Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-02-09

SS0S SO0s NAkSGA SAAO yV0 WAAAS ~
and write it on the card in those queer,
long-tailed letters you make SO we'll"
We'll, l say, Fan, nov will the good
lady know who it's fromy"
Why, put your name to it, of course.
Look here" and Fanny pointed out, half
hidden by u spray of forget-me-nots, her
own name. "All artists sign their work
and l don't believe in anonymous things"
All sight, and after we get it all done
and mailed We'll go to the pond. Frank
Shatfer says the ice is like glass;"
1t was. growing dusk before they left
the pond, and when Tom reached Eomc
1t was quite dark. He found the house
very quiet. The girl who let him III said
Mir. and Mrs. Kent had gone out for n
sleigh ride. Tom dropped his skates,
heavy coat and cap in the hall, and him
sen on a couch hcaped with cushions that
stood near the open fire in the parlor.
mere was no light but that from the fire,
ana tne room was very pleasant with it's
waverin:s shadows. Tom remembered
what Fanny's mother had said about the
new Mrs. Kent making the house seem
ike home, and looking about him he
Knew that it was true. There We're How
SAS NbiC UuiOLS new ultlruslIlCS
ana there was IL dainty little sewing bas-
ket, and Tom would have gone on with
his inventory. but he began to feel very
sleepy. His eyes closed. He was dream
ing confnsedly of school and skates and
s!clgh bells and valentines, and then, min
s!ed with all, there was talking and peo-
PIE coming in and banging a door, and
then some one saying .'sh-h-h!" Then
very plainly he heard his father say
softly, "Ah. Tom! how much the rascal
looks like his mother in this light!'
Yes" u gentle voice answered. II
wish he would allow me to love him, for
her sake if not for his own"
BE patient-you'll win him. His
mothers son must be n gentleman"
Then Tom felt his fathers hands UNI
der his ankles, and his feet were lifted
from the floor to the couch. Another
pair of hands tucked an afghan over him,
and the two left the room.
Tom stretched himself, opened his eyes,
and was wide awake.
Good old daddy!" he whispered. II
guess it wasn't very mean of me to just
stay asleep. It's hard on a fellow to
waken suddenly, and that littlc-mamma!
'sh-h-h!" and Tom turned his face
against the cushions and laughed. Nov.
I'll hurry. The governor expects me to
be n gentleman. md it'd be a mean trick
to %disappoint him."
Dear mel" Tom thought, II never
dreamed of dishonoring my dear mothers
memory. I've been greatly mistaken.
Behaving like a boor and a lout is u
shame to her, especially when 7 look like
her"
Next morning Tom was III early. HI
was anxious to bs by when the valentine
came. 1t would surely be delivered in the
first mail. Early as it was. Mrs. Kent
was in the dining room directing the awk-
ward new maid about her work. She
turned with q smile rs Tom entered, and
he could see that there was n shade OF
something very near like fear in the dark
eyes. He felt his face grow hot with
shame that his behavior had made such II
slender, girlish woman feel afraid of him.
In that instant a great resolve took pos.
session of him. With about the same feel
ing he had af mornings Oh approaching
the tub for his cold plunge he walked
straight to her, as he had used to APP
proach his own mother. and, with a trem-
ulous Good morning, little Mammal he
kissed her pink check.
While his hand still rested on her
shoulder, and her face was a mixture of
smiles, wonder and lovely color. MIR.
Kent came i'll. "Hello, you early birds;
what are you up too"
Mrs. Kent answercd:
81 was teaching Christine her duties,
and / wanted to he sure to have your
valentine and Toms by our plates. l
didn't CNDcct any one else to be IN so
early.
Just then came the postman's short.
sharp ring. and Christine went to the
door. Mrs. Kent took two small parcels
from the sidcboard, handing one to Tom.
the other to his father. Mr.. Kent found
a beautifully bound copy of Mrs. Brown
ing's sonncts. and Tom-could he be-
lieve his eyes? A handsome new watch!
Christine came in with Il handful of
mail. TOMS head swan. Oh. if he had
made a mistake! He rubbed his eyes.
Surely it was no dream that he and
Fanny had made that pretty valentine.
No, there was the big, strong MANILA en-
velope in Mrs. Kcnt's hands.
"Ah. hal" said Mr.. Kent. ''That looks
suspiciously like an old sweetheart send
ing q reminder of lang syne." :
Mrs. Kcnt's hands shook n little MS she
III ~ S3iu iAN AcuN NV AiiCS ohG III
swered. Mr.. Kent gayly:
NO, indeed; no old sweetheart: a
young. new one; one I've been so anxious
to win," and she passed the card to her
husband, giving Tom such a glance from
her tcar-wet eyes as set his boyish heart
humping. We'll done, Toni" Mr.. Kent
exclaimed. "And Cousin Fanny is the
artist. Now l call that clever-hand-
somely done, for both of you!"
Tom drew n long sigh. What an es.
cape he had had! He told Fanny all
about it, adding:
"And now, little cousin, 1 want you to
remember this: Whenever you know Of
me intending to do a %low-down, mean
trick, or whenever 1 get a notion that
it's smart to treat any n unjustly. 1
wish you'd remind ME of this Valentine
day." Fanny said she would.-Margarct
Holmes Bates. in Chicago Inter Ocean.
Settle 1t.
C,,,svo Nf,,kor, ~ T1.A..-f.-- ~