The Monitor-register., 1896-02-21
TWO OF 'RM-A VALENTINE
STORY.

tom Hall ?'' said the postman. as h,
entered small fancy stores very small
store 1t was-in dull uptown street, or
st. Valentine . morning.
Yes. sir; he lives here-that is young
Tom does-his father, Thomas L. Hall.
whose name you see over the door. ia
dead, replied the mite Of woman who
stood behind the counter.
| "There's vale ntine for young Tom.
then." said the postman, handing her q
good sized fat paper box. "a valentine
for my Tomf Well, never, /" exclaimed
the pretty. pale woman; and in her great
surprise she forgot to answer the post
mans good morning" as he rushed out
Into the cold street again.
just then Tom came ina jolly, round.
faced. bright-eyed, curly. headed boy
one Of those chaps of whom the women.
folk say when they are babies, '.Bless
him! isn't he regular boyP"
"What have you got there. little
motherf" he asked. noticing at once the
parcel in the Widows hand.
] tits something for you, Tom"
answered the little woman; 'and you'd
never guess what it is If you guessed for.
everp ss@
'Guess / won't try, then," said Tom,
laughing; and at the same time laying
violent hands upon it.
Of came the cover in twinkling, and
10! another box, all green and gold. This
being opened carefully, a valentine ap-
peared, SO beautiful that Tom said, 'You
take it out, mother" being afraid to
touch it himself with his not over.clean
hands. But don't think for moment
because Toms hands were not quite
clean at this time, that Tom was an
untidy boy; far from it. He'd been play.
ing "snow ball, I" and you know that often
little mud gets mixed up with the snow,
and fellow snow balling isn't apt to
stop and pick and choose. The little
woman-she wasn't much taller than her
son, and be was only twelve years Old
took ont the valentine. 1t had a wide
lslsoe b6arder, and around some verses,
which were written iD girls hand in
the center of the page, ran a wreath of
roses and forget me.nots, with wee birds
peeping from behind the leaves, and
kd6af little Cupid sitting on the largest
rose.
"Phew9, Tom, ''isn't that mag ?'
--he meant magnificent-'read it, little
mother"
Little mother began: "To Tom Hall
- .
'sThat's me, sure enough" said Tom;
Ego on DEAR"
"Tom Hall is just the dearest boy
That ever did know.
His hair is golden like the sun"
''That isn't me. though" interrupted
Tom. "My top knots black"
ellis eyes like stars do glow.
And then he always is so kind
And has pleasant smile"
"Thats you." the reader stopped to
say. looking fondly at her boy.
Ano cPOuAS Do SW00t-l lOV0 I'M well,
And love him all the while.
"There must be some mistake here.
Tom" said she when she had finished.
"Why, mother ?" asked sister Debby
who had come out of the small room
back of the stove as her mother began to
read the valentine.
SWELL, in the first place." said Tom,
golden" -
"Ohl that was put in because 1t sounds
pretty said Deb. ''they most always
have golden hair in poetry and pictures.
And how can there be any mistake when
there's your name on the cover of the
box as plain as the nose ON your face
To m II LIP"
THAT'S so," agreed Tom, running his
hands through his curly hair, causing it
to stand up all round his head in the
funniest manner.
Il can't make it out," persisted their
mother. ''but Pm sure there's mistake
ssomew here. Not that Tom doesn't
deserve such valentine, for he does,"
she continued with fush OF pride, ''but
we don't know anybody who could
afford"
"The potatoes. the potatoesr' cried
Deb, II smell them scorching," and
away she few to save the best part of the
dinner, and that ended the conversation
for while at least.
The next day, jHst about dinner time
again, we'll dressed, handsome boy with
golden hair and brown eyes, rushed into
the mite of store.
'Did valentine in box come here
yesterday, directed to Tom Halls' asked
hs in pleasant voice.
.'Yes," answered the widow.
swell, I'm afraid I'll have to claim it,
though ! do see the same name, with the
addition Of an T. over your shop door.
It was sent to me BY my cousin Fannie,
and she forgot to put the whole direction
on it--only wrote the name. You zee
she never sent . valentine before, and so
my fathers name being Reginald, the
postman thought it belonged here."
As the new Tom Hall finished his some.
what confused explanation, the other
Tom came whistling in, and Deb brought
out the valentine, her lips quivering as
she said: "And SO it isn't for our Tom
after all, and he's so kind and good, Just
what the poetry says, If he hasn't got
golden hair.'
Tom blushed at his sisters praise. and
the strange boy looked at him keenly,
while Mrs. Hall added: II knew there
must be some mistake, not that my Tom
does not deserve it, but We know no one
who could afford to buy such . beautiful
valentine"
II say, said golden haired Tom, sisn't
1t jolly fun. there being two Tom Halls ?
Perhaps we're some relation"
'Ohi no, indeed, said the widow; Eve
have NO relations in this country except
cousin or two that we know very WE'LL"