The Forrest City times., 1897-02-12

older ones seemed. in their hearts. to share the feeling of Tom and little Ru- fus, that the only form of approach 10 Miss Pigeon was bean-slinger in band.
 The valentine wasn't returned: but nothing seemed to come of it. The Bells Jane heard from Miss Pigeons Jane that her mistress had neuralgia. One day after March had come, and a blue bird had been seen to alight upon the high-top sweeting tree, as Christine came along the garden path there come a shrill, imperative voice through the knothole in the fence.
 ''If you have any more of those leaves, stuff them through the knot hole; if you have the whole diary throw it over the fence."
 Of course Christine wasn't going to do that with the diary that seemed so precious; but she did send it around to Miss Pigeons door by old Jeremy, the gardener, for none of the boys would go.
 It was about a week after that a man made, under Miss Pigeons direction, a new seat in the crotch of the apple tree "a seat that was delightfully."- comfort able for a back that wasn't straight. Miss Pigeon seemed to know just how, When it was finished she went up and examined it and tried it. Then she called to Christine, who was sitting on the porch.
 I'm a cantankerous old woman. was born cantankerous," she said. But there's your seatl"
 No one at the Belfry knew what to think of Miss Pigeon; it was little Ru- fus' opinion that a good fairy had tapped her with her wand and turned her into something else, and he was much disappointed to find, on peeping through the l1nothole, that she looked just the same.
 Its delightful" Christine said, slow ly. "But it isn't exactly what 1 meant by the valentine" she added, to her self.
 But few days after, what Christine had meant by the valentine really did happen! Sometimes things that seem too good to be true do come to pass in this world. Miss Pigeon mounted the high buggy in which she drove herself and went down to Pequanket; when she came back Mir. Pigeon was with heri Tommy discovered it first as they drove into the yard and raised a shout. All the young Bells rushed pell-mell into the apple tree and dropped from it's branches into Miss Pigeons orchard even Peggy who was 16-shouting and laughing and crying all together. They quite forgot Miss Pigeon until her harsh voice broke into the whirlwind of greet ings; with all it's harshness there was a queer little quaver in it!
 He's come back and he's going to stsy," she said. Tt is he that belongs here and not l. If you're born with cross-grained disposition you've got to get over it when you're young or you'll have to have more'n ten-foot fence be- tween you and other people! Pm going back to nursing people in a hospital yes, can, though you wouldn't think it; and they like me! There's doctor I know who has invented a new con- trivance for-for making backs straight" her voice really broke now, but she re- covered herself instantly; they're easier to straighten than crooked dis positions. I'm going to send one here, and 1 want her to try it." She nodded toward Christine, and then she turned away suddenly. Little Rufus ran after independently keeping his hand on the bean-slinger in his pocket. (They had discovered at an early stage of the ac- quaintance that if Miss Pigeon had weakness it was terror of the bean- slingers.) Are you really just the same? Didn't a good fairy turn you into something else?" he demanded, breathlessly.
 Miss Pigeon turned and looked down upon him, her strong features working
 "Yes, she did!" she answered, gruffly.
 Did she tap you with her wand?" pursued little Rufus, eagerly, delighted with this confirmation of beliefs that were scorned in his home circle.
 ''She didn't tap me with wand." said Miss Pigeon; "she sent me valen- tine!"-Sophie Swett, in N. Y. Inde.