Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1910-02-11

BY BERTHA o. ALSoP.s
Copyright. 1910, by. American Press Asso-


scaatlon.js z.3s55
Della Thorpe was passing out of the
age when g1rls send or expect valen-
tines At least she personally. con-
sidered them as more fitted for chill
dren than for grownup young ladies
Of seventeen like herself. But Della
was rather dignif1ed young person
with old ways. -, ~. ~. i:
There is asplace, in AL girls hearts
vacant until sis filled by some young
fellow. This place had been filled for
Della, but neither he who filled It nor
any one else knew Of the fact Della
herself was afraid even to breathe his
name in her prayers, fearing some or
binary mortal without sentiment. Or
sympathy would hear. Z
Henry Robbins, a bank clerk, was
the youth whose image had found q
pre-eminent place in her vision" Aft
er all, in youth is it not the image
that makes the impression? Marriage
among very young people is certainly
lottery. "1 r.
When Della on the morning of the
18th of February received a valentine
addressed in Henry's handwriting-she
had received one note from him and
treasured it, locked in her jewel box
she was surprised. She tried at first
to make herself think that she was
displeased. Henry was five years her
senior, and it occurred to her that his
sending her valentine indicated that
he considered her chit. There was
one redeeming feature---it had been
mailed in a plain envelope: But pres
emily this feeling wore of and there
was something very delightful about
the little stamped thing bedaubed with
cupids, Notwithstanding that she dep
recated Henry's having sent it. to "a
person Of such advanced age as her
self. Pasted to it's center was little
silver gewgaw star, underneath which
was written ,''Star Of Hope" While
the address on the envelope was I'M
mistakably Henry's, Della was not
quite certain that the writing under
the star was his. It looked more like
the hand Of much younger person.
But she preferred to think that it was
Henry's work, and why shouldn't it
be since he had addressed the envel-
ope? Why had he called it the star
Of hope? Because it expressed hope
that she would be his valentine, of
course. Well, what next? Why, he
expected that if there was hope for
him she would let him know. And
how would she do this? BY sending
him the star. It was all plain as the
sun In heaven after she had thought
1t out.
Some crusty bachelors, most Of them
woman haters, assert that women have
not logical brains. This process of rea-
soning on the part of one Of the sex
no older than her. eighteenth year is
an excellent refutation Of these mems
assertion. Ten to one # man had re-
cefved such missive he would never
have suspected that the star had any
whutever; would have thrown
''the thing'' into the wastebasket and
left the sender to find out whether or
no there was hope for her by asking
him point blank.
Pardon this depression. Della Thorpe
knew In her heart that there was a
great deal Of hope for Henry Robbins,
and she deemed It her duty-it was
certainly her pleasure-to inform him
of the fact. So she detached the star,
put it In a little envelope, such as is
used for sending cards, and slipped it
in a letter box.
'Tim," said Henry Thorpe on the
morning of the 18th Of February to
an Office boy There is some mistake
here You. were sending valentines the
other day. Do you know anything
about this?'
Its. star that was on one Of the
valentines sent"
Henry had been very busy with the
mail on the 18th. Tim Butler had
that day been addressing valentines
on Henry's desk. Henry had written
Della Thorp an invitation, to go to the
skating rink with him d the evening
Of the 18th, and it was evident that
Tins girl had been, invited to the rink
while Henry's girl had been sent the
star Of hope valentine. ::
The practical part Of al this Henry
out very readily. But as to
deducing what the star meant he was
as stupid as an evil There was moth !
ing for him to do but explain the
matter to Della. He did 50 in note
stating. that valentine belonging to
an Office boy had got into an envelope
intended to contain an invitation to
60 with him to the skating rink. add
ing an apology for having sent the
valentine. He would call at 8 o'clock
to take her to the rink.
Such brutal treatment, though unin- |
territorial, naturally had it's effect upon
Della. She received him very coolly |
when he called and declined to go out,
He sat down with her and tried to-
find out what was the matter, but he |
was not up to the work. To reason
out the problem as Della had reasoned
out the star of hope matter was an |
with him. Surprising
<hot norio woe miffod at his sondfno