The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-03-01
BY MARION c. ENRIGHT
Copyright by American Press Asso-
alton. 1911.

the little kitchen garden near the
orchard. the succulent heads of lettuce
and later the hard cabbage balls had
fallen victims TO the Unsuitable appe
tite of Billy the goat.
or course the Franklins were very
sorry about IL and tried TO confinG
Billy within hastily constructed
fence. but that sagacious and resource
full animal had viewed the structure
OF wood and wire with contemptu-
Gus eye before he utterly demolished
1t and resumed his invasion OF Drusil-
las garden. Drusilla hated him. and
the Franklirs loved him.
This crisp February morning Dru-
sllla came 10 the glass door that led
from her sitting room into the south
porch. and. standing there bathed in
the sunlight. she planned her garden
for the coming year.
Now. Drusilla In her minds eye
! could see the beds blooming once
more with roses and pinks and sweet
| williams. phlox and marigods and
mignonette. while the bafiled Billy
peered through the pallngs.
Little Bessie Franklin ran through
her own yard waving an envelope
frantlcally. "Oh. mother" Drusilla
heard her shout. somebody has sent
me yalentlne.'
So this was st. Valentines day
Drusllla's red lips pressed into n thin
red line as she remembered that there
was one other thing in the world she
detested rs heartily ms she did the goat
Billy. and that was st. Valentines
day. The hot color flew to her checks
as she recalled events which had hap
pened ten years before and which had
thereafter made that anniversary de-
testable day.
She had not been engaged to Greg
DRY Ware, but on the 18th of February
Gregory had said to her that there
was something to be settled between
them. you'll know tomorrow, Dru-
slla. and you'll believe what you get,
won't your he had whispered in an
agony of embarrassment. for Gregory
was the shiest man In the world.
And Drusila had guessed that he
was to confess his love I'm a valentine,
and she was radiant with happiness.
for she would joyfuly believe any
thing he might say to her i'm the ten
der missive. So she had told him shy
ly that she would see what II said and
so put him off while her heart was
beating wildly.
Then the next day had come. and
there was no valentine, and the next
and the next. and IL had never come
Drusilla had grown very stiff and hurt,
and Gregory had never come to ask an
explanation. and after awhile he went
away 10 another village and found
work there. and Little River saw him
only occasionally and Drusilla not at
all.
So Drusilla always avoided going to !
the postofilce on Valentines day that |
she might evade even the appearance |
of being interested in the anniversary
of the good saint. But today-and she |
frowned as she recollected it-there |
was n matter Of sending a money or
der TO the city that must be attend |
ed to, for nm impecunious cousin
had written and asked for loan to
tide over financial difficulty. Dru-
silla Fowler was not n shirller where
duty presented itself, and so she swal-
lowed her repugnance and buttoned
herself into thick warm cloak and
pinned on her most becoming hat, for
Drusilla had pride In her appearance.
Her adventures began from the very
moment she passed out OF her own
yard into the street The Franklins'
goat was hungrily browsing on the
privet hedge that surrounded his mas
ter's yard, and as he turned his little
evil eye on Drusilla she lnvoluntarily
uttered vicious little "Scat.
Billy wheeled about on the pivot of
his hind legs. reared himself menac-
ingly. dropped his head and made one
dive after Dr,isilla Fowler But she
had gone. With the speed OF an ante
lope she had picked up the skirts OF
her long clock and darted down the
street. the angry goat leaping after
her with increasingly swift gait
Men dashed to head him Off and
lodged his threatening horns; women
screamed and took to the opposite
oiut VI tue StTttts C0lluTen scattered
like chaff until there only remnined
on the long street the flying red cloak
ed form OF Drusilla Fowler and the
plungins gray coated Billy after her.
The first building into which she
might safely turn was the postofiice.
1t stood ut the corner OF the main
street and the road that ran TO the
river. The doors were usually wide
open even In this wintry weather. and
there would be friendly hands to help
her In and to close the portals against
the invasion of Billy. Once she glanc-
ed behind and saw his waving grny {
whiskers and the glitter of his evil eve
and renewed her speed.
At last the postoffice. Drusilla dash I
ed across the street up the wide stone
steps and renched the top as the fren- ]
zied goat clattered his hoofs on the q
bottom one. Drusilla was conscious 1
that big familiar hands. warm and
friendly. grasped her own and drew
her to place OF safety behind a tall I
broad shouldered figure Gregory Ware. I