The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-13

EAl door TO us, when little girl, live
. ~ the Hobrook twins They had a big hand
: some house with great attic, which mad
wonderful rainy-day playhouse We walked to anC
from school together we studied together, we reat
together, and shared the secrets the interests oil
schoolgirls Zoe Hobrook and | were constant com
panons, Martha and my sister Sudie were nseparabe
Every year after Christmas we used to save our
pennies and watch eagerly till Mr. Shaw, the old
bookseller in Bath, took the pencils ink bottles and
boxes of paper from his window, that he might fill
it with valentines. Whoever reached Shaws first and
found the valentines, gave such whoop it could
have been heard at the schoohouse. One year-the
February | was ten-I remember we girls found the
valentines at Shaw's. There gorgeous valentines
with white doves carrying goldettered in their
beaks, graceful ladies and gentlemen walking in spen-
did gardens violets and roses and the pumpest' and
pinkest of little cupids.
"They will all be sold long before Valentine Dav
whispered Zoe to me, Il going to have the first
pick this afternoon Which do you like best,
Lettice?"
decided lace paper valentine with rosy Gu
plds smiling through forget-mc-not wreath Sudie
chose magnificent lord and lady dancing mnuet
SudeS and my little purses empty 1t had
been hard winter and few pennies had come our
way That night when we asked father for some val
entlne money he looked grave for a minute I'm
sorry little daughters" he said but l don't know
where valentine pennies coming from this year.
for food and fire. even"
Sudie and stared at the logs blazing in the fire.
place. We didn't wish father to see our disappoint-
ment
Pm always ready to share up with my little girls"
to share up but the plainet living He laid his rough
hand caressingy on Sudies head.
we don't want any old valentines father" cried
Sudie while she threw her arms impulsively about
his neck 1--WE can make them ourselves"
I'll help you" said mother, there's lots of stuff
IN the house that can be used for valentines"
What secrets there in the cozy living-room
every, evening until the 18th of February Zoe and
Martha were not invited in had been the custom
ana there was always an excuse ready when they asked
US to run over after supper to the Hobrook house
mr. bard ,y;r,
ter meant nothing to them; their father was wealthy
captain.
valentines were finished. Mother had painted the
most graceful of rose and violet garlands the most
ntenke OF snowy doves and splendid gold and scar
let hearts She cut tissue paper with fine embroid-
cry SCISSORS TILL Sude said it looked like real point
lace we had pretty valentines for all of our school
mates mates but there were two thought marvellous
they were tor Zoe and Martha.
How mpatiently did wait that Valentine Dav for
the darkness to fall! Zoe, Martha, Sudie and I.
warmly bundled from head to foot waded through the
snow-dritts with the valentines inside our coats All
the boys and girls from the North End were over in
the South End playing the postnan, while the bows
and girls OF the South End waited for us indoors,
Peerng from darkened windows. With shouts and
laughter, we went foundcring through drifts after
each exciting rush up a doorstep to drop valentine
and ring the bell
We were almost too excited at supper-time to eat
30 mother excused us quickly then we few to dark
window in the hall where we could look straight into
tne hoiorook dlnng-room Zoe and Martha lost their
them We saw the old lady hustle into the dining
room The maid followed her with silver teapot,
ren same zoe and Martha rosy and excited We
waited to see the girls tuck their napkins under their
chns then Sudie and took our valentines and went
nylng through the snow to the Hobrook house We
tiptoed up the piazza and lifted the Aan of The
etter-box. The valentines dropped ON the Hoor then
Sudle gave the bell tremendous pull We heard Il
Laughing after we reached our yard and stood
nidqen behind the big doube-trunked elm Zoe and
marina peered out into the darkness We watched them
rush into the dining-room Supper stood uptasted
while they bent their heads our valentines Then
mother called us in to get warm
Halt an hour later mother had darkened the front
part OF the house and Sudie and wrapped in little
Shawls sat halfway up the broad, old fashioned stair
we looked through the fan-light into the front ward
"A splendid moon had come out, although the wind
still shreked ftfully Dozens of BOYS and girls from
t5e South End lifted the big knocker before eight
Sudie and l had ever received
Once Tor ten minutes there was silence not laugh
or or snout n the quiet street. not shadow against
ing Sr SNOW. lhen telt my arm pinched
IT IS Martha, said Sudie, in an excited whisner
"And Zoe" added "'ii9pei
a Inc gFls stole up the garden path The knocker
went ratat-tat through the still house. and we rushed
to the door. Sudie had almost opened II when
nia pas 81 wind raped it shut in her face We pulled
MIN all our might Zoe and Martha had disappeared
There, were no valentines on the doorstep, Father
Drought out lantern, then we found two white en-
ae ela tucked under the mat Sudie's name was
pi.eo on one ohe picked it up and flew with il into
the llWng-room. | had opened my valentine when
heard cry from Sude. She bent her head mon
ner arms YIN the table beside her lay an ugly vaien
1ne i pictured hideous creature with a fying
mop OF 4ery,red hair Poor Sudie she had hut one
grief Her hair was red that rude bows in school
hair gently. p''tsu tue leu
Don't you care, sweetheart" he said "Tt was son,e
young caawag who doesn't know better w;sb bo1 ia
caught him" he added furiousIy "isA :
IL wasn't boy" ! cried in a blaze of fury. These
Valentines came from Zoe and Martha
On, no: said mother, ''the girls would never do
,.. We saw them sobbed sudie; nobody else was