Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-02-15

N=AY At that period
wick. IL village situated lie matter where.
n number of jolly Young people who were
very fond of playing sportive tricks, and
who never let Valentines Day so by
without making merry at their %neighbors'
expense.
The village stationer. for some two
weeks prior to the 14th day of February,
was kept busy selling grotesque libels on
creation in all the colors of the rainbow.
| bearing funny, and sometimes cruel,
verses.
The Hanlcy family led in that sort of
thing, being composed of two boys and
two girls, all lively, ingenious and witty.
They were adopts at making sarcastic
verses, and they made II large proportion
of the village squirm with their valcn-
! tines.
On this particular Valentines Day, of
which l am going to tell you. there was n
visitor Mt the Hanlcy homestead in the
person Of Uncle Peter Quimby, an old
man. very rich and very eccentric, and
likewise very fond of his nicccs and
nephews.
"Nhat's this:" asked Uncle Peter, as
he saw the young people clustered around
the table. busily writing. cutting and
| FASTING. about IL week previous to Ealen-
tines Day.
"Making valentines. UNCLE" said AL
fred Hanley. I'VE have ever SO many to
| send out next Wednesday,"
Let mo see soine of them" said Uncle
Peter. taking up IL tlorid wood-cut of an
| ugly old woman. and reading aloud:
You are old and ugly as sin.
And your tongue is full of deceit.
You ought, ut your age, to reform
Your manner YOU wicked old cheat.
"Ahcm!!" coughcl Uncle Peter. who
is this for?'
"Aunt Mamie Woods. who lives in the
old shanty near the creek" said Alfred.
81 tell you that will make her jump"
II have no doubt said Uncle Peter,
with a grim smile. But is she Il cheat?"
Not that l KNOW said Alfred; but
you know that makes no difference in u
valentine"
Maybe not" said Uncle Peter. "What
have you got. Fanny"
Fanny had a picture of an ugly girl,
dressed in outrageous fashion, under
which ran these lines:
You think you look so fine,
You dowdy little miss;
! But everybody knows you're poor
That's why You look like this.
THAT'S for Nellie Baker," said Fanny.
With u laugh. '.Her folks are poor, and
she does wear the awfulest clothesw
"Yes; 1 nave heard of her" said Uncle
Peter. "Lst me look at some more"
Bert Ifanlcy had Il valentine represent
ing Il %schoolboy kissing the schoolmastcr's
boots, with these lines:
You are as dull as II farmers hoe,
And yet you think you're very smart.
You'd be the last i'll the very last row,
If the teacher didn't take your part.
CHATS for Johnny Rice" he ex-
planned. 'I1e really is smart, and all the
boys like him, but 1 want to stir him up
a bit"
Uncle Peter made no reply, and after
examining several more, he said, sud-
denly:
II want to max Il proposition TO you.
Give mt all you valentines and let me
deliver them; or. better still. we will all
go together on Valentines Day md de-
liver them in person."
'That would never do!" they cried. in
chorus. People who get valentines must
not know who sends Them"
never Mllu, LII I'm all tnat, Salu
Uncle Peter. Tn going to the city to-
morrow, and I will return next Tuesday,
and Wednesday is Valentines Day."
The children clamored for an explana-
ton. but Uncle Peter only smiled and said
nothing.
He went to the city. md when he came
back he was accompanied with n great
number of bundles, all of which he had
carried into his room, and would not let
any one examine.
After breakfast, on Wednesday morn
ing, Uncle Peter went out, and in n short
time returned with a large sleigh, drawn
by two horses, and amply supplied with
robes.
Come, jump in, boys and girls" he
cried, while I bring down my valen-
tines!"
"Funny-looking valentines!" said AL
fred, when the bundles were all tucked
away.
81 warrant they will make people
laugh" replied Uncle Peter, as he crack
ed his long whip, and the team started of
' at q rafting galiop. "Now, let me see