The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-06-20
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s ABIGAIL JAMES !:
& VALENTINE !:
" By Frank S. Chiswick :
~ -
"a Copyright, 1909, 6
8 By the S. S. Mcclure Company z
By Frank S. Chiswick
} Copyright, 1902,
Rr thn = : Mnl
! 80 = 81: Z {: 80 8 Z:

years an them Prudence Howelrs
head bobbed vigorously, setting every
individual curl in motion. well. I'd
Just like to see one of 'em try it,
"Si amt meanln' no HARM" put in
Abigail Jane gently. He's just sorter
slow; that's all"
"Sorter Slow! retorted Mrs. Howell.
"Well. he's kept off every other man
for the best part of your life, an it's
his bounden duty to marry you. lie
loves you. an you love him."
A faint pink tint crept into Abigail
James face at her sisters plain speak
ing. When Silas Hopkins had first
courted her a charming girl Of eight
cen, his boyish compliments had
brought a warm glow to her face, but
the blood courses more slowly at thir-
ty-four.
81 had always meant to marry her.
but somehow he had never told her so.
He was a complacent prosaic fellow.
First he had lost his father and had been
forced to look after the big farm and
the family. Then there had been his
brother John TO send through college,
and Louise's wedding dowry and fix
ings to arrange for. and his mother TO
send TO the hospital in the distant city
for an operation After awhile. when
all these duties were fulfilled, he
would have time to settle down and
marry.
He had never thought Of such trag-
edy IS Abigail James wearying of long
waiting. He had always found her
alone Wednesday and Saturday nights
sympathetic in his difficulties, rejoic-
ing in his small successes. Yes Abb
gail Jane was the very woman for
him to marry-some day when he had
time.
And of course Abigail Jane must I'M
derstand all this; she was such a'sen-
sible little woman. 1t never dawned
upon him that she would like to hear
such words from his lips or TO walk
down the street with her small hand
snuggled against his big arm. rs Eliza
the milliner's apprentice, did with the
butchers boy.
How you do take on. Prudence"
She protested Il amt beholden to any
man to marry me. I'm comfortably
fixed. Me an 81 is good friends, an
he likes to come here of evenin's.
amt expectin' = The words choked
In her throat.
A wave Of pity swept over Mrs. How
ell. She was sorry she had laid bare
the wound; but. happy matron her
self. she chafed at her sisters loneli
ness
"Well, it's Valentines day. Abigail
Jane, an perhaps he'll send you some
thin by mail. Maybe he can't put his
feelin's into words as easy as my Hen
ry could. Would you mind lookin' in
my box while you're at the postoffice"
Ten minutes later Miss Abigail Jane,
with her grandmother's china silk
shawl folded over her shoulders, walk
ed down the quiet street TO the post
Office. 1t was her daily custom,
whether she expected mail or not On
Friday there would be the county pa
per in her box and on the Cd and 10Th
of each month The Advocate and Fee
male Guardian.
This morning she caught sight of
square envelope in the box. and her
heart beat wildly as she approached
the postmaster's window.
Here you are" he exclaimed cheer
ily-"two letters ebr Mrs. Howell and
one for you. Must be a valentine"
And he grinned broadly at the joke
which had done service with every ap-
plicant at the window that morning.
A valentine. The word found an
echo in her heart She clasped the
precious missiYe to her breast and bur
ried homeward.
"Honest:' cried her sister as Abigail
Jane stopped with the Howell mail.
''He sent you valentine? Well |
didn't suppose he had the nerve. You
might stop here an open it."
But Abigail Jane shook her head and
futtered away to her own cottage. No
one should share this sacred moment
with her. Nervously she tore off the
wrappings and with cry OF joy held
a photograph of 81 at arms length.
Then-but never mind; women have
done such things ever since the day Of
the first daguerreotype,
Once she turned it over and was puz-
.zled by the printing on the back:
Join our photograph club before 1t is too
late and get dozen like this for $3.50.
LINTON. the Photographer.
When 81 came that evening, she
looked her daintest, with soft lace at
her throat and a rose from the south
window tucked in her brown hair. II
81 noticed the little touches of finery,
he said nothing. Abigail Jane was al
ways pretty in his eyes.
But he did notice the photograph,
and his eyes twinkled.
Hello. You got a sample too"
The pretty pink flush died out of her
cheeks. She clasped her hands nerv-
ously.
II don't understand what you
mean" she faltered.
'Why. Louise has been worryin' the
life out of me to send her an the kids
my picture. an Linton offered me
dozen free if I'd let him use my name
for advertiser his business. | guess
he thought if he could make me good
lookin' he could get all the trade round
here
'Then everybody in town got one"
The words came slowly.
81 was looking at the photograph