The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-05-14
The Exchanged Valentines.
BY SARA BEAUMONT KENNEDY.

~ IOm SAID II was NelIS Iney
NV had been engaged five blissful
~ A weeks when one evening Tom
grew preOccupied, failed to no.
tice that Nell wore his favorite color,
and finally yawned. 1t was very little
yawn, discreetly executed behind his
hand, but Nell saw it and Immediately
decided that he was tired Of her and
that his love was on the wane. The
cunning demon kept whispering at her
ear until she decided she would test
him by little judicious filtration with
her old flame, Harry Wells.
And SO the next evening at party
she gave Harry flower from her dress,
and sat on the stair with him during a
dance that was Toms; and the follow
ing afternoon she went out sleighing in
Harry's new rig and stayed so late that
she missed Toms call. Now, everybody
who ever had a sweetheart knew that
this was casus belli; and Nell waited
for Tom to explode" But she waited
in vain, no explosion came; instead,
Tom looked grieved, but took Lucy
Peters out behind his fast team and
wore polka-dOt necktie that Nell par
ticularly abhorred. When they met he
was reserved but very polite, and made
no reference to the dance she had given
away. This was contrary to all estab-
llShed presidents. Had he stOrmed and
raved and been hateful in the accus-
toned way she would have known what
to do; but to be hateful in this new and
totally unnatural manner was as uneX-
pected as it was disappointing. There
was only one explanation; she had been
right in her conjecture, he was tired of
her. And SO she went with Harry to
the skating pond, and the breach wild
ened until Tom saw nothing but ruin
to his hopes staring him in the face
Then he went to Nell and tried to ex-
postulate.
Harry Wells is not the man for you
to go WITH he demonstrated, taking
exactly the wrong tact He is wild
and dissipated, and I do not approve of
him. One Of the other boys would be
more"
81 do not think the time has come
when my friends should necessarily
bear the stamp of your approval" she
broke in. haughtily.
eff you are going to marry me l
certainly think l should have some
voice in the selection of your associ-
ates."
''Am to have like privilege in re-
gard to yours?' she asked, with curling
lip. If So | would suggest that Lucy
Peters is trifle loud in her manners,
and that she is very uninteresting.'
Here was Toms chance; had he de-
clared that he, too, found Lucy tire
some and only talked to her because he
had to do something to keep from
throttling Harry all would have been
right. But Tom was too hurt and
angry to see the opportunity the fates
opened for him; so he Numbered on
blindly to the final catastrophe by say
ing coldly that doubtless the subjects
he discussed with Lucy were more en-
tertaining than those Nell proposed.
The result was that in half an hour he
left the house with his returned ring in
his pocket.
That was the week after Christmas.
During January there were many social
functions, and Nell seemed very gay
and happy. Harry Wells was always
with her, with that radiantly happy
expression that made Toms fingers
twitch to tighten on his windpipe; yet
he made no effort to regain his former
place at Nell's side At the receptions
he hung around the halls or smoked in
! the gentlemen's room, and went home
early.
1t was Valentines eve. and Tom
walked slowly home, glancing careless
ly into the shop windows. He stopped
and looked at display of valentines of
every description. A sudden idea struck
him-he would send Nell one with
some tender verse upon it that would
be as voice out of the past 1t would
ease his, heart to speak to her thus
even from afar, and if she guessed the
sender what did it matter? He entered
the shop and at last chose a dainty
card embossed with golden Cupids
dancing about crimson satin rose I'M
der whose folded petals ran this le-
gend:
The silver sconce that is my heart
Holds still an ever-burning light,
The torch of Love whose steadfast glow
Outlasts indifference's darkest night
1t was clean surrender; he knew
this, but he did not care, his heart was
SO hungry for the old love. He went
home, sat down and addressed the en-
velope, but before he sealed it the din
ner bell rang and he went to the din
ing-rOOm, leaving his treasure on the
desk.
Now, Tom had two nephews who had
reached the immature age when comic
'oiOAliHCo al lilO LACSI VI dCtlCdl JOKES
in the world While Tom ate his din
ner these two boys invaded the library.
IT was little Phil who presently spied
Toms missive, and as it was unsealed,
he proceeded to read it.
"Whoo-pe! Regular soft-sloppy- girl
s;uff," he cried, concemptuously She'll
think this lots more fun" and he Slip
ped into the envelope hideous carica-
ture on passe womanhood, casting a
hook into a crowd of men, with verse
underneath which read:
Fresh fish you're always trying to catch,
In this sort of angling you've no match;