Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-02-14
Eyes, it's Flora,'' said Jointly, laughing.

Eyes, it's Flora said Jointly, laughing.
/ knew we'll enough that the valentine
was going to Flora before I asked Jointly.
She was the prettiest girl in the town,
and all the young men were wild about
her. Nobody looked ut her sister Hannah,
though she was a nice girl. Sometimes
l used to think maybe she would be full
as nice to get along with as Flora, though
she did nave a dull skin, and dull color of
hair and a homely nose. Hannah l>,dn't
a good feature in her face except her
eyes, which were as brown and honest as
a good dogs
Well, after Jonty's valentine was fin
ished we left it on the sitting room table
and went out to see a man who had come
to ask about some wood, and | went out
in the kitchen to bake some cake. Pretty
soon / saw Grandma Page with her big
gray shawl on and her white hood, kind
of rockin' down the front walk in IA way
she had. She was quite stout. | thought
to myself l guessed she was goin' to run
into Mrs. Atkins. She used to do that
quite often it was only a step down the
street, and she wasn't feeble at all.
In a little while Jointly came through
the kitchen on his way to the sitting room
to get his valentine. Then he come run
min back.
''Why, where is it. Aunt Jane?' said
he.
why, amt it there on the table where
you left it?'' said l.
mo, it amt said he.
"Why, that's dreadful funny said l.
l wiped the Hour off my hands and went
in to look, but there was no valentine
there. We searched everywhere, but we
I ! CT "a: W., ,., lr,,o Io M
back we questioned her, then the mystery
was solved, as we supposed. She SAID, IN
her little, soft. innocent way. like an old
baby's, that she had been down to the
postofice thinking there might be a letter
from Edward. Edward was her son out
west, and she had posted the valentine.
After supper that night Hannah came
in. Grandma had gone to bed, and
Jointly had run down to the store on an
errand. / saw in n minute that some
thing had happened. Hannah didn't look
like herself. Her dull cheeks were pink,
her eyes shonc, and she looked almost
pretty.
ooh, Aunt Jane she said-she always
called me Aunt janet saw him go past
and knew he wasn't here, or 1 wouldn't
have come"
"What do you mean-what is the mat
ter, child?" said I, for she was laughing
and crying all together.
81 had to tell somebody, I was so hap
py," said she 'and Flora has got Mark
| Williams calling on her, and mother is
away, and"
"Why, what is it, what has happened?'
said L.
"Oh, don't you, don, you know?' said
she.
mo, I DON'T said I.
"Jonty has sent me a valentine she
whispered, then down her head went on
my lap, and she cried and cried for pure
iov. ooh. Aunt Jane she sobbed out,
81 never thought anybody would love me.
I thought it would always be Flora and
now it's me, and-I've always thought
Jointly was better than anybody else. Oh
Aunt Jane, I'm not half good enough fol
him. 1 wish I was pretty like Flora
but I do love Jointly, and l will try tc
make him happy"
was so bewildered I didn't know what
to do. I put my hand on the girls head
and tried to hush her, snd then I heard
n noise, and looked up, and there was
Jointly standing in the door. and he had
heard every word. And Hannah looked
up and saw him, and sprang to her feet
and ran straight to him, and was sobbine
on his shoulder.
I shall never forget Jonty's face as he
looked at me over her head. He was sc
kind and gentle that in all his bewilder
ment his arm had gone round the poor
little thing, and he was stroking her heac
as if she had been a lost kitten. And
shall never forget the sound of my owr
voice, it was so queer and faint, as I sait
to him: