Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-02-10
has a good head Once repeated this

has q good head Once I repeated this
praise to Ben"
why. that was grandpa's name" in.
terruptcd Dorothy. Il remeniber-Col
Benjamin Worrcll, it says SO under his
picture in the library"
YES" said grandma. smiling, he was
your grandfather; but he did not seem
much like a grandfather then. lie was
very tall and straight. with flashing black
eyes and dark, curling hair. aud he had
fine way of throwing back his head
when he talked. People used to call him
Handsome Ben.' which annoyed him
very much. but when told him what
grandpa had said he was quite pleased.
But what hypocrite ] must be. Kate
he said. laughing. to make the dear old
gentleman think that come here just
TO play whist. when my real reason for
coming is to see you.' Your grandfather
was always bold as n young man." said
grandma. apologetically.
"well, your grandfather used to come.
evening after evening. and he played
long games of whist with the old people.
but 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 1Ith of February
came around. and | had scores of valen-
tines, aud 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, ! happen
cd to he looking from an upper window,
and I saw tall figure creeping along
by the garden wall. He had his hat
drawn well down over his face. but l
caught just glimpse Of u dark mustache.
and. assure you. my dcars, 1t was all
could do to behave with becoming dig
nifty. when Sophie. our old colored ser.
want. came upstairs with a square cnvcl.
ope addressed to me-"
"Oh! I know" cried Dorothy. clapping
her hands. 1T was grandpa's valentine"
| Yes said grandma. land here II Is.
and she drew from the box an old.fash'
ioned envelope addressed In faded ink
and In an deliberately disguised hand. to
Miss Katharine Ouderdonk."
She handed the envelope to Nell. who
almost reverently. drew forth the val
cntine. 1t was a playing card. the queen
of hearts, and over the back had been
neatly pasted sheet of white paper. or
which were written the following lines:
my Kate is surely Queen of Hearts.
And will swear she's queen of mine
Let's play a game where Love is 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 is that queer round
hole right through the middle Of tho
card?'
Sure enough. there was a hole which
had pierced card and envelope just as
the children had said.
"Wait a moment" said grandma, Eve
are coming TO that. 1t was very sooi
after st. Valentines day that your grand
father spoke to my grandfather abou,
making me his wife, and grandpa was
very much surprised. although our love
making had been going on for some
months right under his eyes. And b,
hcsita,cd a good deal. but finally, as there
was no real objection, he gave his con
sent"
Grandma paused here for a few mo
ments, thinking, l suppose, OF those dear
happy days, now so long past; and thu
children had to remind her that the!
were waiting for the rest OF the story.
1T was just after that" continued
grandma. that Ben had to go away ol
business for a few weeks. and he bcggc,
me to have a picture made Of myself 4
give him on his return. ! dearly love-
to tease him In those days. and shortl.
after he had started on his journey
wrapped the valentine he had sent m
very carefully In several thickncsscs o
paper, SO that he would think 1t contain