Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-02-14
My Valentine
AHl
BY AMBROS WHITING


tines day-that is. you don't seem to
use il for matchmaking. when wn.
a young man the girls and the Teller,
used valentines for practical purposes.
How was that. grandpa?" asked
girl of fifteen. Tell us about tt
when l got tired living I'm the
homestead wanted to branch Off. But
a man can't set up house without
woman in It. In the first place. he
don't know how to go about It; in the
second. he couldn't take care OF II II
he did. and. in the third. II be could do
both il would be the loneliest place on
earth
We'll. looked over the girls to SEQ
II there was any one of 'em l wOu,3
like for a helpmeet. but they were all
such good girls and so attractive that
l couldn't make a choice. I thought
that il there was only one OF 'em
could do the trick easy enough. but
with so many l just couldn't. I had
about given IL up when ST. Valentines
day came around. and when went to
the postoffice the clerk handed me an
envelope covered all over with cupidS
and hearts with knives stuck into 'em
stamped In the paper. Several persons
were looking at me. and. feeling the
blood getting into my cheeks. stuffed
the thing into my pocket aud got OUT
as soon as l could
Il took it TO the store-I was the
only one yet dOwn-and. going to the
back window. stood looking at the
handwriting on the envelope for two
/ minutes trying TO find out who it was
| from.
1.-THE handwriting wasn't disguised
so after awhile l remembered whose 1t
was. Then ! opened it and there was
picture and some printed poetry, bur
no penwork II it hadn't been for the
address I'd never have known who was
the girl"
why didn't she write crookedT"
asked Il little girl OF seven.
Cause she didn't want TO. tell
you she was mighty foxy. that girl
was. She wanted home as bad as ]
did. and she gave herself away on pur
pose.
whats the use Of sending valen-
tines and keeping the sender So
cret?
That's all we'll enough for the
little tots. but for those who are old
enough to know the meaning OF a val
entine ii doesn't do. This girl sending
me valentine and letting ME know
who she was just gave me a delicious
pain about the heart. That little piece
Of paper with the picture in It seem
ed to me just the incest thing I'd ever
come across. and when I thought that
Z - hoI Nv RI
Just chuckled all over But what goo5
would it have done II hadn't know .
who sent IT?
The first time saw my valentine
girl after that was on the street 1
saw her coming and she saw me. to-
for she tried to look careless. and when
any one tries to look careless they're
very likely TO look just the opposite
I was watching her and by the time
she'd got few yards from me She
: was red rs rose and looking all ways
l At once.
. II pretended not 20 notice any
thing unusual and walked on. just
b. wanted to see how she'd look the next
{ time I'd meet her. 4 few days later
l I met her doing some marketing
Just NtAlNl NHNVQ lANlllltlS NAAAN4 VI CIV
/ less-like You ought to have seen the
way she tossed her head up and heard
n the short crusty Good morning she
gave me.
I've always believed that instead OF
the Teller seeking the girl the sir
r should seek the fener-that is. if tn,
a. girl does it right II my valentine cir
=, hadn't done rs she did probably IL
have been undecided as 10 which on,
OF 'em I wanted till they were all 81
l. old that l wouldn't have wanted an!
'e of 'em. or they NE. As il was that lit
IS tie piece Of paper and especially tn,
to handwriting on the envelope separated
r her from all the rest Of en-. Ii decid
in ed for me what | couldn't decide 10
-" myself. And from the moment l too
in it out of the poStofilce and learned VIII
IN It was from I began TO feel differcn
IL toward that particular girl from n
rs the rest.
he After bothering her awhile l bega
10 think how / could reciprOcate /
some such delicate way. as she ha
let on she liked me. for don't believ
~ in this blunt love making. The Dir
- sings to his mate. but | couldn't sin
for shuckS l could appropriate III
. beautiful flowers nature has provided
especially for lovers. so sent my Va
entine girl big bouquet. \ woma
can always understand flowers m
knows mighty we'll what they mea
& followed 'em up with myself II
IL same evening and found my valentir
- girl expecting me, dressed IN her be
bih and thicker. evidently ready to ca