The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-05

st. Valentines day came on q Thurs
day that year. Tuesday, the twelfth,
was very warm, almost springlike;
people listened involuntarily for blue
birds and robins and looked at the elm
branches against the sky as if they eX-
pected to see leaves All that winter
so far, had been a very mild one. That
morning Serena Ann Wells had found
two ladies' delights blooming in shell
tered spot near the doorstep in the
south yard and carried them to school
to give the teacher. The, scholars
crowded up to the desk to see them,
and the teacher said she would call
them her valentine. That set Serena
Ann to thinking. After school began
she wrote a little note-it was against
the rules. but her curiosity was sudden
ly too much for heron her slate ana
held it under cover of her desk, so
Tabtha Green, who sat next, could read.
Did you ever hav Valintin?' she
inquired, in plain, round characters.
Serena Anus penmanship was unusual
ly good, but she was naturally poor
speler.
Tabitha nodded. Serena Ann looked
impressed. Presently Tabitha wrote
on her own slate one word: You
SIlt Olllllltu lllt lHItllpStbllDll i''ilA't
which she could not make very Well
Indeed, she raised her eyebrows, which
was really more eloquent.
Serena Ann shook her head. Tabitha
Green held up one hand with fingers
and thumb spread. and the other with
the small index finger extended and
the fingers and thumb curled under;
that meant that she had received six
valentines. Serena Ann began to write
on her slate again, when suddenly soft
folds of blue cashmere swept against
her face and a slim white hand reached
out for the slate. The teacher, Miss
Cornelia Little, had come softly to her
other side. communicating, Serena
Ann?" inquired Miss Little, gently.
Miss Little never raised nor quickened
her voice; still, she had the reputation
of being very strict teacher.
Serena Ann gave a little sigh, which
was almost a sob, of assent. The teach
er held up the slate and read: Were
they pretty?"
The scholars craned their nccks to
see. Serena AIMS writing was so large
and plain that those who sat near could
read easily. There was a chuckle. which
Miss Little quieted instantly with a
look. Were you communicating also"
she said, to rabitha Green. "Yes,
Ma'am," replied Tabitha, disconso-
lately.
Hold up your slate"
Tabitha obeyed. There was nothing
on the slate, however. Tabitha was
very quick; she had erased the YOU
with as much speed as she had lowered
her interrogatiVe eyebrows.
You may write what you had on the
"a ~ /
quiet decision, and Tabtha wrote.
Then the two little girls We're bidder
to go out in front of the school, anc
there they stood for half hour, with
their states suspended from their neclts
by twine strings hanging over theil
pinafores like breastplates.
Tabitha did not mind the punishment
half as much as Serena Ann did. She
was rather privileged character, botl
at home and in school, and was sus
tanned, under correction, by an un
shaken confidence in the love and ad
miratiOn of all around her. She was
very pretty little girl, with long smooth
yellow curls tied back with a blue rib
bon, and exceedingly pink cheeks. Sh'
looked, as she stood there, at her mates
and received open glanceS Of commiser
alton from the girls, and shamefacet
ones from the boys. She toed out pret
tily, with one dainty little foot pointinl
out from the hollow of the other
casped her small hands meekly, anC
saw with great complacency herself re
fected in her schoolmates' eyes. Tabith;
Green, child though she was, was al
most impenetrable to punishment. Blu
poor Serena Ann raised her blue pima
fore with her little piteous hands, t.
her face, and sobbed, and sobbed, ant