The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-20
JIMMIE'S
VALENTINE
B, DONALD CHAMEERllN

'Sr Valentines day" remarked Ed
gar swift to his friends. Mr.. and Mrs.
Twining, with whom he was dining
on the 18th Of February. has no inter-
est for any one except children"
The host and hostess glanced at each
other meaningly.
II think 1t a very pretty custom"
said Mrs. Twining. "fer the children.
especially those who are old enough to
have a glimmering VI what love is"
Il can tell You story about a st.
Valentines day" said Mr.. Twining.
that think will interest you | knew
a boy whose name was Jim Jim was
eleven years old. He lived In the coun-
try In house within six miles Of which
there was no other house; therefore
he bad no piaynates except his own
brothers and sisters. They were much
alike to him. except that he thought
bis sisters very poor company for him.
They wanted to play with their dolls.
and Jim wanted to play ball and ten
mis- In summer and skate and coast in
, winter.
"One day one Of Jim's fathers old
friends waS persuaded to build Oh
site a couple Of miles from where Jim
lived. When the house was finished
this friend and his wife settled in It.
and Jim's mother went to call on the
neighbOrs. taking Jim with her. There
was little girl In the other family
named IAurette. She was ten years
old and very pretty little girl indeed
Since she was the first girl except his
sisters Jim had ever seen he looked
! at her wOnderingly. She eyed Jim
askance. Her mother told her to take
Jim out and show him the place. the
horses. the cow and other things. jim
went with her and looked everything
over while she told him about her own
favorite horse and bunny she had
and all that, When they had seen ev.
, erything they went back into the
| house. Jim's mother had finished her
call, and she and Jim took their de-
parture.
"JiID. as I have told you before. hav.
ing never seen girl except bis own
! sisters. thought a lot about Laurette
and was very anxious to 60 to see her
! again. But since she lived at a dis.
lance and Jim was very bashful boy.
not at all used to girls. he didn't 60.
i One day when the rural deliveryman
drove by Jim happened to be out by
d. the letter box.
"'Here's something from your sweet.
heart. Jimmy he said and handed Jim
an envelope stamped all over with
bleeding hearts and cupids.
Jim saw his name on the envelope.
and something strange welled up with.
In him. He had the only valentine he
had ever received, and be had sweet.
heart He did not know who that
sweetheart was, but she was undoubt.
eddy q girl, and she had sent him q
valentine. 1t seemed that this was
quite enough bliss for all at once. and
Jim kept turning the envelope over and
examining the bleeding hearts and the
cupids as though he feared that II be
opened 1t the rest of this dellrium Of
Joy would be too much for him. But
at last he broke It open very carefully
SO as not to tear any of the bleeding
hearts or :he cupids and drew forth
a very pretty valentine with couplet
ending BE my valentine
Jim took his valentine into the house
and showed 1t to all the family. asking
who could have sent It.
"'Oh, dear exclaimed his sisters.
Jim's got sweetheart
"'Who" asked Jim. blushing
why. Laurette. of course! There's
no other girl about here to send It.
with the word Laurette Jim felt a
sudden warmth about his heart he had
never felt before that's the reason love
is considered to be in the heart. l sup
p0seD. He went or by himself to es
cape the other childrens gibes. He
looked at the valentine. then at the en-
J velOpe. turning from one to the other
till he knew every cupid and every
bleeding heart and the couplet and
everything else there was about It.
Jim was too young to so alone to
see Laurette I'D asked his older broth.
er. Dick. IF he wouldn't 60 with him.
He only got laughed at 'Haw. haw.'
said Dick. Jim's In love- Jim felt
as though his heart had been torn out
Of his bosom. He went OF and pinned
| alone.
Meanwhile Jim's valentine must have
been pining for him. for one morning
Laurette's father drove by and asked
II Jimmy might not go home with him
and spend the day. When Jim heard
of the invitation 1t almost took his
breath away. His mother took Oh his
suit and put on better one and brush
ed his hair and stuffed q handkerchief
In his pocket, and he climbed into the
wagon. and away he went to Laurette.
"Iim remembers that day now. when
he is forty years old. as the happiest Of
his life. His wedding day was very
fine-he married Laurette-but for pure.
unanoyed quintessence Of bliss there
has never been anything like that nrst
whole day he spent with her. though
the receipt of the valentine was q won.
drous Joy Of its own kind. unlike any
thing else and never to b experienced
again.
"No one but the fellow who expe-
nenced all that" said Swift, could
tell It. You are jim"
II certainly am Jim. and there
pointing to Mrs. Twining-'1s Laurette.
Don't you sneer any more at St Valen-
tines day. 1t may be fitted only for
children. but it's mighty well fitted
a.