The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-02-24

plain English.
You wouldn't write 4 love 70,
dearly-will you have me?'"
10 be sure 1 would"
Zeke sat meditating.
would she be astonished, do yol
thi1k?"
Il don't know-perhaps she would
Zeke drew sheet of pink paper
neatly folded, from the breast poke
OF his coat, and pen. Then he rost
slowly up, and reached the little ink
bottle down from the mantel-piece
and deposited it on Milly's work
stand.
NOW then, here goes,' said Zeke
plunging his pen into tae ink.
Splash went huge circular drop
upon the very centre of Zeke's rose
tinted page.
Never mind" said Milly. halt
laughing, in spite of her tribulation,
at the horritied gaze with which Zeke
regarded the marred splendor of the
stationery. Il can get you another" ]"
She reached little sheet of purple
note-paper from the table drawer,
and placed it before the ambitious
lover.
A second time Zeke dipped his pen
into the inky pool, and began more
cautiously.
February 14th-St. Valentines
Day. That's right for the date, isn't
it, Millyg)
Mllly nodded
Would you begin it My dearest
girl?'
"Certainly."
Zeke was silent for a moment or
two. o, how Milly's heart ached.
She was sure that neither Mary De-
nlson nor Jenny Allen cared half as
much for the handsome. frank, young
farmer as she did; they only liked
him because his father was rich. and
be a pleasant comrade at the village
frolics; she loved him because he was
Leke Hill, and now
"Milly, why don't you answer me?"
Did you speak," exclaimed she,
starting, and blushing all over.
''Of course did. l told you that l
had written just what you advise:
My dearest girl love you dearly:
will you have me for Valentine to
day and always?'
Rather an improvement on my
text" said Milly, smiling family.
"And now sign it,
Must l write my whole name un-I
der it? l had rather say only E. H."
'Very well; [ presume she will IN
derstand it." sighed Milly, softly.
Ezekiel folded it with a face of
beaming satisfaction, and affixed
huge scarlet wafer to it as an elegant
finish.
"Well, goodnight. MilIy," said he,
slowly rising, and glancing towards
the old clock in the corner. "It's
getting late, and I must be home. L
am very much obliged to you for
helping me abont my Valentine"
'You are quite welcome" said Mil
ly, quietly. She watched him slowly
pass down the little box-bordered
path, and lift the wicket of the front
gate, pausing moment to look up at
the million army of stars in the clear
of heaven as he went on.
Then she sat down in her low seat
by the kitchen fire. and cried bitterly,
until her cheeks, were like rose-leaves
drenched in summer rain, and her
bright eyes were considerabl Y dimmed
And when Mr.. Grover and his wife
came home precisely as the clock
struck ten, they found 'Dorcas," the
help, sitting up for them. Milly had
gone to bed with a bad headache,
Poor child. if she had said heartache
she would have been considerably
nearer the truth.
The eastern sky WIS all rosy with
the fires of the coming ST. Valentines
Day, when Milly woke rp-woke from
a deep and heavy slumber. SO sound
ly had she slept, that the footsteps of
an early riser CD the frosted grass
her lattice'l easement had
never reused her.
She dressed slowly, scarcely glanc-
ing at the tiny mirror; yet she had
never looked Frettier than at that mo-
ment. Her cheek was unusually
flushed, and her eyes burning with a
restless brilliancy, while the little
merlno wrapper which she wore was
becoming in its very simplicity.
As she fastened a small pin of coral
and gold, the finishing touch to her
toilet, into the white linen collar
around her throat, she moved care
lessly towards the easement to open
it, that the fresh morning breeze
might play upon her fevered brow.
Surely that was not note, in deli
cate lavender paper, thrust under the
casinge 1t was; and Milly uttered
little scream as she sprang towards
the silent visitor.
at cannot-no, it cannot be from
Leke?"
But it was from Zeke-the identical
which she had so grudg-
lngly helped to compose the evening
before
My dearest girl love you dearly; will you
have me for Vrlentine. to-day and always
The bright bushes rolled in Grim
son tides over Milly's cheek. and she
perused the few simple words again
and again, and pondered ON the di
'ectlon MlIy UrOVer, until the let
5ers seemed to swim before her eyes.
How could she ever bave nlisinterpre
ed Zeke 50 absurdly? And yet-and
yet it seemed almost too much happi-
less for her.
At length she threw open the win
Iowa low, deep easement, from
which she could at any time step forth
lpon the withered paterres of flowers;
out all of sudden the radiant ban
lers OF the cloudless February sun
we're obscured by the six feet of Zeke
Hilfs sturdy length, and a frosted
whisker came in close contact with
her rosy cheek.
I'm the first man you've seen this
Milly, I know it. for I've
been under this window since day
break! My dear little Valentine, you
know the penalfvw