The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-02-27
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pen next, when one of the teachers
stood up in chair and said:

Now, children, the valentines
range in price from one to five pins.
We have the pins, and we'll give you
five at tine. You get envelopes
for your valentines at the postoffice,
and address them at that little table
over there. Sect"
Then what a scramble there was
for the teachers. And then we all
rushed over to the counter Those
valentines didn't stay in piles very
long. Everybody wanted to see
them all at once. And then nobody
could decide on what they wanted.
1t was long while before anybody
went to the postoffice for an en-
velope.
But pretty soon Tommy got one,
and began to address it, his head on
one side and his mouth all screwed
up. And, though Tommy wouldn't
tell whom it was for, had an idea.
Those valentines were lovely, and
there were heaps OF them. But there
were heaps of US, too. So each OF us
couldn't send very many. So the
question was, Whom could we send
them to? I'd picked out lovely
paper doll for Mamie and soldier
for Tommy, and lace one for the
girl who sits next to me in school.
By that time there were not many
more left. l had time to get just
one more, but it was beauty. 1t
took all my five pins at once. In the
middle was hand holding bunch
of roses, on each side was dove
holding letter, up above was a Gu
pid, and below was verse that l
couldn't stop to read. l knew whom
l wanted to send that one to; that
was Lena Kimball, who lives in the
next street above me, and has five
dolls, and can drive a horse. I'd
been up there to play, and Lena
said she'd ask me again; but she
seemed to have forgotten about it.
Of course, didn't want to suggest
it to her; but l thought valentine
might make her think of me. So |
began to address the envelope, and
was wondering whether LENA" was
spelled with an 81" or an Sc" when,
way over in corner under the table.
saw little Nora Lafferty crying, and
drying her eyes on the corner of
the tablecloth. l picked up the en-
velop, and went over to see what was
the matter. Nora doesn't cry unless
something is the matter. And that's
saying a good deal, too, if you could
see her home, with goat in the front
yard, and half dozen babies tum-
bling about, that she has to take care
of when her mother goes out washing,
and Nora only eight years old!
At first Nora wouldn't say any
thing; but by and by she whispered:
so Susie, know won't get any val
entines at ALL Nobody'd sent me
valentine. I've got red hair and
freckles; but | do want one ever SO
bad II thought I'd send one to
myself; but l knew that'd be mean,
and, besides, there's little 10. He
wants one more'n' l do, yet he's SO
little nobody1l think of him. He's
lame, too"
10 is a cripple, and feel sorry for
him; but he says mean things some
times, and lots of times I've heard
him make fun of Nora,-ask her
about horseback exercise on the goat,
and pretend to light matches in her
hair.
81 guess I'll go home" said Nora.
'Tain't that | mind not getting any
valentine, but don't want everybody
to know l didn't get one"
"Nora," said l, II know there's a
valentine for you. | just feel sure
that, when the valentines are handed
round, you'll get one. Besides, lem
onade's coming. Do stay!"
Just then one of the teachers came
up, and l finished addressing that
envelope: knew how to spell more"
anyway.
Then, when the last valentine was
in, they were distributed again. Oh,
what fun it was! They came SO fast.
I'm sure don't see how SO many hap
pened to come to me. The girls all
around were getting them, thick and
fast, too. So were the boys, but they
or tended they didn't care. l was so
excited that l forgot Nora at first.
But, when | did see her,-what do
you think?-she had pile of yalen
tines in her lap,-six in all; and she
was laughing as I didn't suppose
even Nora could laugh. While l was
watching her, an envelope was given
her that l recognized. She gave "a
broad smile, and opened it. But as
she looked at the lace and doves, she