Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-03-11


To gladden. all the future years?
Say: yes! Say: 'YesH My valentine"
"Mercies p cried Miss Dyke, as she
let the valentine fall into her lap, while
her arms fell Imply to her sides and
she almost gasped for breath. Pres
emily she said slowly, nodding her
| bonneted head to and fro: 'I-just
wonder who - did - send - me -
| that-silly-thing? Some mischiev-
GUS school-boy, likely. But, no he'd
sent me one O. them nasty comics with
picture OF an old maid on it with q
nose q yard long and sassy verse
printed on it. I never saw that writ
ing before, that know OF"
She took up the envelope and scru-
tinized the address carefully.
"No," she said, 81 never saw that
writing before. Now. If knsw who
sent me that thing, I'd send it right
back with note, telling 'em just
what l thought Of 'em. 1 vow I
would %
She put the valentine back into the
envelope and gave it spiteful little
toss over to small stand near her.
Then she rose briskly, took off her
bonnet and shawl, exchanged her black
| alpaca for gray mohair house-dress
and a crisp white apron with wide
crocheted lace on it, and sat down by
the little stand with piece of half
| finished sewing in her hands.
The valentine fell to the floor at her
feet, when she took up her sewing.
She let it lay where it had fallen for
several minutes, while she stitched
away in silence, drawing tho thread
through the cloth with quick, short
jerks. Suddenly she stopped and
picked up the valentine.
GLOW did that silly verse go2" she
said, as she drew the valentine from
its envelope. "Such stuff as it is
anyhow"
She read it again and again, heed
less of the fact that the cat was snarl-
ing up dreadfully the contents of her
workbasket.
81 know what I'm going to do"
she said, suddenly. tI'm going back
to the postoffice and make Moses Moss
tell me whose handwritin' that is on
the envelope. He'll know, and he'll
tell me, too. Nose always was a good
natured fellow, and he'll tell me if he
knows. I've just the faintest s'picion
that old Jasper Hoyt may have sent
me this. They say he's half cracked
to marry again, and his first wife not
six months in ner grave. Lal want
it flying back to him with as sassy q
letter us ever he got, if 1 find Jasper
Hoyt did send it.
"Or it may be that it came from
Silas Lawson. Some think he wants
to marry cause he's painted and fixed
up his place so, and got himself some
decent duds. He'll never marry me.
1t may have come from Judson Sparks,
and there amt no ono I'd sooner send
it flying back TO than him. He
worried his first wife into her grave,
and he'd never get the chance to worry
me there, not ii he'd get down on his
bended knees and begged me to have
him. John Gleeson may have sent it
for-but I'll just go and find out of
the postmaster who did send it. I'm
just curious to know"
But there was something more than
mere curiosity in Miss Lucinda's lonely
heart as she walked back to the post
office. Not for the world would she
have admitted it even to herself, but
there was q feeling of pleasure as we'll
as of curiosity in her breast now. She
could not dismiss the doggerel lines
of that verse from her mindl
essay: eyes" Say: eyes" MY vaen-
tine,'"
she repeated, reproaching and scorn-
ing herself for her weakness in doing
so, and saying stoutlY to herself:
"The man don't live that I'd say ;
Yes to; no, he don't. What big
goose 1 am anyhow"
She reached the postoffice. The
postmaster was alone in the neatly
kept little room.
He was short, stout, kindlylook-
ing man of almost fifty years. He had
childish.blu eyes and round, honest
face, little inclined toward cffemin-
acy in some of its outlines.
The softness and sweetness of his
voice were surprising when one looked
at his swelling chest and broad shoul-
ders. Everybody knew and every
body liked Moses Moss.
Lucinda Dyke had known him all
of her life, aud she had never called
him anything but "Moses" or "Mose. :"
Now she said quickly, eager to do her
errand before any one came in:
"See here, Moses, l want to ask o
favor of you"
"All right, 'Cindy. Ask away"
"You know that some great goose
had no more sense than to send me u
valentine?"
Moses's smooth, round cheeks Grim
soned.
81 knew you got Que while ago, !"
he said.
"Think of it The idea! Well,
now Moses, 1 want you to tell me
whose handwritin' that is"
She laid the envelope before him.
He looked at it and then at her, the
womanish blush deepening in his
cheeks.