The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1916-04-10
BEDTIME STORIES
FOR LITTLE
FOLKS
THE VAIN VALENTINE.

Tyree had to find enough basins I
put around the hall TO catch the water
Yet Ruth loved the place. 1t wa
here her grandmother had lived ant
here she had played as baby. AM
| il was here that she now hvcd wit
! her AGED. invalid Aunt Rachel. Aun
Rachel was as good as gold, kind ant
unselfish. but there was nothing com
| ing in except a small income, anC
Ruth was longing fer lessons on tht
violin, so she could earn q living her
self.
Il think I will have enough basins
10 get all the drippings, Aunt Rachel
laughed Ruth as she came into the
neat but shabby sitting room and
drew up the sick woman's chair to the
fire. 1T seems to be raining cats and
dogs this evening. You sit here and /
will make you q cup of tea anu brins
you in the jelly and hot muffin
So Ruth went into the kitchen and
soon had a roaring blaze. She was
tired. bat as she felt sure that spoon
IVES missing, she pulled ont the ole
shelf drawer TO search. No spoon
only far back in the shelf she felt bit
of paper sticking fast. So she pulled
it out and took it 10 the lamp. How
funny it looked valentine all dirt!
and crushed, the pink angels head
gone and the bleeding heart torn
through the center. But at the bot
tom was her grandmother's name in a
delicate writing.
at is the old valentine grandma
kept on her desk" sighed Ruth. 81
will keep it in remembrance of her." y
So she put it on the table by the
side of a big, new one that Diend
lad sent in that morning-a handsome
new one in glowing cOlOrs that showed
L was just from the factory. Then she
sat down in the rocking chair to wal
for the kettle to toil The room gre
dark and silent. but presently the cir
seemed to hear what seemed Ike fairy
whispers in the gloom.
81 wish you would move TO the far
side OF the table" she heard the new
valentine say. Il cannot afford to ge'
dusty from such an old lacey, trasn>
card as you-whX people used such
stngi ages age"
81 was pretty good in my day
sighed the cid valentine, but, pei
haps / am not now up to date liz
yourself. Still, you ought not to cast
of people fer such reasons. I was
much liked by Rgth's grandmother-i
remember weeks | spent in her des$
and how tie old lady liked to dream
over my lacey edges that reminded
her OF her young days"
'Tommyrot, sneerod thc new valen
tine. What DO | care for voHr pa:
torings about old times? What wan.
:; TO be set mp in the parlor on tahla
for people to admire nOW-nO on,
would ever look at you a second time.
Perhaps not replied the other
But remember that looks are moi
everything. | have some writings on
my back that would prore Of great
valUe if anyone knew of them"
Just then the kettle boiled over and
Ruth sprang out OF her nap.
"Why, have been dreaming" she
laughed" and | really thought thos.
valentines were talking. | will look
carefully away at the one grand
mother used to love. | mean to keep it
always iii my room"
The girl took it up and turned It
over. There on the back was written
plainly, Look i'll the bottom left-hand
'orncl OF the parlOF organ
In ten seconds tn girl was down
n her knees and examining the bot
ON of the organ carefully. Sure
nough, there she saw a dusty pile and
rev it out. 1t was a checkbook and
handbook, which showed that in
zig city nearby the grandmother had
5000 deposited.
"Oh, Aunt Rachel" shrieked Ruth
s she threw the grimy books into
Ter aunt's lap. Here is where grand
pa had that money we could never
race-you have $4,000 now, thank
Q her kindness. We can fix I'D this
Id place and make it lovely for a
house Then | will take mu-
ic lessons so I can teach"
Ruth, in her delight, put the ole
alentine on the parlor mantel. But
he cast the new one into the ash |
an.
So that night while Ruth was busy |
n happy dreams OF the future the old |
smiled up beside the clock, |