Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-23
surely receive It then" n,urrnr..,
Amelia, blushing hotly.

| surely receive II then" rS,t,-r.u
Amelia, blushing hotly.
1t was Miss Amelia Telford's ~,
ing custom to walk demurely dow s Z
village street and call at the pos,oss ~
for her mail and then do her n,srs-.a
ing for the day. St valentine's ~ -.
was no exception to the rule. and 80 80
Miss Amelia walked up the prin 49,
to her front door she carried hs, a.
of letters and newspapers. Milly v.
waiting with thinly disguised f,,~
thence I'm the coy sitting room ~
ANY mail for me, Aunt Amelia r -.
asked.
YES; box of candy from son.
one" laughed Amelia.
Milly snatched up the big bov :.
sweets, and the look of eager antic,,s
ton died from her face as she seanr..
the address.
'Oh, It's only from Billy Wal.
man." she said carelessly, pushing !
aside.
Amelia removed her cloak and b.,
and sat down TO look over the msII
that had come to her. She read savs-.l
letters with quiet enjoyment. thsn
picked up a large square whita mite
sive heavily embossed.
"a valentine for me!' she cried with
gentle excitement. She carefully Oman.
ed the envelope with her embroiderv
scissors and drew out large white
satin heart, on which was painted !
smaller heart of forgetmenots. In The
center of the small heart was a versa
in gold lettering:
Though bitter pride holds US apart.
Thy image fingers in my heart
Amelia read the lines over and over
with trembling lips that refused to ut.
ter more than a whisper. Then she
bowed her head, where the crinkled
bronze tresses were mingled with
powdering of white. and she went
softly.
Milly crept to her and listened 10
the old story Of lovers quarrel er
tending over many years, and now Of
the valentine which had come as an
olive branch of peace from her old
lover.
at was so unexpected, my dear"
sobbed Aunt Amelia. II never ex
pected to hear from Henry Blake
again"
''Henry Blake?" echoed Milly, pick
ing up the embossed envelope and
scanning the address. She knew the
bold masculine hand that had penned
the words, giving her the formal name
by which she had been christened as
Miss Amelia Telford, Fern Hollow.
n. H"
That was Aunt Amelia's name too
How funny that her aunt should have
thought the valentine was for her
from her old sweetheart OF course Il
was for the young Milly, from Harry
himself,
"Just fancy one valentine doing tor
two of usr' thought MiIly ecstatically.
Then. with sudden thought. she added
''You said his name was Henry
Blake. Aunt Amelia?''
Amelia lifted her tear wet eyes; she
was smiling happily. "His name Is
Henry Blake, and he is your Harry
Blake's uncle. OF course I never tod
you that 1 knew him when he lived In
the old stone house across the valley.
I never expected this She was hold
ing the valentine close to her heart
How oddr breathed Milly incredu-
lousy. "And Harry lives with bis
Uncle Henry, you know; they keep
bachelors hall in the most delightful
apartment-and, dear, there is the
ioorbeH"
Milly few to the front door TO admit
the tall, dignifed form of Mr.. Henri
Blake. "Why, Milly!" he cried cor
daily, clasping her hand. 'I-er-cane
err Milly saw that in one hard
he carried fiat package wrapped IN
white paper with broken red seals.
you came 10 see Aunt Amelia,
smiled Milly, as she pushed him To-
ward the sitting room door. Il know
III about it," she nodded wisely.
you do?" he laughed. Then yoa
AN see that recognized Amelia's seal
md her violet ink. But that rascal
Harry fought to the last ditch that y
vas intended for him. This dupscaf-
ng family names is n nuisance"
Its a blessing in disguise some
INES" giggled MiIly as he disappeared
within the sitting room.
Ten minutes later Milly was In tne
illage drug store talking over me
telephone TO Harry Blake in New forS-
did you send me n valentine
Iarry?" she asked, and when be an
wered in the affirmative she told nan
nough of the story to bring him DOVE
D Fern Hollow by the next train
Conspicuous among the weddhs
resents received by Mr. and Ms
larry Blake were two valentines
lost alike in design and each bearns
ne same trite little couplet. Attacnea
rere the cards OF Mr.. and Mrs. Hen!
,lake
Those valentines" explained u.
ride TO her dearest friend. ARE proOl
, me that st. Valentine in truth keeis
watchful eve on his people. Aini0s
lentical. they crossed each otnel =
'ansit and brought happiness 10 Ioa
Copeland that's expecting so'1
cal from two Valentines.