The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-02-15
WON BY A VALENTINE.

Bells ringing, girls appearing In the
halls and pablic rooms, forming groups
with general air of suppressed excite
ment, marked St. Valentines day at Lew
iston school. Charma Sidney was wander
ing idly up and down the lower hall with
hor chum, "Goosie," hanging on her arm.
"Goosie' won her nickname through her
gentle disposition and artless, straightfor-
ward manner. Charma said plaintively,
"How l wish there was a valentine for
me, but know Of certain one likely to
remember me in that way whom don't
want to nevertheless. wouldn't accept a
valentine from him-no, not IL be brought
1t himself. Jack Landon may marry who
ever he wants to- He can't have me-"
"Goosio" looked up admiringly and
thought that any one who declined chances
with such readiness must be great indeed
and wondered If she could ever do tho
Same.
A little sharper tinglo than usual Of tho
bell below aroused Charma from the rev.
erie into which she had fallen; then some
ono called from the hall, Miss Sidnoy!"
She few down the broad staircase, assured
that a valentine had come for her, and in
deed was soon kneeling In the midst of a
crowd of girls over box of fragrant roses
reposing snugly in their cotton bed, the
white satin streamers half hiding tiny
card that had slipped down among them
unnotioed. Charma rescued the card some
what triumphantly and read, MIR. Jack
Landon." But this was not all. AS she
knelt above them, lifting them out and
inhaling their fragrance, "Goosie" picked
up diamond ring that had fallen to the
floor and held 1t out with flourish, cry
ing: Look, look Charma Sidney, what
your valentine meansl You'll have him
now, won't your" But Cbarma was spell
bound for the moment by the message on
q little slip of paper found under the roses
and which she read with flushing cheeks.
Must I go back!" it said Love,
love you. Cannot / come to you, sweet
heart miner My love for you Is as pure as
the roses send, precious rs this little dia-
mond and rs lasting ~ all eternity. Lot
me come"
Charma was our only postgraduate for
the year-that Is, after q regular gradua-
ton she had returned to school to brush
up" in elective studies. Her temperance
on opening day had made Us both glad
and sorry-glad because she was good
companion, sorry for the reason-but
therein lies the key to my St. Valentine
romance.
Lewiston holds before its pupils the old
fashioned idea Of woman's sphere as the
head Of a homo with all the term implies,
and II graceful, stately Charma, with her
speaking gray eyes, wavy brown tresses
and not at all of student nor bluestock-
ing temperament had been obliged to re-
turn to school to cover up her failure In
woman natural role, what would become
Of US girls, o SCORE Of seniors, when we
came to 60 trooping out to conquer, or,
alas, to be conquered by the fate that pur.
sues old maidsi Yes we did love her, and
We couldn't understand why the rest Of
our kind, particularly mankind, didn't
love hor too. The secret Of Il she had
guarded well, but we forgavo her that
when she shared with us the secret Of her
valentine gift.
Jack Landon is my dearest FRIEND"
she said, hot with bushes, when we had
earessed away the tears
"How Is 10 you never told us?"
"You see, we weren't engaged-that is,
he hadn't really proposed, but It wasn't
his fault" pleaded Charma. 1T was
mine"
you loved him and wouldn'b own 10,
sven to us girlss"
"Yes; did love him, but every time he
wanted TO say something to tho point
turned 10 Of, pretended not to understand,
or TO be interested In astronomy or botany
or music or any subject at hand that I
could turn to rs foil. Girls, / confess
bluffed him simply because was fasci-
mated with tho game"
The confession cleared the atmosphere
Tor all concerned. Jack soon followed his
valentine In person and gave Charma no
chance to turn Cupid's shaft away again.
Like a good soldier, when beaten In siege,
he had adopted ruse de guerre, for which
the day had given capital excuse Our
star pupil remained with US until com
mencement, and as she went away from
Lewiston the echoes of schoolgirl goodbys
were mingled with those of wedding hollis
and congratulations to Jack Landon's
sst&e, woced and won BY VALENTINE.
EDFNE HOWARD.