Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-02-05

hth sht tOA out AiAo Aht
road she was almost OF mind to
throw the money away. Huh! Nick
el!' she shifted. That won't buy any
thing decentr' She put the nickel In
her pocket. however and wiped away
two angry tears. Then she trudged So
berly along the snowy road in the wide
tracks left by the wood sleighs and the
pungs that had passed early that morn
lug.
Sarah Adeline Munford was nine
years old. She was a slim. pale faced
little girl with stiff straw colored hair.
and on her nose. by her own laborious
count, were twelve large freckles. She
recouDtsd them each week to see II any
had disappeared. for she despised them.
For the last week Sarah's heart had
been troubled and as Valentines day ap-
preached her trouble grew larger. Ordi-
narily Sarah Adeline was Of a complacent
nature and not often stirred from a GER
tain placid innocence which seemed to
hang about her like cloud Where she
loved she loved In secret bliss. taking
greater pleasure in the daring imaginings
of her young heart than in the more COM
monplace exhibitions OF sentiment dis
played by her schoolmates.
Sarah Adeline was not favorite with
boys. This she knew and accepted, though
she could not tell why II was so. Perhaps
her physical calm and outward depreca-
tory submissiveness of manner repelled
young SWANS and restrained their boyish
ardor.
So her affection for the sterner sex was
of a romantic spirituality. She raised up
her masculine ideals cherished them for
"a time and cast them down, only to re-
peat the process. She had but to appro-
pirate mentally the boy she considered
incest. and Immediately the vexed course
of true love was smooth under her con-
troll The little god smiled benignly on
her. and she knew no rival. When she
wearied of one spiritual admirer, there
was only the slight wrench of separation;
then gayly away to the next
For a month Willie Penn Dixon had
held supreme place In Sarahs heart.
though he knew it not They had walked
to and from school daily. they had to-
gether attended "socials' and prise
parties" they had even indulged in an
impressive marriage ceremony which Sa-
rah had devised from memorable incidents
of her grownup sisters wedding but Will
lie Penn knew nothing of 1t.
Indeed Willie Penn scorned Sarah Ade-
line. On the day Of the first snow that
winter he had given his sled sharp push
and sent 1t all alone down a little hilly
path to bump into the backs of Sarah's
thin legs. She sat down suddenly and
heavily in a snow bank, and there were
black and blue spots on her ankles after
ward He pinched her severely whenever
he stood next her in the spelling class
and tried to trip her when she took her
seat. In fact, he did all the horrid things
a vigorous out of door little ruffian could
do to an extensively innocent little girl.
but in determined feminine way. as old
as creation. Sarah Adeline continued to
adore
As St Valentines day drew near Sarah
heard much from the other girls about the
sending Of valentines. Melissa Marvin
had confided to Sarah one night on the
way home from school her purpose of be-
slowing upon Willard kitchell "a per-
fecty lovely" valentine, Melissa Mar
wins father gave her Is cents a week to
spend as she liked. She and Sarah went
around by Sanders store that night to
press their noses fiat against the window
and stare at a big. beautiful pink creation
that occupied the center Of varied and
wonderful group Of valentines. There
was soft white swansdown on the edge
of this gorgeous satin thing. 1t bristled
with fat, stufry looking little Cupids
were also elegantly embossed flowers In
bewildering wreaths.
Sarah Adeline gasped with admiration.
"Oh. Meliss!' she whispered.
That's 1t; that's the one. I'm going to
buy 1t for'-she whispered in Sarah's ear
for w. K...'
"Oh" Sarah Adeline could say no more.
Its 65 cents Pa asked Sanders yester-
day." continued Melissa. why don't you
yet valentine for some how ?''
II d. know but will-if l want to- an
swered Sarah with maidenly reserve.
AS she went home In the winter twilight
Sarah Adeline made a resolve. She would
send Willie Penn Dixon that pink valen-
tine II she could possibly buy It, And she
would send 1t to him without her name or
even her initials on 1t.
But the day before Cupids reckless
revel had come and poor Sarah Adeline
was almost without hope. The cents
her grandfather had given her. added to
her painful savings Of IS cents. was not
nearly enough to buy the wonderful pink
token. She had put into her regular pray.
er of the night before tender little petit
ton for "the big pink one dear Lord, In
Mr.. Sanders window" and had secretly
hoped to find 1t lying on her herringbone
pattern quilt when she awakened. To
lose her faith In Providence and to be de-
prived OF loves offering at a blow was
more than Sarah Adeline could endure.
The tears trickled of the end Of her
freckly nose as she plodded on to school
At the crossroads she met Willard
Kitchell.
"Helo!' said he.
Hello, Willard!' responded Sarah.
Whats matter?"
"Nothin'."
Iris too
Amt" Sarah dried her tears stub
bornly.
They walked along in silence, Willard
warily keeping an eye out for other boys
that he might quickly skip ahead and
avoid the shame of walking with girl.
For long Willard Kitchell had loved
Sarah Adeline. He had, in time honored
fashion, begun by plying her lonely es-
tate. The rest followed in due course.
Furthermore. he had never by word or
sign betrayed his passion to single soul,
much less to Sarah. In his trousers pock-
ct at that moment jingled comfortably 65
cents He, too, had desired the pink won
der and intended that very noon to buy it
for the object Of his love. He wanted to
tell her so now, but he refrained The
gorgeous valentine could speak his devo-
ton better than his words he dimly felt.
When they were still good way from
the schoolhouse. Willard Kitchel said to
Sarah:
"sompens goin' to happen tomorrow"
He gave a loud whoop and ran away be-
fore Sarah Adeline could answer. He was
a very fat, round boy, bundled up to his
ears in huge green scarf which his aunt
had knit him for Christmas and he could
not run fast Sarah might easily have
caught him If she had wanted to-
She gazed after him In astonshment and
only said, "My!'
At noon that day Willard Kitchell did
hof eat his lunch but raced down to San.
ders' and bought the pink satin valentine.
He addressed 1t to Miss Sarah Adelina
Munford, making many fourishes and
disI,la wing much red tongue. He had