Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-01-27
Whose
Valentine?
The Question Was Soon
Settled
BY CLARISSA MACKIE

%%8sE%~%+TTFT'TTT
'I don't see how Roger Brisbin can
look at Aunt Lou when Pretty
Louise Arden always flushed and stop
ped when she reached this point in
her oft repeated remark. In her own
mind the real conclusion Of the SEN
tence was when there is such a
young and beautiful girl as am in
the same house." OF course you can
see that Louise was only sixteen and
very cpnceited or she never would
have been guilty of such a remark.
She was a sweet girl, though, and
perhaps the years would broaden
what now was a very narrow outlook
on life.
"why, Aunt Lou is thirty years old
II she's a day." went on Louise
Miss Lou Haysland was more than
thirty years old. She was thirty-two,
but nobody would have guessed 1t, be-
cause she retained all her girlish slim
ness of form and her graceful carriage
of shoulders and poise of head. Miss
Haysland had a wealth of deep chest
nut hair that rippled from brow to
nape of her white neck, and she had
great violet eyes, with long, thick
lashes and the most charming fea-
lures in the world. Besides all this
personal beauty, she had sunny dis
position and was sweet and amiable
to the point of self sacrifice.
Her namesake, Louise, had watched
her pretty aunt vanish down the
snowy street tucked under the buffalo
robes In Roger Brisbin's sleigh, and it
was a slight attack of jealousy that
was responsible for the younger Lou
ise's unkind remarks. She would have
been proud to be Rogers companion,
but it was Aunt Lou whom he chose
to invite on every occasion, and peo-
pie were beginning to say that Roger
Brisbin certainly meant business.
Louise dressed herself in a pretty
gray chinchilla coat, In which she
looked especially lovely, for she was a
dark, sparkling beauty, with black eyes
and brilliant color of cheek and lips.
On her head she pinned saucy gray
hat with scarlet wing, and, tucking
the street toward Homer Beckford's
stationery store.
In front of the window she waited
a long while. gazing at the handsome
display of valentines in the two large
windows. She intended TO buy sew
eral to send anonymously to girl
friends, but her bright eyes could not
help but stray to the handsomest one
in the window.
It was q large white satin affair
with hand painted cupids and hearts
upon it intwined with wreaths of tiny
roses. Beneath all this was a sem
tence, 81 have waited for thee"
Louise sighed. She would have been
happy indeed If she had received that
valentine and known that Roger Bris-
bin had sent it to her, for-yes, must
confess that Louise was almost in love
with her charming aunt's admirer.
She slipped inside the store to make
sure of something. Her romantic mind
harbored the idea that possibly, by
some freak of circumstance, Roger
Brisbin really did prefer her to her
Aunt Lou, only he could not at this
time break of with Miss Haysland. If
this was the case and Roger was Sc
cretly nourishing preference for Lou
Use instead of Lou, then-then, conclud-
ed Louise, what was more natural
than he should send her a beautiful
valentine? He would no doubt select
the most beautiful and costly one in
Beckford's store, and that was the
white satin beauty.
II she did receive the white satin
valentine Louise would know from
whence It came unless there happened
to be more than one of the white ones
in the store; then 1t might be from most
anybody, for Louise Arden had several
boyish admirers. She would go In and
inquire now.
The store was empty of customers
as she entered. Homer Beckford's son,
young Homer, stood behind the coun-
ter looking over tray of valentines
and rearranging them In order, for it
had been busy afternoon. When he
saw Louise coming in a little flush
Redeemed his ears. and his light blue
eyes sparkled. He was in love with
pretty young Louise.
"Good afternoon, Homer" said Lou
Use carelessly as she came up to the
counter. 81 want to inquire the price
Of that white satin beauty in the win
dow"
give dollars, Louise" said Homer.
"But you're too late-it's sold"
''Who bought itT inquired Louise
saucily.
"You know I can't tell that"
Not to me? won't tell" urged
Louise.
'T can't--don't ask me to. If 1t was
anything except valentine I might
tell" Homer was looking much en-
barrassed and distressed over the mat
ter-suspiciously so.
''Humphw commented the displeased
Louise as she walked down the store
toward the show window. 81 suppose
] may look at It moment. Any rule
against thatT'
''None at ALL" was Homer's cheerful
reply. and he unlocked the white sat-
in valentine from its place In the win
dow and gave 1t into Louise's hands.
She looked at 1t long and earnestly.
She had seen it before-in fact. ever
since It had been hung In the window
a~~. sum