Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-02-13

needs airing. Pshaw, after all, nobody'l
ever know; I'll just look at that valentine;
I've almost forgotten what it looks like"
She set the candle on the floor, where it
was secure from draughts, and opened the
little hair trunk. There was the valentine,
in an old box, which had held her mothers
girlish treasures before her own. 1t was
pitiful thing, this yellow valentine, COM
pared to the works of art which bear the
name now, but Miss Becky looked at it with
partial eyes. 1t was strange sight in the
dim attic; the old woman crouched on the,
floor, beside the old hair trunk, with bags of
dried fruit and punches of herbs swaying in
ghostly fashion over her head, while Gar
field darted hither and thither in search of
mice.
The verses on the valentine were of doubt
full meter and far from original in sentiment,
but Miss Becky did not criticise them. The
tears even came into her sharp, practical
eyes, as she read them. "What an old goose
l am to feel So" she murmured; IT wasn't
bit in love with Robert never was in
love with man in my life. Still if l had
married, might have had child of my own
The only thing. envy my married friends
is the little rosy children at their knees. A
man is lot of trouble about house, and
never wanted to have to give in to any
human being as ma had to give in to pal But
isn't Emmy ringing the front door bell
She's lost that kitchen door key again, after
all my warnings"
With guilty haste she hid the doll, the
little yellowed dress and the faded valen-
tine in the trunk. She locked the attic door
carefully; then, in spite of repeated peals at
the bell, she went back and shut herself into
the dark room, to be sure that there were
no sparks from the candle to set fire to the
place.
81 reckon she's scared" Miss Becky said,
grimly. "Well, it will make her less anxious
to go gadding for valentines another year.
l don't know, after all, that blame her,
though. Pa never let me be young, but
don't know that that is any reason why EN-.
my shouldn't bel" She opened the front
door, just as there was another long peal at
the bell. There, on the doorstep, stood, not
Emmy, but pretty little yellow-haired girl,
with tag on her arm, and behind her was
Nate Sellers, the expressman, with re-
ieved look on his face.
II was afraid you had gone to bed and
couldn't wake you, Miss Becky" he said
Here's a little girl that come by express
from Idaho, all by herself. She says she's
your valentine, and she's the smartest little
piece ! ever saw in my life"
"My-my what?" Miss Becky gasped
looking, with hungry eyes, at the child.
"Your valentine, please" the clear little
voice isped. Here's my grandpa's letter;
I s'pose it'll tell you all about me. oh-h
what lovely, lovely cat!" She caught the
half unwilling Garfield to her breast and
Rugged him, while Becky read her letter. II
ran:
''Dear Becky: sent you valentine once
and send you another now My son diee
last month; his wife year ago. can't cart
properly for the child myself, and my sec
ond wife is peculiar and doesn't like chill
dren. thought, maybe, for the sake of oil
times, you might keep little Minnie. If 20!
don't want her, send her back, and III pu
her in an institution. reckon you owe M
this much, Becky, because if you hadn'
laughed at that valentine i meant to asI
you to marry me, and then half of IN.
troubles would have been avoided. Kee]
her, if you can, and let her grow up the kin,
of woman you are yourself. Yours respect
fully, ROBERT A. MASON"
WELL" said the expressman, "whatll 20
do, Miss Becky? Th' tag says that she's
be sent back, if you don't want her."
The little girl put down the cat, whic
escaped into the darkness, UNDECIDED by Mis-
Becky, who was usually very careful to pre
tect him from all danger of wicked boyl
who chased him, wheeling up trees, fror
which it was difficult to coax him down.
Are you gong to send me back" sh
asked, anxiously. For answer Miss Beck
caught the child to her hungry heart.
"Yon are going to stay" she said, softly
Then she faced the expressman, like lior
ess. "Send her back!" she cried; "PC Gk
to see anybody do it. She's the last vale1
tine III ever get, and the best!"
I, An hour later Emmy came IL, abashe