Evening journal., 1903-09-11
Q Q Q . Q , . 9 G . 9 % Q Q Q . . . 8
ON THE TRAIL
OF a VALENTINE
By lester CRAY

single braid was surroptiuoufiy
tweatcd. nor Ga tl.o usual feminine
litter greet each masculine failure at
The board The reason was not far
to sock. II was the work Of the little
hiSd eod aided by natural vanity and
m desire of oxccllinr. It was ST.
Valentines day
Many an anxious eye was turned TO-
ward. the cnnvas mail bag hanging be-
fore the tcsfcher's desk. AS yet II
guarded its secrets jcalously. but at
the close Of the afternoon session It
would be opened and its contents dis
tributcd. The heads bent so suudious-
" oyVr books were filled with fancios
mover garncrod from their dun pages.
At recess the girls walked IN twos
and threes. with mysterious Whisper
ngs and shy glances. The boys gath
cred fn an awkward group In the vain
effort 10 eyince the usual interest IN
sknting ana the respective morits Of
each bobslcd Carson's head toweaod
above thcm all. The largest and old
est boy Ia school, he felt that it be-
hooved him TO put aside childish
things and take up the dignity Of man
hood Fn this spirit he had declared
that valentines were plumb foolish
moss" and that ho, for one, should not
send any.
But the boys greeted his remarks
with derision. II was all very well for
him 10 talk, but every one IN. school
would send valentines, ana every ono
would GET them except perhaps Nelly
Anderson
Jack glanced over at the window.
Yes; there was the forlorn little figure
looking out wistfully Mely never came
out with the others, for she was practi-
caily friendless. It was not because
she was homely, though the boys made
many a sly gibo at her red hair and
pale cheeks. But she wns a stranger,
who IN tho first shock Of orphandom
had come to live with her grandmother.
In her grief and shyness she had with
drawn from the FIRST advances. and
Briarton, unused to being snubbed, had
thencefQrth left her strictly alone
AS the bell rang and they filed back
into the classroom Jack again glanced
at Nelly. She was looking at the mail
bag. and there was unusual color i'm her
cheek. An unpleasant thought seized
him. Everybody Thought that they
would get a valentine. Did Nelly think
sol
Jack was tender hearted. Many
battle had he fought to release some
tortured l&tten or unhappy bird lie
was afraid TO see tho misery in Moly's
face when she alone was unrcmem-
bered. BY the time the beil' had rung
for nooning his mind WINS made up.
1t was on the stroke OF g when the
tcacher stood up and drew the first val-
entine from the bag. Carol Roberts,
Helen Wilkinson. Tom Brown" rapid
/ " she eead the names. and the recipi-
ents, blushing or sheeplsh. came up to
claim their own. Jack Carson had
quite a plo, but he still looked anxioss-
/ ly az tho bag.
AZ length teacher held in her hand n
box Of generous size. Miss Amelia
Anderson" she read slowly.
Nelly rose mechanically and walked
up to the desk. When she reached her
seat again the fingers which opened The
precious package trembled violently.
The lifted lid disclosed the prize valen-
tine. which had reposed In admired
state in the drug store window for tho
last week. There was a general muir
muir OF surprise
Mely glanced about wildly. Tier blue
eyes, shining With joyful tears, encoun-
tered pair OF brown ones which
sought 20 evade them. Jnck hlushed
up TO hts cara 1'horo were unspokcn
question and answer before Nelly sank
\ back IN her scat with little sigh OF
4 satiafaction. she knew, but somehow
Jack did not mind her knowing.
Yet no had boys distaste OF scenes
and so fingered behind the others with
tho ostenslbio purpose Of helping teach.
er. But when he came out into the
half light Of The entry q little figure
wN waiting for him. Gratitude had
overcome Mely's slgness. She stepped
. forward resolutely. II was Jack who
faltored and backed away from the out
d stretched hands
p Il want to thank YOU" she said
brcaihlessly, though the words dom
half ten what I feel I know why you
did IT, You are kind, good boy. anj
I win never forget H."
Jack gazed down into her shining
eyes, Why had he never before noticed
how lEue they We're? "I ala it becaus,
. I wanted 60. Nelly" he said gently. 81
was glad 10 do it, An unusual emo
don held him spelibound tn teachers
steps on the stair filed him with IN,
horror Of discovery and sent him hur
rting out into the frosty air.
That was the last ST. Valentines da,
3 for Nelly IN the Brinrton school In th,
spring her grandmother died. and sh.
went to live with an uncle Gin the city,
as folks vaguely said And It was thi
last for Jack TOO. lie left school an,
bent an HIS energies 20 the farm an,
The happiness Of his widowed mother
He stamped into the Brarton pos
Office one afternoon IN expectation o
nothing more exciting than q pile O
summer seed catalogues When hi
postmaster handed him cut a package
addressed IN a feminine hand he gavD
a low whistle OF surprise. One OF tn
bystanaers ventured the surmise tina
II must be n valentine.
Jack laughed as he said easily:
guess not. I'm not enough OF n ladies
man 70 receive valentines. But tomor
, row is Valentines day. after all hS.
forgotten an about It,"
Something seemed to keep him frcu
opening the package under the eyes OF
the curious. II was pot till he was wei