The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1914-02-06

Widow Candis, who lived alone and
had selected this evening of all others
to fall down the cellar stairS and
break her arm?
he mad to set the bone; then, as
Ill luck would have it, no one could
be found to go for her granddaughter,
Marge Roper. The old woman could
not be left alone. The young doctor
was forced to offer his services.
This had taken time, still if Billie
had cared the least bit for him, she
would have waited. There was no
| question about it.
| As for Billie, no sooner had Frank
gone than she called her brother from
game cf marbles and. refusing the
escort of DR.. Davis, went home.
The remainder of that night she
passed in tears, and it was with q
heavy heart that she rose on Valen-
tines day.
The day itself was beautiful and
mlld-With a south wind blowing.
The Imp had swallowed his breakfast
and was begging his sister to make a
kite. 1t was while she was cutting
and pasting on this toy that he, in
chattering about the neighborhood at
large, told her the reason for Franks
delay the evening before. He had
| heard it at the party.
Yes" he finished as his sister, with
shaking hand, passed him his COM
pleted kite, 'he had to fetch Marge
Roper, himself. That was when we
saw him. wasn't It, Sis?"
1t would have been difficult to clas-
sify Billie's sensations. She felt mean
and unworthy, yet there was a streak
of pure glory running through all.
Frank was noble and self-sacrif1cing
and-best of all-he was faithful.
Clearly, she must apologize. 1t was
| hard to do, but it was the only way
out. She wasted the morning in
wretched indecision then, at last, a
thought struck her. Why not get out
Of it gracefully by writing a valen-
tine. She could be much bolder-on
q valentine.
The valentine was written. It must
be delivered that day by a messenger,
and, since the Imp had helped to
cause the trouble, he must act the
part of st. Valentines envoy and
make peace.
She put on her pretty brown dress
and her brown and scarlet toque and
went forth in search of the small boy.
When she found him he was having
much enjoyment with the kite. AS
Billie tramped across the new ground
towards him, she saw a tall, broad
shouldered man in a long overcoat
backed up against the fence watching
the Imp's maneuvers with the kite.
She decided to pretend she had not
seen him, though a wonderful scheme
darted into her brain as soon as she
caught sight of him.
She soon reached the Imp, and after
a few earnest words with her he drew
in the kite. They worked over it a
minute then, while she held it aloft,
he took the cord and scampered away.
An obliging puff of wind came along
and shot. the kite upward. The Imp
sped on. The kite, true to it's nature,
swayed from side to side and, as the
boy paid out the Irvine, scared up.
ward, made an erratic side-swipe, zig
Jagged around for hundred yards or
more, then, with a triumphant squirt
of speed, sailed into a lea1ess cherry
tree near the fence.
The Imp came to a halt and looked
mournfully at the kite nodding its
three-cornered head over limb.
Then, apparently for the first time,
the small boy discovered DR.. Frank
Miller standing near him.
please, Frank" Whined the Imp,
"get me the kite. You can stand on
the fance and reach it with your
cane"
And, since the Imp had sweet, I'M
kind sister, poor Frank climbed the
fence and, after trial or two, dis
lodged the kite which came swaying
downward with waggisi, grotesque
movement into his hand.
Pinned across it's knowing face was
a sheet of note paper on which, in
Billie's writing, was scrubbed the fol.
lowing: T.
Frank, you dear. cross old Valen-
tine! Don't be horrid any more, but
give your heart-broken Billie forgive
ness"
The Imp, grinning in sympathy, was
left suddenly with his mouth ajar in
amazement at a long-Iegged mailman
tearing across the field, headed for a
brown and red apparition and. to the
Imp's disgust, carrying the kite with
him.
''Ain't big folks silly?" remarked
the Imp.
Copyright, by the Mcclure News paper
Syndicate.)