Union gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1899-1900, 1900-02-02

20 play whist, when my real reason for
coming is to see YOU Your grandfather
was always bold a. q young man." said
grandma, apologeticaily.
.swcI, your grandfather used to come,
evenins after evening, and he played
long games Of whist with the old people,
hut he used somehow to get in little
talk about our own affairs, although We
seldom had chance to see each other
alone. And then the 18th Of February
came sround. and had scores Of vslen-
tines, and great sport 1t was, for each
young man had to deliver his own, and
It was no easy task to do this without
being seen, which would have spoiled the
fun. Well, just toward dusk, l happen
ed to be looking from an upper window.
and I saw a tall figure creeping along
by the garden WALL he had his hat
drawn well down over his face, but
caught just glimpse of dark mustacne,
and, I assure you, my dears, It was al
could do to behave with becoming oig-
nifty, when Sophie, our old eoiored ser
want, came upstairs with square en7ei-
ope addressed to me-"
"Oh! 7 know" cried Dorothy. ciappirg
her hands. "It was grandpa's valentine..
"Yes," said grandma, land here it is,
and she drew from the box an old-fash-
Toned envelope addressed in faded ink
and In an elaborately disguised hand, to
"Afiss Katharine Oulierdonk. "a
She handed the envelope to Nell, who.
almost reverently, drew forth the val
entine. 1t was playing card, the queen
Of hearts, and over the back had been
neatly pasted sheet Of white paper. on
which were written the following lines:
.'Ly Kate Is surely Queen Of Hearts,
And will swear she's queen Of mine.
Let's play game where Love is trumps;
Sweet Kate will be my valentine"
The children all declared the poetry to
he very beautiful.
"Rut grandma" cried Donald and Dor
othy together. what Is that queer round
hole right through the middle Of the
card?"
Sure enough, there was hole which
had pierced card and envelope just as
the children had said. "a -
''Wait a moment. =, said grandma 1--WE.
are coming TO that. If~was very soon
after st. Valentines day that your grand
making me his wife, and grandpa was
very much surprised, although our love
making had been going on for some
hesitated good deal. but finally, as there
was no real objection. he gave bis con-
sent"
Grandma. paused here for q few mo-
ments, thinking. i suppose, of those dear.
happy days, now SO long past; and the
children had to. remind her that they
were waiting for the rest Of the story.
'Tt was just after that" continued
grandma, shat Ben had to 60 away on
business for few weeks, and he begged
me to have a picture made of myself to
give him on his return. 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 in several thicknesses of
paper, so that he would think it contain
ed the stiff case Of daguerreotype, and
sent 1t to him by mail. Meanwhile had
a fine 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
/ am going to return the first present
you ever gave me? No, indeed! though.
l did make it myself And he declared
that he should always carry it next his:
heart.
'Well, the following spring we were
married, and then. we began our hut
building. Ben, planned the house him
self, and I went with him to Boston to
select the furniture. 1t was while we
were there that we heard the news that
made our heart stand still.
Fort Sumter had been fred upon! We