Middletown transcript., 1907-02-02
A BURIED VALENTINE
BY ELIZABETH ROBERTS MACDONALD

The snow still fell, but the gale
had died away, and the worst
storm of the winter was nearly
over. Agnes Clifford, looking
out of the parlof window, re-
ioiced in the great drifts.
Aunt Caroline, she exclaimed,
turning to a frail:looking lady in
heavy black who sat near by, |
am going for a snow shoe tramp
OYER those splendid drifts. You
Won't be lonely with your new
riovel, dear, will you?
! Aunt Caroline hesitated a mo-
|ment. In her own secret heart
she considered snoW-shoeing an
unla y-likes Rsenent. Buther
late husband had Sid to her, a
few days before his death: he
member, Caroline, i is your daty
to make Agnes happy, and this
Injunction was always sounding
in her.ears.. Besides long walks,
skatingand shoeing brought
Mora color and brightness TO the
clear-cut girlish face than any
other occupation-except per-
haps that of painting, and that
was a suitable employment in
Aunt Caroline's opinion Agnes
thought Of that, too, as she no.
ticed her auut's hesitation, and
she said: I will take my sketch
book, and bring you back some
thing pretty, if I can.
Very well, my child, Mrs. Cas-
tleton consented; but wrap your
self up warmly, and take Bevis
with you for company. Remem-
ber, I shall be anxious if you
stay too long.
A few minutes later Agnes
kissed her aunt good bye, with
merry: Only for an hour or
two, auntie, and went out through
the kitchen to give her directions
to Hepzibah.
Don't forget aunt's cup of
cocoa at eleven, Hepsie; and look
in occasionally to see if she wants
anything.
Law sakes, Miss Agnes, you
amt ever going out in this snow!
You'll get lost and frozen and
buried in the drifts!
Oh, dear, I hope not. Agnes
laughed; but if I'm not home by
twelve, you will know it is time
to dispatch John for me!
John came in at this moment
and stood by the door, stamping
and shaking himself free Of his
white covering.
Bless1your heart, Miss Agnes,
be you going to look for a valen-
tine !: You won't find more, in
weather like this, I'm afeared
Why, is this Valentines Day ?
Agnes cried /; had quite for
gotten. Who knows, l may find
8, gnome-king, or a fairy prince,
who will come alive, in the fields
to-day.
She waved goodbye to the ad.
miring old couple who watched
her from the doorway, and swung
off with the long. easy tread Of
an experienced snow-shoer. Be-
Wis, the big st. Bernard, plunged
heavily after. They made a
pretty addition to tile winter
landscape-the tall girl in her
blue coat and toque, and the
beautiful, massiyely built dog.
The fields spread spotless and
uneven before them the spruce
woods to the left we're magnifi-
Gently draped in white. Agnes
went down over the wheat field
and through the billy sheep-pas-
ture, in the direction of the heav-
ily-wooded ground at the back
of the farm. The air was not
too cold for dreams, and she
found herself going back to the
happiest year, she could remem.
Der in her life.
Agnes had been left an orphan
when a very little eliild! She
could not remem Der her parents,
but she had their portraits and
thought of them always as they
were in those beautiful minia-
tures-the smiling, radiant boy
and girl IN the first pride of their
p = -4r
love. Her Uncle Castleton, a
wealthy man not blessed with an
appreciationof children, had sent
her to- a good boarding school as
ssooassas she was old enough.
Then fle and Aunt Caroline moved
to New Brunswick, and as the
select schoolseemed to him quite
satisfactory little Agnes was left
behind to be trained up TO. young
Jadyhood. Aunt Caroline had
felt-a mild wish 10 keep the child
with her. but she never dreamed
of expressing either wish or
opinion opposed TO those of her