Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-07-12
AGoat and
aValentine
Instead of a Nuisance. Billy Be-
comes a Prime Favorite
Bv MARION c. ENRIGHT
Copyright by American Press Asso-
alton. 1911.

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 a hastily constructed
fence, but that sagacious and resource
full animal had viewed the structure
Of wood and wire with a contemptu-
GUS eye before he utterly demolished
it and resumed his invasion of Drusil'
las garden. Drusilla hated him, anc
the Franklins loved him.
This crisp February morning Dru
silla came to the glass door that led
from her sitting room into the south
porch, and, standing there bathed II
the sunlight, she planned her gardes
for the coming year.
Now, Drusilla in her minds eye
could see the beds blooming once
more with roses and pinks and sweeI
williams, phlox and marigolds anc
mignonette, while the batfled Billy
peered through the palings.
Little Bessie Franklin ran through
her own yard waving an envelope
frantically. ooh, mother" Drusills
heard her shout, somebody has sent
me valentiner
Ua1nnAino'S dog
Drusillas red lips pressed into thiR
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 few to her cheeS
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
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 your" he had whispered in an
agony of embarrassment, for Gregory
was the shiest man in the world
And Drusilla had guessed that hS
was to confess his love in valentine,
and she was radiant with happiness,
for she would joyfully believe any
thing he might say to her in the ten
der missive. So she had told him shy
ly that she would see what 1t 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 it had never como.
Drusilla had grown very stiff and hurt
and Gregory had never come to ask an
explanation, and after awhile he went
away to 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 postoffice 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 a 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 a financial difficulty. Dru-
silla Fowler was not a shirker where
duty presented itself, and so she swal-
lowed her repugnance and buttoned
herself into a thick warm cloak and
pinned on her most becoming hat, fog
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 Involuntary
uttered a 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 Drusilla Fowler. But she
had gone. With the speed of an ante
lope she had picked up the skirts Of
her long cloak and darted down the
street, the angry goat leaping after
her with increasingly swift gait.
Men dashed to head him off anG
lodged his threatening horns; women
screamed and took to the oppOsiss
side of the street; children scattered
like chaff until there only remained
on the long street the flying red cloak.
ed form of Drusilla Fowler and the
plunging gray coated Billy after her.
The first building into which sL-@
might safely turn was the postofficc,
It stood at 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 aga. ust
the invasion of Billy. Once she glanc.
ed behind and saw his waving gray
whiskers and the glitter Of his evil eye
and renewed her speed.
At last the postof1ce. Drusilla dash.
ed across the street up the wide stone
steps and reached the top as the fren.
zied goat clattered his hoofs on the
bottom one. Drusilla was conscious
that big familiar hands. warm and
friendly. grasped her own and drew
her to a place of safety behind a tan
broad shouldered figure Gregory Ware