The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-02-20

sharp ones. the child said:
I'm St Valentine, and Eve brought this for
you"
Perhaps the cross old lady had been a black
eyed little girl herself once At any she made
protest the Brownie" envelope was laid on
her black satin knee. and St. Valentine took off
her mittens to warm her cold fingers at the fire.
The old ladys trembling fingers took up the
little missive, where all unknown to its bearer the
thumb OF one red mitten had printed rosy SEAL
and opened II. She stared long at the
that Ruth Offered to read it to her and did So lean
ing confldlngly against the old lady's arm. When
she finished she looked up for the answer.
'Now that is certainly sweet of you" said the
old lady, all the peevishness gone from her voice
DO you really want me to be your valentine! Z"
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 ong-suffering attendants.
SO presently Ruth was sitting Oh a hassock in
front of the fire, her copper-toed shoes buried in
white bear rug, while the androns. in the shape of
solemn looking owls, blinked their round yellow
glass eyes at her, And they all had a beautiful
time together. 1t really was surprising how enter
tanning the old lady could be. She told exciting
tales of when she was little girl, and had white
pony, which she rode, "down in Virgnny." She
exhibited wonderful carved temples and idols from
Japan, and balls that opened to disclose the small
er balls. until the last larger than a
pea. She gave Ruth queer Chinese sWcetmeats
from red lacquered box and ito keep for her very
own" fan edged with lace and adorned with
painted peacocks.
In return Ruth told all her childish history.
even about the greedy mortgage. which was she
said
$50 hungry 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 enjoying Ruth's visit immense
tVlpp tho nhnd or ,1d of +Io
child said that the tall footman entering with
the tea tray jumped so that he nearly dropped it,
IN surprise at the unusual sound
They had tea together and when Ruth said she
was not allowed real tea the old lady made the foot
make "Cambric tea" for her. which he did
under Ruth'S directions with an air of condescen-
sion They had plum cake, too. but when a tall
clock ehimed 4, Ruth hastily swallowed the last
crumb of hers and jumped up.
"Oh, have to be in by quarter past 4. prompt
ly, and your front yard is long | must hurry"
pleasant faced 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 to her valentine, threw her arms
about her neck and kissed her warmly.
'Tve had a lovely time" she cried Don't for
get | am your valentine"
And the old lady. who probably had not kissed
any one IN great many years, surprised herself by
returning the careSs and asking Ruth to come
again. Then she went home in the carriage with
the two prancing horses to Ruth's intense delight
Her mothers establishment when she saw her small
daughter being soemnly assisted to alight by the
grand footman intense.
Ruth never saw her valentine again. for when
she went, as she had promised to do the old lady
was too i'll to see her
While the old lady lay sick things went from
bad to worse in the small house. The mortgage
greedier than ever; Mrs. Alison was sick for a
month, and when she got well her husband got a
cold, which he could not seem to get rid Of He
consulted the doctor, who looked grave, and advised
him to seek change of air. "A few weeks in the
south, now can do very little if you stay here"
He might as well prescribe change of head"
said papa, cheerfully "Il get well without that
honey" he told his wife
But he did not get we'll and at last had to take
two weeks vacation, ITO get well in" and at the end
of the two weeks he coughed worse than ever, and
almost discouraged.
Guess I'll hire myself out to cough into phono-
graphs for advertisement for some cough med
icne firm; horrible example of neglected cold.
l don't seem to be good for anything else If it
wasn't for that mortgage, we could"
Could what never said for something in his
voice made Ruth and her mother both hug him
tight, and just then the postman rang
Its letter for YOU" cried Ruth dancing in.
very glad to have something to take his thoughts
off the mortgage
Papa opened it, and as he read the terrible
mortgage shriveled up into nothing but piece of
paper, and again had it any terrors for them
look here, honey" he cried, excitedly, to his
wife. who ran to read over his shoulder "Why
Ruth, you heiress! The old lady has died
and left you in her will, because you were her val
entine $4,000"
give thousand dollars! That will pay off the
mortgage and send you south to get WE'LL" ex-
claimed Mrs. Alison
''Will YOU lend me some of your money. Miss
Heiress, if l make over the house to you 2" asked
papa. laughing.
But Ruth crying because the old lady was
dead.
HIMnMTcC ANIMAL