Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-03-10
Corner In
Valentines.
By CLARISSA MACKIE.
,pyriehted. 1908. by P. G. Eastment.

MT. llmOtny Sc0tt IOr tue iOurtH lille
that morning.
Just moment, Mr. Scott" said the
busy clerk apologetically. "You see we
are very busy today" he continued,
hastily making change for a small girl
who had purchased a valentine. ITO
morrow's Valentine day. you know"
81 ought to know" growled Mr.. Scott
irascibly "You have informed me Of
that fact four distinct times this morn
ing Do you mean to say that all these
people are buying idiotic pictures to
send to their friends?"
''They are buying valentines-yes.
sir" returned the clerk, with an appre-
hensive glance toward the several GUS
toners. "Your paper will be ready in
moment, sir The package has not
been opened yet"
$50 busy selling valentines, OF course.
You needn't repeat the explanation.
snapped MIR. Scott, turning toward the
door. Pausing in the entrance, he look
ed back. The little stationer's was the
only shop of its kind in the village.
Here alone bloomed the flower garden
of valentines. Here alone was the
source of his annoyance. A diabolical
plan entered Mr.. Timothy Scott's clev-
er head. A voice interrupted his mus
ings
Here is your paper at last, Mr..
Scott" said the clerk affably. The old
gentleman looked about the store as he
pocketed the paper. The other custom
ers had departed; he was the only one
there.
"Show me all the valentines you have
In stock" he ordered sharply.
"Yes-yes, SIR" gasped the perturbed
clerk as he dived beneath the counter.
Presently he emerged. dusty and
breathless, bearing several large green
pasteboard boxes.
"These in the store" he said, indlcat-
ing the interior Of the small room, "and
these in the boxes are all we have"
Mr.. Scott looked around at the rows
of valentines. There were picture
postals, lace paper missives. few SILK
and satin beauties and an assortment
of the coarse "comic" valentines. All
of them expressed varied degrees OF
sentiment, and they were all respleh'
dent in cupids, intertwined hearts,
flowers and tender verses.
81 will take them ALL" said Mr.. TIM
othy Scott, reaching for his pocket
book.
The agitated shopman stared vacu'
ously until he caught the fierce gleam
I'm the customers eye; then, with tren'
bling fingers. he collected the valen-
tines and placed them in boxes. In
ten minutes the store was denuded OF
its festive array, and Mr.. Timothy
Scott was the proud possessor OF six
huge boxes Of valentines.
"Can you obtain any more for me!'
he asked sharply.
"No, sir" said the clerk. There
isn't another one In the village. ana l
couldn't get any one to drive twenty
miles 10 MllleEtoWi uitci 'oiS.
every good" said Mr.. Timothy Scott
as he paid his bill. 81 will send my
man after the boxes" he said as he left
the store and entered the storm of fly
ing flakes. There promised to he Il
heavy snowfall, and Mr.. Scott tramped
cheerfully toward his handsome home
very well satisfied with the result OF
his mornings work.
Late that afternoon old Benjamin
staggered into the house under the
| load of boxes from the stationer's, anu
his master ordered them placed In Il
corner Of the library, where he sat
toasting his feet before the pleasant
blaze.
"Dis yer paper is all de mall dey
was, sah," said the negro as he placed
the evening newspaper at his masters
elbow. Somehow. Mr.. Timothy, seems
like dey's powerful lot O excitement
down to de postorfis, sah."
"What sort Of excitement, Ben1a'
MINI" asked Mr.. Scott absently.
"Why, dunno 'sackly, sab. l heerd
Mr.. Downs say as how somebody had
boughten ebery valentine dey was In
Beechcove, and dey want one to be
he'd fer love er money, nohow. Some
axis like dey was put out about 1t.
'spect some gemman has a lot o lady
frien's he's gwine to member dis yer
day." he chuckled gleefully.
Timothy Scott's weazened little face
| flushed under its mat Of snow white
hair. "That will do, Benjamin" he
said gravely, and the old servant re-
tired.
81 dunno, Hetty," he confided to his
better half, who was washing dishes In
the kitchen, seems like Mr.. Timothy S
growing pesky irritable lately"
whats he been a-sayin' now?'
wheezed Hetty, numbering across the
room. 81 don't set no store by ole
bach's. Dey's powerful peevish and
hard to suit"
81 don't recomember what he sayed,
returned Benjamin obviously, "but he
did look like he mought be sayin'
something befo' long"
Mr.. Timothy Scott sat late before his
cheerful fire that evening with feel
l ing of discomfort beneath his white
waistcoat whenever his gaze encoun-
tered the pile of boxes In the corner of
the room.
"What are you going to do with us?'
they seemed to ask reproachfu!ly.
"Are you going to send us on our sew
eral ways to cheer sorrowful lovers
and make little children smile|'
No. Mr.. Timothy Scott was not going
to help the valentines to fulfill their
several missions. He frowned aggres-
sively into the fire, and the glowing
embers sent shafts Of light up the
chimney and framed pictures in which
valentines pla. j maEy part, anu
that was very s'range too.
There was picture of girl, such
pretty girl, small and dainty, with
black hair and soft black eyes. She
wore a white gown and blue ribbon
and she was giving Mr.. Timothy Scott
valentine, and Mr.. Timothy Scott
seemed to be very glad to get 1t. And
there was another picture Of the same
girl, and white gown and blue rib
bon, but her eyes were full Of tears
and pleading, while Mr.. Timothy Scott
was frowning at her with thick brows
drawn closely together and very an
cry countenance, and young Mr.. Scot
turned away and left the girl, and ht
never once looked back.
Thirty long years had he waited fol