Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-03-07

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room. Then, "Confound the name,
anyway" he exclaimed.
II V. ]. ever wavered in a deep
sentiment of reverence for his mother
it was when he thought of the name
she had given him. At home there
was a series Of valentines, pictures
taken on his successive birthdays, by
which she had emphasized the names
absurdity. They ran up to thirteen,
when the subject had rebelled. Then,
after an interval, there was one more,
sent from a distant college-a poorly
finished, staring caricature Of q
youth in his teens, of which a fastidi.
GUS regard for dress and a senti.
mental pose were conspicuous fea'
lures. How delighted his mother had
been with this particular valentine!
He arose and walked to a mirror.
ITS a freak of a face" he declared
surveying his reflection sternly and
critically. 1T looks" he said, "as II
1t had repented at the last and tried
to do something in the beauty line
Could anything be more narrowing
and inharmonious! No sane girl
could ever bring herself to the point
of accepting the wearer Of such q
face" He would never make a foo
Of himself by asking It. No! The
matter was settled definitely, finally
and forever, he declared.
The role ne was to play henceforth
seemed, however, a tame and color
less n as he sat that evening in the
Merrill library talking to Marcia. He
delayed taking up the book they were
reading together.
II had been a dangerous expert
ment, the reading of that book. All
interest in it had led to regular meet
ings, during which Propinquity hac
been busy after the OF that
efficient ally Of Cupid.
In v. Us case the mischief hat
been done before he reached chapter
three. This was inevitable. Marcis
was pretty. She had a merry face
with all sorts Of charming LITTLE
curves playing over it; and his hear
leaped out toward the n Of humol
it indicated. Then no one could lool
at her mouth and chin and not gail
a hint as to her character. Sane
sweet and sensible were the adjec
tives those features spelled. But
". J. understood. For him there coult
be only frank friendship. He reso
lutely picked up the book for the clos
ing chapters.
And just then Dana opened thu
door and tossed into Marcia's lap {
large envelope. 1T came this after
noon while you were out" she ex
planned. Il thought you had it."
"Who in the world is sending MI
a valentine Of this sort?" exclaimed
Marcia, picking up the fimsy, fame!
envelope. 'Oh, | know. It's Dickey
Mrs. Ashton's little boy. I was owe
there yesterday, and he was valentino
crazy. Don't you want to see it,"
v. J.. leaned over as Marcia drew
out the valentine; and then there fel
a thick and sudden silence. From
setting of lace paper. rose-hued hearts
and plump cupids, there looked up a
him his own face, the familiar colleg,
~caricature, beneath which in letters
which seemed clamoring to be read
were the words:
Il am your valentine.
VIII you, sweet maiden. not b,
mine?'
Marcia's face was flushed and an
cry. Those silly girls!" she ex
claimed. Il do not think girls of tina
age"
Her voice broke as she began to re
place the valentine in it's envelope.
v. J. put out a restraining hand ant
took the picture. 1T looks to me,
he observed, "as If st, Valentine hal
had some odds and ends left whel
he finished his yearly assortment anc
had thrown them together to save thu
scraps. An old fellow Of his expert
ence ought to know that an incon
gruous mixture of the comic and thu
sentimental Is never successful"
But Marcia did not laugh. Il know
all about that picture" she said in
dignantly. Mrs. Ashton told me yes
terday how happy 1t made you,
mother one Valentines day. Gwel
should be thoroughly ashamed Of her
self"
To ". J.. there was something won
derfully sweet and intimate in THU
mention Of his mother by Marcia
Certain resolutions melted in 1T
warmth. There was a moments 81
lence. Then. Il am waiting" he re
minded.
Marcia looked up inQuiringly.
There is a question, you know
couldn't ask it myself, but thi'
young fellow has had the audacity t
ask it for me. You haven't answered
it yet"
And the nswer must have beer
satisfactory, for v. J. never, as he hat
sworn to do, destroyed his mother
valentine. Something in a nature full
Of sentiment forbade his doing SO.