The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-11
O6e LOGf
Valentine

Miss Layinia Dart was IN her kitchen
one morning In February.
Miss Larinia rarely lost her self
poise under any circumstances. and
she had not. at the age OF forty-slx
years. become the victim Of that slay-
er OF peace and happiness Of woman
kind nerves.
she's the easiest person 10 81 In
this town. said Miss D0dd. the Har-
ieyvllle dressmaker AN she's dread
ful tasty"
Then Miss Dodd. having once got
started on the subject OF Miss LAWN
Ia. would 20 on and say; "rd jest
like to know why she never got mar
ried. I've often been on the point OF
askin' her. but somehow never could
quite fetch myself to II"
II was well enough that Miss Dodd
could not quite fetch herself TO the
point Of questioning Miss Lavinia re-
gardlng any possible lover OF the past.
for there were limitations TO Miss La
vinia's patience and gentleness. and
those limitations were reached when
one attempted TO take liberties with
her private afiairs.
Presently there was a knock on the
kitchen door. and when Lavinia opened
II the Widow Rice. elderly. uncomfort-
ably stout. and IN manifest perturba-
tion OF spirit. entered the kitchen.
Dropping heavily into a small rock
ing-chair near the shining stove. and
allowing the shawl she had thrown
over her head to slip to her shoulders
she said gaspingly and with a sug-
gestion of tears In her voice.
4 do no what youll think Laviny
Dart. ] do no what youll think. but
q, want his fault He couldn't help
it-poor man. Il want his fault that
his sled overturned on the way home.
an he never spoke again after they got
I'm 70 the house. I don't see as you
can blame him none on me either.
90 mo- when I've been so upset by
anything. Laviny."
What IS it. Mrs Rlce?" asked La
vlnia. II have not the least idea Of
what you are talking about"
4 don't suppose you do. Laviny I'm
so upset I hardly know myself what
I'm sayln But / guess It'd give most
anybody a queer turn to find that they'd
had something ten years that didn't
blong 10 EN-. an that the owner ought
70 Of had years an years ago. That's
what's happened to me- an the thing
I've had belongs to YOU
ITO me?"
Eyes. 10 you. Laviny Dart
1T cannot be anything OF any con-
sequence"
Il hope Il amt. I'm sure / do. But
this mornin' I went up into my attic
70 look round for more cloth TO finish
up a quilt I opened an old red chest
that I've KEEP some o. my poor hus-
bands clothes In ever since he died.
because kind o. hated to cut 'em up
OF give EN- away an see somebody
else wearing them. The very first
thing took out was the coat my has
band had worn the day he met with
the accident that caused his death. The
sleeves an collar we're SO moth-eaten
that I made up my mind that I might
as well cut It up an use what was
good Of It for the quilt SO / took Il
an some other things downstairs an
was shakin' them out In the wood
shed. picked up the coat an was
shakin' it mighty hard when the old
iinin' broke loose in one place an out
dropped a letter. Yes. Laviny Dart.
a letter addressed to youi"
ITO me?"
ITO youl never was so set back
by anything In my lifel I Topped right
down on a pile O. wood an tried to
puzzle Il all out. an Il didn't take me
no great while to do It, You know
how that. us livin' right across the