Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-03-07

In that moment she thought of her
"bumptious" valentine, which had not
crossed her mind before for O long
time.
He looked at her with q smile in his
eyes, but with face that preserved
all its respectful gravity. He took
red leather case out of his pocket, and
from the case he took the very old
valentine, which Nellie remembered
SO well. Then he produced the brief
note she had written that afternoon;
and still there was light enough left
in the day to see them by, as he held
them side by side.
"Your hand has matured somewhat
since this valentine was written" he
remarked, quietly; 'but some of
these letters should know anywhere.
No one could deceive me-"
'I did lot suppose you had kept
that foolish thing" Nellie said, with
pitiful little quiver in her voice, as if
she were just on the point of bursting
into tears. 81 am SO ashamed"
DR.. Jack looked at her q moment,
as she stood there in the waning light,
a lovely, graceful girl, from whom any
man might bo proud to win even o
passing interest. So this was the wo-
man, the thought of whom he had car
ried in his heart for years If he had
ever done any good thing, he was paid
for it in the satisfaction of that hour.
care you sorry" he asked, slowly,
'that you have helped one man to be
his best self? Those words of yours
were to me like the voice of my inmost
soul. Since then this paper has never
left me, nor have I ever ceased to
strive to be worthy of the esteem of
my unknown valentine If ever I
been generous instead of selfish, brave
instead of cowardly, strong instead of
weak, 1t has been because I have re-
membered the words written here, and
meant to live in their spirit. Are you
sorry for that? or do you grudge me
the dear pleasure of thanking you?"
"No, Pm not sorry, nor do grudge
you anything; but it was girls
freak, and I am not worthy of SO much
praise and honor"
''It was good girls intention," he
said, almost solemnly. "Let us be
thankful that it succeeded"
Nelly went back to the bedside OF
the old woman with futtering heart.
How strange it seemed to think this
sick woman was old enough to have
outlived all anxieties except those
about her pains and her supper. Had
not she been young once? and had no
one ever looked at her as DR.. Jack
looked?
The next morning he came again.
His medicine, nights sleep, Nelly's
caro- something seemed to havo given
the poor old patient fresh lense Of
life. There was no need that Nelly
should stay with her any more; but
she went to see her duly, and it was
curious how often DR.. Jacks visits
happened at the same time.
One night the doctor had left his
horse at home, and he and Nelly
walked away together. They walked
about the lingering sunset, and tho
soft south wind, and even the old
women; for Nelly, woman-like, was
struggling desperately to keep DIR.
Jack from saying what she desperately
wanted to hear. But at last it came
a half-blunt, half-awakened speech,
yet with DR.. Jacks honest heart in
it.
"1've lived all these years just to
earn your esteem, and now l find I
don't care thing about that unless l
can win also your love-"
l think Nelly's answer must have
satisfied him, for she is Mrs. Jack
Green now; and that valentine =
worn and old. bat choicely framed
always hangs over the doctors study
tohln