Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-02-15
HIS SECOND valentine
BY Dorothy Dix.

Its no use, Arthur" said the woman,
looking straight before her and speaking
in a dull monotone to keep her voice from
trembling, Its no use. Our marriage is
a failure. I do nothing but make you
miserable with my reproaches. You break
my heart by your neglect, and we should
both be better off, and-and-happier-
If l went abroad indefinitely. That's the
haven, you know, of the virtuously di-
vorced-the people who are separated
without a scandal.
"Oh, I'm not blaming you," she went
on YEARLY. Il suppose it is inevitable
there was bound to come a time when
the fire of love would burn down and
leave nothing but ashes on the hearth
stone. Only, it chills me to DEATH" and
she shivered as she drew her lace trim
med morning gown closer about her shout
ders.
well, of all the unreasonable women
in the world you are the most illogical"
the man began ~fiercely, and then he turn
ed suddenly upon her. "In Gods name"
he cried, what does it take to make you
happy? You have the finest house in
town, you have diamonds, and horses and
automobiles, and everything that money
>aA oeSs W ial hl'At Az =" "a"'s
Nothing, nothing" she answered, with
a bitter smile that was not good to see,
Il have diamonds and automobiles-what
more could a woman want!'
The man arose and began putting on
his topcoat and hat. Il remember the
time when you thought yourself fortu-
nate to have a shabby house on a shabby
street and one maid-of-all-work," he sheer
ed, as he closed the door behind him.
"Ah,' moaned the woman under her
breath, as she watched him walk Town
the street, but l had you then"
An hour later Arthur Ellington, mill
ionaire merchant and director in half
a dozen gigantic enterprises, entered his
Office, nodded a curt good morning to the
clerks, who grew suspiciously alert at
sight of him, and passed with rapid foot
steps to his private Office, whose outer
sanctuary was guarded by a sandy hair
ed lad, whose hard, shrewd, worldly wise
little face looked as if it might have worn
out a dozen such bodies as the one it sur
mounted.
The swing door fell softly to behind
him, and in the doorway Ellington paus-
ed, for, perched upon a stool, his thin
little legs curled around it, his tongue
thrust into his cheek, his fingers clutch
ing a pen in a vise-like grasp, was Tom
my, the office boy, in the throes of liter
airy composition. The sight was an I'M
usual one, for Tommy, when not profess
~sionally engaged, was accustomed to be-
guile his leisure with 1.-THE Bandits
Bride" or 'Three-Fingered Dan, the Ter
ror of the Spanish Main," or literature
of like character, and Ellington smiled
with cynical amusement at the spectacle
of him turned author.
"Hello, Tommy he asked derisively,
writing poetry?"
Tommy looked up, startled and cha
grined at being caught, but there was an
unmistakable look of fright in his little
rat-terrier face as he urned it to his
employer.
yep" he answered laconically, wal
entine."
"Oh,' answered Ellington with a sud-
den liking for the boy he never felt be-
lore. He was a fighter himself, and the
lads courage appealed to him. Lets
see it."
Tommy handeu over proudly for his
inspection an ornate fligre paper affair,
adorned with a bleeding heart, surmount-
ed by two cooling doves. On the back Of
It ne udu ."IllIch iouDiJ III d UlS,
Uniformed hand
IF you love me like I love you
No knife can cut our love in two"
"Say, amt that a Jim Dandy? Amt
It a corker?' the boy asked as Ellington
finished reading it. "say, that's poetry
all right, all right, amt it,"
That's what it is, son." replied Ell
~iington with mendacious enthusiasm,
"who are you going to sem it TOT"
Jaw, quit yer s~tringin' me-" cried the
boy. me steady, of course and then
he added confdentially, Say, I've got to
square myself wild me calico, and that's
the reason l blew myself for his beaut,
for she's dead sore on me cause I amt
been jollying her lately. I tell her I'm
too busy, but that bunch Of excuses don't
60 with her, and I got to do her de grand
to make good wild her. But, say" he
went on with unabashed d~irectness, "ain't
youse goin' to send no valentines? Last
year de place where I works de boss had
NE hot-footin' 1t all day to swell de dolls
houses wild violets and candy, all done
mp like they was hearts. Amt youse
goin' to send one to your best Eiri
NO" said Ellington carelessly, II am
. married man"
where does dat cut any ice7" asked
the boy simply. "'CAuse you ties up wid
your STEADY don't make her lose her sweet
tooth, DOES I'll"
"Oh, Of eourse not" replied Ellington,
svas;velJ, "but Jou don't er-sr-er-
sr-psy yodr wife 70 many attentions -
you dc your sweetheart. you know"
Huh" runted the boy, I'm on. Be
fore youse marries you pushes de velvet
for all It's worth, but - DON AZ ysuse
gets De girl youse get the cold feet and
cuts out de love making. De way l
frames dat up IL amt giving de petticoats
. square deal. You touts It to 'em dat
yous soin' to fan 'em wild hot air Is long
% dey live, and den when you gets tired
an lays down on dc Job 1t amt playin'
eAir Wild EN- lou are weachins."
You DONE understand what 20 ars