The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-01-29
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'T just telephoned I couldn't come"

continue { waste your voice in riotous teephoning, Ransom Go out and take 1t all back. Isn't this---what dy call it?-Valentine's Day? nice time to pick out for disappointing some that's counting on you!''
 As he and the relieved Ransom went out to- that's counting you," And as he called up his number on the telephone he told himself that if But the maids voice responded to his Hello" , Mrs: MI ot Harwood ar"e i,aI hasn't come in yet sir Not till after the night session. . Yes as soon as she comes ir, sir.'
 It was one more jar to his feelings. A worse one, though, was that which came later at the hands of a fellow-senator, as the two men smoked stamp on letter they had been discussing liar wood suddenly demanded, in tone of airy per How many years, Totten, since you sent a val entine?"
 "A what?"
 ~ "A-a valentine"
 \ Caesars ghost! give it up The memory of man doesn't go back that far.'
 How about the memory of woman?"
 "Humph!" with unpleasant curl of the Tot ten lips. "It takes woman to shed that sort of want to give woman valentine thatll please her you'll give her of the kind your Uncle Sam gets out. He tapped his pocket book significantly. Every days Valentine Day for that kind"
 Perhaps the laugh with which Harwood received no other reply He even began secretly to summon troop of sophistries to prove that the theory was riously contend for instance, that it was repre- hensible in woman to prefer-say-a beautiful ring, selected by herself to please her taste. than some bthering idiocy in lace paper and dog gerel! He really did blush for himself, instead discriminating Tottens. And before he left the cafe he got clean crisp bills from the cashier and inclosed them in an envelope which he put into his pocket.
 The session--an executive one-wrangled on for hours Until, when eleven o'clock and, with it, the knowledgeethat vote could not be reached that night at least one senator quietly made his escape During Hull in the wrangling, the little god himself had seized upon Harwoods thoughts and set them face to face with the fact that for the first time since his marriage he had not eaten meal with his wife, and had scarcely spoken with her for twenty-four hours and that, after all, it the day of lovers and he to hold him after that.
 It was almost midnight when, as quietly as pos sible, he let himself into their apartment. The lights burning and for a moment, the Sen ator @ listened @ anxiously. I; But he seemed to have tried to get rid of his overcoat. In spite of him self slight groan escaped him. Instantly came his wifes voice from her room:
 'Is that you, Edward?"
 "Yes," carefully controlling his voice. I'll be in directy.'
 But before he could attack the overcoat problem from another point she was in the hall. He cursed wit enough to blush himself out of the pallor of which he conscious He did not wait for questions, but plunged into carefully careless plantations.
 "Can you help me off with my overcoat, A1iceg just had little tusse with who seemed bent on twisting my hand around till it pointed nor'nor-east while the rest of me headed sou west It 1t M to na anything s --ugh There that's all right. Thank you"
 With his left hand he hung up the coat. Then, as he turned to his wife, he glanced consciously down at the very rumpled front he presented.
 Don't look so distressed, dear. I'm all right but for that sprained wrist and sort of cupola my head. I think the fellow brass knuckles. Or else he was hard shell of some variety"
 The Senator gingerly felt of large lump his head.
 ''He must have seen me stow little money into
 
 and played corkscrew with my arm, he dived straight for that pocket"
 forth envelope at which he gazed in unconcealed
 oh 1ord! s he ne matered aue Hes got your val entine!"
 "My valentine!"
 There was vibrating note in the cry.
 ''Yes. He's gone and highway-robbed me of darned fool flagree paper thing that I've been lug boxes and yanking it back again, trying to sneak it into your box of flowers
 ''WeT sent And it was no credit to me that didn't send the valentine. too"
 Edward! Really and truly, did you get me a valentine?"
 She hung on his words
 "I did Just as tell you," he declared, with the air of throwing prudence to the winds; 'I got the most infanile thing in the valentine line that ever was made! And the most sentimental! And I never wanted anything in my life quite so hard as I wanted to send it to you"
 Of course he was much rumpled senator. any way. Otherwise the way she fairly burrowed into his embrace would have been most reckless. ''Wasn't it silly of me?" she confessed tremu- lously But I've been wretched all day, because I thought you didn't even know it was Valentine s Day"
 Didn't know it! Why, I've simply widowed in valentines. I'got diamond heart for you-its in my desk-and did send you flowers, and was going to give you this, too," handing the en- velope which the robber had failed to secure She glanced at the crisp bills inside.
 "Oh, thank you! It's awfully dear of you. You don't mind though do you, if l want the little valentine more than anything else? suppose It's just like me to be contrary"
 His face lighted up with pleasure and with sudden determinations; a determination which bore fruit in this advertisement the following day: , valentine: Fifty dollars reward (no ques- tions asked) for the return of the paper which was taken Wednesday night from man crossing the Capitol grounds The address IS on the en- , velOpe.'
 Within three days of grace which even the arid law allows for the discharge of an obligation the vanishing valentine at last delivered into tfc slender hands of Mrs. Senator Harwood whose