Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1900-02-09

grandma, alphabetically.
"Well. your grandfather used to come
evening after evening. and he playes
long games Of whist with the old people
but be used somehow to get In q l'tt!'
talk aboS; our own Affairs, although W
seldom had a chance TO see each othel
alone. And then the 18th Of February
came around, mud I had scores OF yalen
tines, and great sport Il was, for eact
young mnn bad to deliver bis own. ana
! II was no easy task 10 do this without
being seen. which would have spoiled the
| fHB. We'll. JUS; toward dusk. ! happen
I'd to he looking from an upper window
| and ] saw tall Hsare creeping along
] by the garden wall. He had his hat
drawn well down over his face. but
canght just a glimpse Of dark mustache
and. | assure you, my dears, Il was all
! could do to behave with becoming dig
nifty, when Sophie. our old colored ser
| want. came upstairs with n square envel'
| oi,~ addresses; To me-"
"Oh! known cried Dorothy. clappina
her hands. 1T was grnndps's valentine.
YES" said grandma, land here Il Is. .
and she drew from the box an old-fash-
| Toned envelope addressed in faded Ink
and In an deliberately disguised hand. 10
Miss Katharine Onderdonk."
She handed the envelope TO Nell. who,
almost reverently, drew forth the val
| enIine. II Was n playing card, the queen
OF hearts. and over the back had been
neatly pasted a sheet Of white paper. on
which were written the following lines:
my Kate Ia surely Queen Of Hearts,
/ shs.'a nf IN m
Let's play . game where Love Ia trumps
Sweet Kate will be my valentine"
The children all declared the poetry to
be very beautiful.
But grandma" cried Donald and Dor
othy together, what IL that queer round
hole right through the middle Of the
cardr
Sure enough, there was q hole which
had pierced card and envelope just as
the children had said.
Wait moment" said grandma. I'VE
are coming to that. IL was very soon
after ~. Valentines day that your grand
father spoke 10 my grandfather about
making me his wife. aud grandpa was
very much surprised, although our love
making had been going on for some
months RICH. under his eyes And he
hesitated good deal. but finally. ~ there
was no real objection. he gave his con.
sent"
Grandma paused here for few mo
menfs. thinking. I suppose, OF those dear.
happy days. now NO long past: aud the
children had Ia remind her that they
we're waiting for the rest of the story.
III Mas Just after that" continued
Sra t4It L.
business for = few weeks. aud he begged
me 10 have q picture made OF myself to
give him on his return. l dearly loved
to tease him In those days. and shortly
after he had started on his journey /
wrapped the valentine he had sent me
very carefully Ia several thicknesses OF
paper. NO that he would think IL contain
ed the stiH case OF dagucrrcotype. aud
sent II 10 him by mail. Meanwhile | had
hne picture made for him with which
to surprise him on his return, but he
would not give me back my valentine
DO you think he said, laughing, that
l am going to return the first present
you ever gave me? No, indeed! though
l did make II myself And he declared
that he should always carry il next his
heart.
We'll. the following spring We were
married. aud then We began our hut.
building. lien planned the house him
self. and ! weat with him to Boston to
select the furniture. II was while We
were there that We heard The news that
made our heart stand stili.
Fort Sumter had been fred upou, We
read the announcement In the paper, with
white faces. and lien kept saying all day.
oh. Kate this II too terrible, never
thought IL would come to thisr We went
home with sad hearts. In spite of our car
load OF household treasures, for those
were days when private joys and sorrows
seemed rs nothing In view of the danger
which threatened the whole country. The
6overnor OF our State had ordered the
state troops. and the militia as well. to
he In readiness; and Ben mustered quite
company OF his friends tihe finest and
hrnvest young men In town.. and they
drilled night and day to be In readiness
for the call. Aud I encouraged him In
this work. God knows. with what a sink.
ins heart. but Ben never suspected that
was half q coward. Your dear mother
was tiny baby then. aud l used often
10 sling her to sleep with patriotic airs
10 keep MP my own courage. And then
nj last II came--the call for troops-we
were expecting II: but. Oh. how weak /
was when ! heard Ben's voice shouting
upstairs. Kate. Kate. the Presideut las
sent for as.'
\ was putting baby to sleep your
mother. you know, desrs). and 1 knelt
by her cradle just one moment. PRAYING
Tor strength. Aud II came, for when
Hen entered the room was able 10 .milc
quite hravely aud to help him pack his
knapsack. Tor they were to start that
ssry night"
Grandma paused hers for 4 moment,
but no one spoke. aud abe went on In 4
ow voice.
How well remember that nishti 1,
Nas raining. and very cold aud damp: but
rssry mother aud slater and wife and
sweetheart In town were at the station
10 ses them Oh. Most OF the women
we're crying bitterly. but could not
'hed . tear. aud when Ben took me In
his srms TO cay soodby his lips moved.
but he could not utter q word. and 1
roald hear the beating Of his heart. As