The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-13


willfuily wrong thing besides being
single unkind world
oh, pshav. ---in5; where's the
We'll, since you mean to tell the
truth m Valentines day
But 1 meant to send that ugly pic
ture with the verse just 10 let her know
what think of her."
Der it?"
L think so:
o. long-tongued vixen. wiry scold,
and my httle brother
Hate you because you re plain and old,
And cause you're our stepmother.
Seems to me there's no truth in that.
You have no little brother. neither is
Aunt Harriet plain and DID, nor IS she
a scold.'
Wei. she's my stepmother, and
can't find another stepmOther valentine
in town.
1T seems to me. then. that if you
must have valentine, and if you real
" want to tell Aunt Harriet the truth
because of the day, you'd better make
one"
How could make one?"
. Very easily-at least, you and I to-
gether could make q valentine, much
more appropriate for Aunt Harriet,
than anything you'd find in the stores.
We can take a piece of plain cardboard
and I'll put on border of flowers in
water colors, and you make rhymes so
easily, you know"
What would 1 make rhymes for?"
Why, to tell your stepmother the
truth, and TO say. like man. no more
under cover OF the day than you'd be
ready to say to her face"
They were standing at Fanny'S gate,
and Tom leaned If and EinIrad
the snow off his bootheels.
"Oh, we'll, of course, if you look at it
that wa--'-
Nov. Tom, honestly, wouldn't you
rather be on friendly terms with your
stepnlother than noty"
"Oh, 1 never meant to quarrel with
her, but I'm not going to make love to
her.
No. but it would only be a nice lit
tie attention to send her neat pretty
valentine. and say something pleasant
by it. You know how nice your father
is to your friends, and now's your time
to be nice to his
''Well-an right. Fanny; have you
got piece of cardboard? Fix it up,
and I'll make rhyme; but it won't be
anything fine"
Just tell the truth" Fanny said.
gayly. as she ran up the walk, that is
the finest thing in the world"
IL
Next morning. on his way to school,
Tom called, as usual, for Cousin Fan
ny. She met him at the door,
You're early, and I'm glad of it.
Come in. I've something TO show
--or"
She hurried him into the library and
showed him a cream-tinted card a
trifie larger than a cabinet photograph
1t had border in delicateIy tinted
flowers. ''Pansies for thought" she
explained, here and there an orange
blossom, just a gallant little reminder
of her wedding day a few months ago.
and these blue fOrget-me-nots. Aunt
Harriet will not begrudge you as q
own mother while behaving like a gen
tleman to her. Now if you can think
of anything else''-
NO, Fanny. that's all right. You're
a daisy. Now here's my contribution.
L guess I've told the truth; read it,
And Fanny read:
I'm not sturdy. stalwart oak,
You're not clinging vine:
L may not be the boy you'd choose
For your own valentine.
But still since circumstances make
My life with yours to blend
I'll count my self as honored quite
If | may be your friend.
~, 1oliA- lldt > IfidSnlIlCGnI@ just
like you, After school you must come
in and write it on the card in those
queer, long-tailed letters you make so
WE'LL
We'll, 1 say. Fan, how will the good
lady know who it's from?'
Why, Dut your name to it, of !
course Look here" and Fanny pointed I
out, half hidden by a spray of forget
her own name. "AIl artists I
sign their work and 1 don't believe in
things"
''All right, and after we get it all
done and mailed wen go to the pond
Frank Shaffer says the ice is like !
glass;
III.
1t was growing dusk before they left :
he pond, and when Tom reached home {
t was quite dark He found the house
very quiet. The girl who let him in s
said Mr.. and Mrs. Kent had gone out s
or a sleighride. Tom dropped his
skates, heavy coat and cap in the hall, s
Ind himself on a couch heaped with s
cushions that stood near the omen fire