Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-11-12
ON THE TRAIL
OF A valentine
Copyright, 1903, by T. G. Mcclure. .
;
By JESTER GRAY

single braid was surrepttiously
tweaked. nor did the usual feminine
litter greet each masculine failure at
the board The reason was not far
to seek. 1t was the work of the little
blind god-aided by natural vanity and
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 yet 1t
guarded its secrets jealousy, but Mt
the close of the afternoon session 1t
would be opened and its contents dis
tributed. The heads bent so studious-
ly over books We're 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 vain
effort to evince the usual interest in
skating and the respective merits of
each bobsed. Carson's head lowered
above them all The largest and old
est boy in 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 for
him to talk, but every one in school
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. Mely 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 Il stranger,
who in the 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
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 mail
bag, and there was unusual color in her
cheek. An unpleasant thought seized
him. Everybody thought that they
would get a valentine. Did Nelly think
so?
Jack was tender hearted Many q
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 rung
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 Carol Roberts,
Helen Wilkinson, Tom Brown" rapid
ly she read the names, and the recipi-
ents, blushing or sheepish, came up to
claim their own. Jack Carson had
quite pile, but he still looked anxious
ly at the bag
At length teacher held in her hand a
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 the
last week. There was a general MUIR
muir of surprise.
Nelly glanced about wildly. Her blue
eyes, shining with joyful tears. encoun-
tered pair of brown ones which
sought TO evadc them Jack blusned
up to his ears. There Were unspoken
question and answer before Nelly sank
back in her seat with a 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 Mely's shyness. She stepped
forward resolutely. It was Jack who
battered and backed away from the out
stretched hands
i want TO thank you," she said
brcathlessly, though the words don't
half tell what / feel l know why you
did 1t. 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? Il did it because
l 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 filed him with the
horror Of discovery and sent him hrr-
rying out into the frosty air.
That was the last st. Valentines day
FOR Nelly in the Briarton school. In the
spring her grandmother died, and she
went TO live with an uncle "in the city,
as folks vaguely said. And II was the
last for jack too. lie left school and
bent all his energies to the farm and
the happiness of his widowed mother.
lie stamped into the Briarton post
once one afternoon i'm expectation OF
nothing more exciting than a pile of
summer seed catalogues. When the
postmaster handed him out package
addressed IN feminine hand he gave
q low whistle Of surprise. One of the
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