Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-02-16
Won BY a Valentine.
EDNA HOWARD.

the halls and public rooms, forming
groups witha general air OF suppress
ed excitement, marked st. Valen-
tines Day at Lewiston school.
Charma Sydney was wandering
idly up and down the lower hall with
her chum, "Goosie," hanging on her
arm.
"Goosie" won her nickname thro'
her gentle disposition and artless
straightforward manner.
Charma said plaintively, allow 1
wish there was a valentine for me,
but know of certain one likely to
remember me in that way whom l
don't want to nevertheless. would
MT accept valentine from him-no,
not if he brought it himself. Jack
Landon may marry whoever he
wants to. He can't have me-"
Goosie" looked up admiringly
and thought that any one who de-
clined chances with such readiness
must be great indeed and wondered
il she could ever do the same.
A little sharper Jingle than usual
Of the bell below aroused Charma
from the reverie into which she had
fallen then some one called from
the hall, "Miss Sidney!"
She flew down the broad staircase
assured that a valentine had come
for her, and indeed was soon kneel-
ing in the midst ola crowd OF girls
over box of fragrant roses reposing
snugly in their cotton bed, the white
satin streamers hiding a tiny card
that had slipped down among them
unnoticed.
Charma rescued the card some
what triumphantly and read, "Mr.
Jack Landon." But this was not
all. AS she knelt above them, lift
ing them out and inhaling their fra.
GRANGE, "Goosie" picked up a dia-
mond ring which had fallen to the
floor, and held it out with flourish,
crying, "Look, look, Charma Sidney,
what youz valentine means. You'll
have him now, won't your
But Charma was spellbound for
the moment by the message on a
small slip of paper found under the
roses and which she read with flush
ing cheeks.
Must 60 back?" it said. "Love,
love you. Cannot I come to you
sweetheart mine2 My love for you
is as pure as the roses I send, prec.
ious as this little diamond, and last
ing as all eternity. Let me come"
Charma was uronly postgraduate
for the year-that is, after regular
graduation she had returned to
school to "brush up" in elective
studies.
Her reappearance on opening day
had made us both glad and sorry
glad because she was a good COM
panion, sorry for the reason-but
therein lies the key to my st. Valen-
tine romance.
Lewiston holds before its pupils
the old fashioned idea of woman 8
sphere as the head of home with
all the term implies, and if graceful,
stately Charma, with her speaking
gray eyes, wavy brown tresses and
not at all of student nor bluestock-
ing temperament hadbecn obliged TO
return to school to cover up her fail
IRE in woman's natural role, what
would beome of Us girls, q score of
seniors, when VIC came to 60 to
troopiDg out to conquer, or, alas, to
be conquered b. the fate that pur-
sues old maids
Yes, we did love her, and we
couldn't understand why the rest OF
our kind, particularly mankind, did
MT love her too. The secret of it
she had guarded well, but we forgave
her that when she shared with us the
secret of her valentine gift.
aiJack Landon is my dearest
friend,r she said, hot with bushes,
when We had caressed away the
tears.