The Topeka state journal., 1903-02-09
BiIIy's UncIe's Valentine.

Oily y DuOiO y uAVHVAAv'
Billy Jenkins and sam Marks. seat
ed in a very dusty and disorderly room.
We're sorting and addressing pile OIL
valentines which lay on the table pc
fore them Billy's uncle, who was llS
only relative Billy had, had given NM
money enough to divide with sam ana
provide a satisfactory supply Of valen-
tines-mostly of the penny ufeauAcA
sort-for both boys. There were very
Few of the beribboned beiaceo hlhu' ~
incest one of which Billy nad suliepu-
tiously slipped aside. and was now
iaboriously inditing message 70 AZ
company 1T. Sans eyes actually cross
ed themselves IN his endeaNoE 10 Pc
what Billy was writing touiu ne He-
seen. this is what ne would nave fead'
nv Dear n. B.. viii you be mine,
Forever and ever my valentine
Billy was not poet. but the cupid
and rose-garlanded valentine seemed
sadly Inadequate to the proper express
sion OF Bnlys feelings for Nettle Biyt
FOR whom this valentine was intended
Nor did Billy intend thaL ms mlsslNe
should go unsigned He had just I'M
fehed william Jenkins, ESQ. with
flourish when sam made a dash across
The table, saying
What are you drollin so long
shout? Here's a valentine that looks
enough like old Nancy Billings to be
her. Rack it to her for me and III
back that me for you Who's it to,
anyway
Billy hastily pushed the paper out of
gam's reach, as he remarked evasive-
~
"I'u back no valentine to Nancy Bill
hngs. What do YOU want to send her
one for? There'd be no fun in that
Besides. j can't see where that looks
like her Nancy isn't ugly and stingy.'
We'll she's an old maid, and that's
what this picture ss.
Billy took the valentine and address
ed it. but shortly after when sam was
contemplating q picture that was to go
60 the postmaster he slipped that ugly
valentine out and placed one of the
pretty ones in, hurriedly wrapping it in
q sheet of paper to make its bulk equal
20 the one displaced. Then he wonder
ed when he came to look for his poetry
what ia the world had become of it,
even going so far as to accuse sam of
hiding it,
Don't think it," said sam ssI'H bet
you're Just green enough to put your
name to some of these valentines. Lock
out that you don't put mine in any of
them"
The iibe had its effect and Billy en-
closed the valentine for Nettie minus his
name and effusion
The boys deposited their load of val
entir es in the office. Billy, by some
sleiEht of hand getting the three par
ticular ones in without being seen by
Sam He also had the pleasure of see.
ing Nancy Billings get the one bearing
nov signature very early the next morn
ing. She had come to the store for tea
and sugar
"A ou've got a valentine at last Aunt
Nancy said the storekeeper
Nancy was not used to receiving vail
enti1es. and this one brought a flush to
her checks as she hurried away with it
Billy lived with his uncle William
jenkins. who was called Uncle Billy
by everyone to distinguish him from
his nephew Uncle Billy had raised the
boy In fact he had put in the greater
part of his life in taking care of his
relatives. First there had been q grand
father on one side of the house, and a
grandmother on the other, who had
lived their latter days out in Uncle
Blllys home His mother who was a
widow. did not want Billy to bring a
wife into the home so long as she re-
mained ia it, and Billy. always easy and
ohliging, had acceded TO her wishes.
After his mother died a brother's
wife, weakly and widowed. came with
her httle child. and when she was gone
the neighbors said:
NOW Uncle Billy is your time to get
good VIE You need one to take care
of you and that boy You've been tax
ing care of people all your life now
make up your mind to be looked after
yourself"
But Uncle Billy only smiled good
naturedlv and said that he was too OLD
AD AO Sky letihAuEs nunLlnE IOT wire
and he was very sure no one who knew
him would have him.
When Nancy reached home she sat
down i'm a nervous futter to look a her
valentine. What she read was not con-
ducive to calmness;
MY dear N. e., viii you be mine.
Forever and ever my yalentine2
"Be his valentinei" she said wavinf
her hand around to the skimp furnish
ines of her room, why. of course I'll bt.
glad to be it. Glad to be an aunt to thar
poor boy. too NY. but just think os
that great. big. dirty house / reckol.
u have to go to house cleaning right
away even if it is somewhat early
Then she fastened to write her answer
ON the reverse side of the page con-
tinuing her solioauy.
can answer it back in rhyme but
plain prosell do, guess I always
knewed Mr. Jenkins was learned, but
never knowed before that he could
poetic This little lace paper thing I'm
put In the Bible with my other precious
tokens"
The next evening Billy was trotting
around the kitchen trying to set sun
per His uncle came in, and rubbing