The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-02-26
A USEFUL VALENTINE


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 a dignided young person
with I'D ways.
There is place in all girls hearts
vacant until it is filled by some young
fellow. This place had been filed for
Della. but neither he who filed 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 ould hear.
Henry Robbins. bank clerk. was
the youth whose image had found a
pre-emlnent place in her vision. Aft
er all. in youth is it not the image
that makes the impressiony Marriage
among very young people is certainly
lottery.
When Della ON the morning of the
14th Of February received a valentine
addressed in Henry's handwriting-sh
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 a valentine indicated that
he considered her a chit. There was
one redeeming feature-it had been
mailed in a plain envelope. But pres
emily this feeling wore off and there
was something very delightful about
the little stamped thing bedaubed with
cupids, Notwithstanding that she dep
recated Henrys having sent it to
person Of such advanced age as her
self Pasted to its center was a little
silver gewgaw star, underneath which
was written "Star Of Hope" While
the address on the envelope was un-
mistakably Henry's, Della was not
quite certain that the writing under
the star was his. 1t looked more like
the hand of much younger person.
But she preferred to think that it was
Henry's work, and why shouldn't 1t
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 lei him know. And
how would she do this? BY sending
him the star. 1t was all plain as the
sun In heaven after she had thought
it 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 If man had re-
ceived such a missiye he would never
have suspected that the star had any
meaning whatever; 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 peasure-to inform him
of the fact. So she detached the star,
put it in little envelope, such as is
used for sending cards, and slipped II
In a letter box.
Tim" said Henry Thorpe on the
morning of the 10th 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 l sent"
Henry had been very busy with the
mail on the 18th. Tim Butler had
that day been addressing valentines
Oh Henry's desk. Henry had written
Della Thorp an invitation to so to the
skating rink with him ON the evening
of the 10Th, 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 all this Henry
reasoned out very readily. But as to
deducing what the star meant he was
as stupid rs an owl. There was moth
ing for him to do but explain the
matter to Della. He diu SO in note
stating that a valentine belonging t.
an office boy had got into an envelope
intended to contain an invitation 70
go 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 its effect upon
Della. She received him very coolly
when he called and declined to go out
He sat down with her and tried tC
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 al
impossibility with him Surprising
that Della was mifred at his sending
her valentine, he apologized for do
ing so, declaring that a man Of his age
who would send a girl a paper made
star should be relegated to the nurs
cry. This didn't improve mat.