and Jimmie asked, carelessly: "IIow many this time, Jo?'
 Eighteen splendid ones; but 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 to 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 hutter. Now Ruth couldn't make biscuits, and she had always thought Jo just a little better than ordinary mortals, and to have him come down to biscuits, and then to throw out such a remark zA that to her brotherl 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 a