Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-02-14

bonneted head to and fro: "l-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
a picture of an old maid on it with
nose a yard long and sassy verse
printed on it. 1 never saw that writ
ing before, that l know of.
She took up the envelope and scru-
tinized the address carefully
NO" she said, II never saw that
writing before. Now, if l knew who
sent me that thing, I'd send 1t right
back with note, telling EN- just what
l thought of EN-. l VOW l would" Z"
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 bouse-dress
and 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 the thread
through the cloth with quick, short
Jerks. Suddenly she stopped and
picked up the valentine.
"How did that silly verse go?" she
said, as she drew the valentine from
its envelope. "such stuff as it is, any
how
She read it again and again, heed
less of the fact that the cat was snarl-
ing up dreadfully the contents of her
work basket
II know what I'm going to do, she
said, suddenly. "I'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 good
natured fellow, and he'll tell me if he
knows. I've Just the faintest spicion
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 her grave. La | want
it flying back to him with as sassy a
letter as ever he got, if | 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 he got himself
some decent duds. He'll never marry
me. 1t may have come from Judson
Sparks and there amt no one | d soon
er 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 if he'd get down on his
bended knees and begged me to have
him. John Glesson may have sent 1t
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 i'll 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 feeling Of pleasure as well
as of curiosity in her breast now. She
could not dismiss the doggerel lines
of that verse from her mind
"Say Yes = Say Yes My Valentine "
she repeated, reproaching and scOrn-
ing herself for her weakness in doing
SO, and saying stoutly to herself:
"The man don't live that Id say {;
Yes to; no, he don't. What a big
goose am, anyhow.
She reached the postofice. The
postmaster was alone in the neatly
kept little room.
He was a short, stout, kindly-look-
ing man of almost ifty years. He had
childish-blue eyes and a round, honest
face, a little inclined toward efemi-
macy in some of its outlines.
The softness and sweetness of his
voice were surprising when one looked
at his swelling chest and broad shoul-
der,. Everybody knew and every
body liked Moses Moss.
T,o;,Jo DyLa ha 4 Enoun him all