Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-02-15

and opened it, She stared SO long at
the verse that Ruth offered to read it
to her, and did so, leaning confidently
against the Old Lady's arm. When
she finished she looked up for the an
swer.
Now, that certainly is sweet of
you,' said the Old Lady, all the peev-
ishness gone from her voice. do you
really want me to be your valentine?"
Eyes, do" said Ruth, and so It was
settled.
Won't you take off your coat and
stay while?" asked the Old Lady, in
tones that would have astonished her
long suffering attendants.
So presently Ruth was sitting on a
hassock in front of the fire, her cop
per-toed shoes buried in a white bear
rug, while the andirons, in the shape
of solemn looking owls, blinked their
round yellow glass eyes at her And
they all had beautiful time together
1t really was surprising how entertain
ing the Old Lady could be. She told
exciting tales of when she was lit
tie girl, and had white pony, which
she rode, down in Virginy." She ex-
hibited wonderful carved temples and
idols from Japan, and balls that open
ed and disclosed smaller balls which
held still smaller balls, until the last
one which was no larger than pea
She gave Ruth queer Chinese sweet
meats from a red lacquered box, and
ito keep for her very own," a fan,
edged with lace and adorned with
painted peacocks.
In return Ruth told all her childish
history, even about the greedy Mort,
gage, which was, she said:
$50 hungry we have to feed it all
the time, and it will eat anything. If
we didn't it would take our house.
Don't you suppose a Mortgage looks
like the Dragon in the Fairy Book?"
The Old Lady said she supposed it
was something like that She was en-
ioying Ruth's visit immensely. and
twice she laughed aloud at something
the child said so that the tall footman.
entering with the tea tray, jumped
so that he nearly dropped it, in sur
prise at the unusual sound.
They had tea together, and when
Ruth said she was not allowed real
tea, the Old Lady made the footman
make Cambria tea" for her, which he
did, under Ruth's directions, with an
air of condescension. They had plum
cake, too, but when a tall clock in the
corner chimed four, Ruth hastily
swallowed the last crumb of hers, and
jumped up.
'Oh, nave to be in by a quarter
past four, promptly, and your front
yard is so long that must hurry"
A pleasant face nurse came forward
from the next room, where she had
been sitting, to help Ruth with her
coat and rubbers, so Ruth kissed her
for thank you"
Then she ran to her Valentine,
threw her arms about her neck and
kissed her warmly.
1--WE had lovely time" she cried.
Don't forget l am your Valentine"
And the Old Lady, who probably had
not kissed any one in a great many
years, surprised herself by returning
the caress, and asking Ruth to come
again. Then she sent her home in the
carriage, with the two prancing
horses, to Ruth's intense delight. Her
mothers establishment, when she saw
her small daughter being solemnly as
sisted to alight by the grand footman.
was intense.
Ruth never saw her Valentine again,
for when she went, as she had prom
Used, the Old Lady was too ill to see
her.
While the Old Lady lay sick,
things went from bad to worse in the
small house. The mortgage was greed
Ter than ever; Mrs. Alison was sick
for month, and when she got well
her husband got cold, which he could
not seem to get rid Of He consulted
the doctor, who looked grave and adj
vised change of air. "A few weeks
ago in the South, now--I can do very
little If you stay here"
HE might as well prescribe a
change of head" said Papa cheerfully.
'I'll get well without that, Honey" he
told mis- wife.
But he did not get well, and at last
had to take two weeks vacation "to
get well in" and at the end of the two
weeks he coughed worse than ever.
and was almost discouraged.
Guess I'll hire myself out to cough
into monographs for an advertisement
for some cough medicine firm--a horri-
BILE example of neglected cold don't
seem to be good for anything else. If
it wasn't for that mortgage we could"
Could what was never said for
something in his voice made Ruth and
her mother both hug him tight, and
just then the postman rang.
Its big letter for you" cried
Ruth, dancing in. very glad to have
something to take his thoughts off the
mortgage.