The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-09-03
ON THE TRAIL
OF A VALENTINE
By LESTER GRAY
Copyright, 1903, by 7. c. Mcclure.


Peace and harmony had descended
upon the Briarton district school. No
a single braid was surreptitiously
tweaked. nor did the usual feminine
litter greet each masculine failure a
the board. The reason was not fal
to seek. 1t was the work of the little
blind god-aided by natural vanity anC
the desire of excelling. 1t was st
Valentines day.
Many an anxious eye was turned to
ward the canvas mail bag hanging be
fore the teachers desk. AS vet Il
guarded its secrets jealousy, but Al
the close of the afternoon session il
would be opened and its contents dis
tributed. The heads bent so studious
ly over books were filled with fancies
never garnered from their dull pages
AT recess the girls walked in twos
and threes. with mysterious whisper
ings and shy glances. The boys gath
cred In an awkward group in the vair
effort to evince the usual interest IL
skating and the respective merits OF
each bobsled. Carson's head lowered
above them all. The largest and old
est boy i'll school, he felt that it be
hooved him to put aside childish
things and take up the dignity of man
hood. In this spirit he had declared
that valentines were plumb foolish
ness" and that he, for one, should not
send any.
But the boys greeted his remarks
with derision. 1t was all very well FOL
him to talk but every one in schoo
would send valentines, and every one
would get them except perhaps Nelly
Anderson.
Jack glanced over at the window
Yes; there was the forlorn little figure
looking out wistfully. Nelly never came
out with the others, for she was practi
cally friendless. 1t was not because
she was homely, though the boys made
many sly gibe at her red hair and
pale cheeks But she was stranger
who in the. first shock of orphandon
had come to live with her grandmother
In her grief and shyness she had with
drawn from the first advances, and
Brarton, unused to being snubbed. haG
thenceforth 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 mai
bag. and there was unusual color in hel
cheek. An unpleasant thought seized
him. Everybody thought that they
would get a valentine. Did Nelly think
so?
Jack was tender hearted. Many a
battle had he fought to release some
tortured kitten or unhappy bird. He
was afraid to see the misery in Mely'S
face when she alone was unremem
bered. by the time the bell had runl
for incoming his mind was made up.
1t was on the stroke of 3 when the
teacher stood up and drew the first val
entine from the bag. a'arol Roberts
Helen Wilkinson. Tom Brown" rapid
ly she read the names, and the recipi
ents, 5lushing or sheepish, came up tC
claim their own. Jack Carson had
quite pile, but he still looked anxious
ly at the bag.
At length teacher held in her hand q
box of generous size. Miss Amelia
Anderson she read slowly.
Meiy rose mechanically and walked
up to the desk. When she reached hen
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 the
last week. There was a general muir.
muir of surprise.
Nelly glanced about wildly. Her blu,
eyes, shining with joyful tears, encoun.
tered pair of brown ones which
sought to evade them Jack bushed
up to his ears There were unspoken
question and answer before Nelly sank
back in her seat with little sigh OF
satisfaction. She knew, but somehow
Jack did not mind her knowing.
Yet he had boys distaste of Scenes
and so fingered behind the others with
the ostensible purpose of helping teach.
er. But when he came out into the
half light of the entry a little figure
was waiting for him. Gratitude had
overcome Melys shyness. She stepped
forward resolutely. 1t was Jack who
faltered and backed away from the out
stretched hands.
Il want to thank you" she said
breathlessly. though the words don't
half tell what | feel. | know why you
did it, You are a kind good boy, and
| will never forget It,"
Jack gazed down into her shining
eyes. Why had he never before noticed
how blue they were? II did 1t because
| wanted to, Nelly" he said gently. Il
was glad to do it," An unusual emo.
ton held him spellbound till teachers
steps on the stair filled him with the
horror of discovery and sent him hur-
rying out into the frosty air
That was the last St Valentines day
for Nelly In the Brarton school. In the
spring her grandmother died, and she
went to live with an uncle "in the city"
as folks vaguely said And 1t was the
last for Jack too. He left school and
bent all his energies to the farm and
the happiness of his widowed mother
He stamped into the Brlarton post
office one afternoon in expectation of
nothing more exciting than a pile OF
summer seed catalogues. When the
postmaster handed him out a package
addressed in feminine hand he gave
a low whistle of surprise. One of the
bystanders yentured the surmise that
1t must be n valentine
Ink lanphnd rs hn said nnsilv. ~