Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-02-10

, yentured. us
Only one," said I.
l didn't know it was the fasbio.
send them in the city. I'd bavo 20
TO send you one. l meant this sIaIsS
ride for kind Of valentine" tprrss
TO look at me as if doubtful how
would take it.
Oh, Pm sure It's a very nico =.
Oh valentine | murmured, wondsrlrs
what could be the explanation Of ~.
poem in my pocket.
| i wrote some poetry for Won % =.
continued shyly, and got II am 80
to send, but it wasn't very good ana
/ was afraid you would laugh at il q
didn't send it. It's the only poe.r,,
ever wrote in my life."
Il thought it was very nice s,,.
ercouragingly.
Why, how do you knou,p =.
never saw it" he replied abruptly
F, Yes, did," | answered smilin,
And, reaching down, with some an.
h-uty found my pocket and drawn,
cut the envelope addressed in bis
handwriting handed it to him fri
umphantly He looked at it curiouslv
You mean that?" he asked.
Yes, was Interrupted before raa5
it all, and there didn't seem to be anv
signature, but | thought the address
was in your handwriting, explained
in some embarrassment, as he BEGAN
to smile.
He gave it back to me Just read
over the last of it, and then I'll az.
plain, he said, and this is the valep.
tine of which had read only the frs.
three verses.
Let us strive for what is noblest,
Life is short, then live it well
Faint not in thy high endeavor
Love hath cast DER me its srell
For humanity | labor,
All humanity l love!
Yet the thought of thee, fair lady
Does my deepest being move.
Were | only sure to please thee,
Labor then were pure delight
All my sorrows were forgotten,
Al! my wrongs would then be right
Let me, then, this tribute send you
Of loves offering not the least,
This advice: You'll always prosper
If you use Brown Brothers YEAST"
Light sweet bread your home will
gladden.,
Ne'er shall you or yours repine
Watch the mail, t will bring a sample
From your faithful Valentine.
Il don't understand. Is this is a
jest, Mr., Farmer" | asked, the tears
almost in my eyes.
Not at all. What must you think
Of me, Miss Marshall, to ask such
question? There is a young fellow
here from our town, he used to be in
mothers Sunday school class, and he's
in the yeast business, and | helped
him get out these things, that's all
He hurt his hand last week, and can't
write very well, so | copied a lot OF
these on my machine and directed
them from list he gave to me The
poetry is his own composition, and
he's rather proud of it,
oh said |. in deepest confusion,
feeling keenly my loss of dignity be-
fore the man whose opinion | valued
most.
With more tact than | should have
given him credit for he did not look at
me for few moments, but went on
talking.
Il thought it was pretty good my
self, and, since my effort the other day,
have good deal of respect for fell
low who can write any kind of poetry
Tten after a pause. IF | dared,
should like to tell you what tried to
say in verse, and failed"
l couldn't think of anything to say.
so | only sat still, and felt frightened,
and half as if wanted TO stop him.
and half as If | didn't. And then he
said what | can't write down even here,
and there is no need to, for / shall new
er forget it, and no one but he and |
VIII SNtI hHON WudI we Idlheu dDOut
for the rest of our drive, But he con-
WINGED me that mother was mistaken
that he had liked me from the first,
and very soon had grown to love me
He said he felt that understood him.
And that is why he went to dances and
places he didn't care for, and he had
been very jealous of poor VIII, quite
miserable about it, he assured me, and
| told him what was quite true, that
had never in my life really cared for
any man before, and he said | was the
orly girl he had ever loved.
He is Just two years and one month
Older than /, so our birthdays come on
the same day of the month-the nth
which we both think rather odd, and
my middle name being Winifred, our
middle initials are the same, and il is
a name he has always been particularly
fond of, So he is going to call me by il