The San Francisco call., 1897-02-14

ing gum, ana altogetner SnoWerlng on her
those attentions by which schoolboy is
given to making known his admiration.
And now he was prepared to send her
that valentine If it took every cent of
pocket-money he owned and Berthe was
generally very well supplied in this re-
spect.
Sixty cents was the price, but the boy
paid it without winking and was about
going out OF the store when he remem-
bered Do Thornton and the comic vaien-
tine he was to send her. The idea was
too good to be lost, and after looking over
the entire stock he selected one in which
very woe-begone young woman, dressed
IL garments more prim and stiff than q
Quaker's and with huge poke bonnet on
her head, was warning other girls against
the vanity of dress and bidding them fol-
low her wise and pro vident example.
Now, BERTHE was not cruel or even an
unkind boy, though he was ready to do
such an unklld thing. 1t never occurred
| 20 him that such a jest was likely to
wound poor Dos sensitive little heart.
He did not mean to be ill-natured, but
then he had no right to be So even with
out meaning it. A hundred such pictures
would not have hurt his feelings, and he
did not take the trouble to think how diff.
ferent the two cases were. And for my
part | do not consider that those
wretched colored daubs which are called
comic valentines are ever pleasant joke.
For one that may be sent in pure fun
dozen carry with them spark of malice
and are received either with wounded
feelings or with anger; and when q Jest
has any ill-nature about it it is best to let
| it alone.
But BERTHE was only boy, and a heed
| less boy at best, end without stopping to
think of tue consequences, he carried his
valentines home and directed the two
! large envelopes in writing that was care
| fully disguised. They were about the
same size and he dropped them in the
! letter-bo before he Nent in to supper.
The next morning, at school, he kept
watching for the two little girls, and pretty
soon Do came along, her satchel on her
arm and her face lookin. unusually bright
and happy in its old brown hood. He felt
so curious that he could not forbear ask
ing a question which might easily betray
him.
Hello, DoP' he called. ibid you get
any valentines this morning2"
She turned to him with flushed cheek
and sparkling eyes.
ooh, Bertiel" she half whispered, ''did
you really send it to me? And it is so
beautiful"
"What is so beautiful7" asked the boy,
bewildered.
THE valentine" she answered, with a
smile that lit up strangely the sad little
I face. II wanted it SO much, and l could
not think where it had come from"
Lets see it. said Berthe, family, be-
ginning to realize that something had
gone wrong.
Do opened her sa tchel and carefully took
out a large white envelope, with Miss
Dorothy Thornton written on il in
cramped characters, that he recognized at
once.
From this she slowly drew valentine
no prim young woman, in a poke bon
net, however, but a well-known shep-
herdess tending her lambs. with her
shepherd-boy lying in the grass at her
feet.
BERTHE saw it all now. Was there ever
anything so stupid? In his hurry he had
slipped the two valentines into the wrong
envelopes, and Katie Snow had, before
this, received the ill-natured picture des-
tined for Do Thornton.
Luckily. the direction was disguised and
she need never know who sent it. Sup
pose he should tell Do Just how the thing
happened
He glanced at her as this thought passed
through his mind, and was startled to see
how pretty she looked, Notwithstanding
the brown hood and awkward brown ca pc.
Her lips were parted in pleased smile,
o..lsa
a glimpse of tiny white teeth. Her blu.
eyes were fairly moist with delight.
Did you send it to me, BertieP' she
asked again, with wistful eagerness.
And not for worlds would the boy have
destroyed the happiness she felt.
"Yes, sent it." he said, bluntly; land
l am glad you like it so much" Then,
with the straightforward friendiIness OF
boy. he added, "And, look here, Do, if
you ike, Pli take you home on my sled,
after school,"
"If there isn't your brother BERTHE drag
ging Do Thornton on his sedp' said
Corny Reeves to Grace, as they walked
home together.
Yes" said Grace, who was always
quick to follow in her brothers. lead.
He says she is real nice girl, and he
sent her that lovely valentine she has;
and l am going to ask her to my party
next week."
And that was the way Do began to make
friends. And, the ice once broken, it was
soon found out that she could play all
games very we'll, and could be the gave st
OF the CAV. And now there is no greater
favorite and no happier girl in the school
than shy, addressed Do Thornton
Golden Days.