The Press., 1911-03-08
AGoat and aValentine
Instead of Nuisance. Billy Be-
 comes . Prime FavOrite
By MARION C. ENRIGHT
Copyright by American Press Asso-
 ation, 1911.

ation 1911.
 EA~~NNNN<>~I~
 Drusilla Fowler detested the Frank lins' pet goat. for it had all but devas- tated her small domain during the summer. Flower beds had been trampled. shrubs uproOted, and, as for 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.
 Of course the FranklinS were very sorry about it and tried to confine Billy within hastily constructed fence, but that sagacious and resource ful animal had viewed the structure of wood and wire with a contemptu- ous eye before he utterly demolished It and resumed bis invasion of Drusil- las garden. Drusilla hated him, and the Franklins loved him.
 This crisp February morning Dru- silla came tQ the glass door that led from her sitting room into the south porch, and, standing there bathed in the sunlight she planned her garden Tor the coming year.
 Now Drusilla in her minds eye could see the beds blooming once more with roses and pinks and sWeet' williams, phIoK and marigolds and mignonette. while the baffled Billy peered through the palings.
 Little Bessie Franklin ran through her own yard waving an envelope nV11o In beard her shout, somebody has sent me a valentino"
 So this was St. Valentines day. Drusilla's red lips pressed into thin red line as she remembered that there was one other thing in the world she detested as heartily as she did the goat Billy. and that was St. Valentines day. The hot color flew to her cheeks as she recalled events which had hap pened ten years before and which hat thereaf fer made that anniversary de testable day.
 She had not been engaged to Greg ory 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 silla, and you'll believe what you get, won't you:" he had whispered in an agony of embarrassment. for Gregory was the shiest man in the world.
 And Drusilla had guessed that he was to confess his love in a valentine. and she was radiant with happiness for she would ioyfully believe any thing he might say to her in tue ten der missiye. So she had told him shy ly that she would see what it said and 50 put him of while her heart was beating wildly. '
 Then the next day had come. and there was no valentine. and the next and the next. and 1t had never come Drusilla had grown very stiff and hurt and Gregory had never come to ask an and after awhile he went away to another village and found work there. and Little River saw him only occasionally and Dlllsilla not at all, y-,,,s~.s= -~s-~s-rsssss @as sa So Drusilla always avoided going to the postoftice on Valentines day that she might evade even the appearance of being interested in the anniversary of the good saint. But today-and she drowned as she recolIected it-there was matter of sending a money or der to the city that must be attend ed to. for an impecuniOus cousin had written and asked for loan to tide over financial difficulty. Dru silla Fowler was not shirker where duty presented itself and so she swal- lowed her renugnance and buttoned herself into a thick warm cloak and1 pinned on her most becoming hat. for Drusilla had pride in her appearance.
 Her adventures began from the very she passed out of her ownS 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 littles evil eye on Drusilla she involuntarily uttered a vicious little "Scat!"
 Billy wheeled about on the pivot Of his hind legs. reared himself men9@I t7gly. dropped his head and made dis rualIla Fowler But s
 the speed of an ar
 edup the ski 6lsEks.ssgnRsssvu slarted down | street. the angry goat ieaping after