The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-02-13

older ones seemed, In their hearts, 70
share the feeling of Tom and little Ru-
fus, that the only form of approach TO
Miss Pigeon was bean-slinger in hand.
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 70 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; il 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.
Il 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 hat wasn't straight.
Miss Pigeon seemed to know just how.
When il 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 seat!"
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 knothole, hat she Iooked
just the same.
It's delightful" Christine said, SLOW
". But it isn't exactly what | mean
by the valentine" she added, to her
self.
But a few days after. what Christine
had meant by the valentine really did
happen! Sometimes things that seem
too good to be true do come 10 pass in
this world. Miss Pigeon mounted the
high buggy in which she drove herself
and WENT down TO ~Pequanket; when she
came back Mr.. Pigeon was with her.
Tommy discovered il 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 its
branches into Miss Pigeons orchard
eTen Peggy who was IG-shouting and
laughing and crying all together. They
quite forgot Miss Pigeon until her harsh
voice broke into the whirlwind ofgreet-
ings; with all its harshness there was
4 queer little quaver in it!
Hes come back ard he's going I
stay" she said. 1T is he that belongs
here and not |. If you're born with d
cross-grained disposition you've got to
get over it when you're young or you'll
have to have more'n aten-foot fence be-
tween you and other people. I'm going
back to nursing people in a hospital
yes, l can, though you wouldn't think it;
and they like me! There's a doctor l
know who has invented a new con
trivancef or-formaking backsstraight"
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 n here.
and l want her to try IT," She nodded
toward Christine, and then she turned
away suddenly. Little Rufus a after
Independently keeping his hand on the
bean-slinger in his pocket. CThey had
discovered at an early stage of the ac-
quaintance that if Miss Pigeon had 4
weakness it was a 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, grufiy.
Did she tap you with her wand:'
pursued little Rufus, eagerly. delighted
with this confirmation of beliefs that
we're scorned in his home circle.
She didn't tap me with a wand"
said Miss Pigeon; "shc sent me 4 valen-
tine!"-Sophie SWEET, in \. y. indie
pendent.
AN UP-TO-DATE VALENTINE