The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-07-20
A VALENTINE
VERSE

u1S was d 1OOllSu luluS W w, 6AO NAOu
ct is not usually foolish. But the girl in
question is exceptionally pretty and
charming, and Drouet did not then
know that she is as mischievous as de-
lightful. Had he known this it is pos
sible the verse would not have been
sent.
The girl scratches for living" by
means of the daily press and the maya
zines, SO she scanned the verse critical
ly, in more than one sense. She smiled
over it a little, amused, but nevertheless
pleased, womanwise, to receive it, read
it over several times after she almost
knew it by heart, and tucked it away in
the souvenir corner Of her desk: Then
she forgot all about it for some time.
ooh, just little bit of verse some
ore sent me" she explained with blush
when her dearest chum pulled it forth
one day and insisted upon looking it
over. 1--we been thinking I'd throw a
lot of that stuff away before long"
Which statement, if not strictly true,
served the purpose of changing the sub
ject. For the girl had begun to like
Drouct very much by that time, and felt
correspondingly unwilling to talk about
him. Again she read the paper, tucked
it away and forgot all about it once
more.
But last month she received letter
from a countryman of high-sQunding
name, who wrote that he was preparing
an anthology of Chicago poets. Might
he not include the name Of the girl, some
Of whose lovely verses he had seen, and
would she not kindly furnish him with
the names of other Chicago poets whom
she might know2
The girl, who had no mind to later
subscribe to costly, leather-bound,
deckle-edged list of unknown writer's,
merely for the not altogether unaccus-
toned pleasure of seeing her name in
print, briefly answered that she felt
quite unworthy of the offered honor.
She was about to close the letter when
a brilliant thought flashed into her
laughter-loving m!nG. She added a line
saying that John Drouet. Of No. - LA
Sale street, haG done some beautiful
verse.
The girl had no thought that she would
ever hear more from the matter, unless
indeed, John Drouet should happen to
mention that he had heard from the
downcountry literateur with the i'm
pressive name. But she laughed mer-
rily over the matter in secret every time
its memory required to her She hoped,
too, that John Drouet would somehow
manage to let her know if he did hear
from the anthology compiler SO that
she might enjoy some open merriment
q. his expense. The anthology man evil
IDENTIFY believed in prompt action. Three
days after mailing her own reply the
girl received, a letter from the man
whose verse she had recommended.
Dear Miss Martha" so he addressed
her, the Enclosed letter is self-explan-
atory. Since you were good enough
to recommend my poetry to this man,
be good enough to write something for
ue to send him. You know l can't
write poetry. In fact, never wrote
but one bit of verse in my life"
Pinned to the top Of this letter Was
! lorid epistle from the astrological
compiler. The ford epistle explained
HAT Miss Marcia Cunning, Washing
ION boulevard, had spoken admiringly
IF John Drouet's verse. The girl. high
~ amused, was by no means ready to
tetire from the field in favor of John
Drouet. She copied the valentine verse
and sent it off to the author.
"How about this for real poetry?"
she tersely inquired.
THAT verse is not mine, but yours, y
came back the speedy answer. Il
wouldn't have the nerve to call 1t poet
ry, any more than you would II you
weren't trying to have fun with me.
Besides, never write for publication;
I wrote it for you.'
81 will waive all rights in the val
ent1ne poem and sign statement to
this eject" replied Miss Martha, by
return. mail. Far be it from me to
stand in your literary light. Send the
anthology man your-my-verse with
with my blessing. Let me know when
your name gets into print"
She felt quite happy over this bril-
Liant plsce Of strategy: she Was so