The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-05-11
CTTTTTTTTTTT
HEARTS DESIRE
BY lola FORESTER,

at the desk when he got in from the
club q little past twelve. He looked
at it in surprise and some bewilder-
ment. Sturdevant? That was one OF
the bunch of Californian cousins who
had entertained him during his visit
to the fair last summer. He couldn't
recall any Ted.
The Overland Special pulled in on
time. There were few passengers. He
stood with couple Of other persons
watching the stragglers come along
the platform until girl stopped be
fore a stout, gray-haired old chap next
to him and exclaimed:
Don't you know me, Cousin Jack?"
Il believe that I'm Cousin jack
said Knapp, lifting his hat and look
ing down into the brownest eyes he
had ever seen. Il was looking for a
boy"
For a boy?" She laughed. 81 sup.
pose you did get us all mixed up. I'm
Theodore, but they call me Ted.
We're the Santa Barbara cousins"
Knapp couldn't remember any Santa
Barbara connections.
Are you going to school here?" he
asked.
Not here. In Boston" She
stopped short, staring up at him
blankly.
"They told me what you ought to
look like, and. you don't at all. Hair
rather gray and little stout, and eye
glasses. Are you sure you're Cousin
Jack Knott?"
I'm Jack Knapp, and I live at the
ST. Ambrose, and l surely have cousins
in California" He remembered there
was Mr.. Knott at the hotel. He
called up. Mr.. Knott had gone on a
southern trip two days before. He
broke the news to her with twinkle
in his eyes.
"I'll have to be a proxy Cousin Jack
Now, listen Your train leaves at $40.
That's a long while to wait. | en-
gagged room for my boy cousin, but
he hasn't turned up. I'm going to
call up my sister, Mrs. Durant, and
you'll go up there"
ooh, I couldn't" she faltered. In
deed, l couldn't You're very kind,
but II don't think I'll leave the sta
ton"
Then we'll stay right here"
1t never occurred to either Of them
that 1t was already st. Valentines
day until while pacing back and forth
through the terminal they came face
to face with large display of valen-
tines. 1t seemed years since Jack had
ever even remembered ST. Valentines
day. Somehow, now he found himself
telling her of his rather lonely child
hood, brought up in boys military
school, sent later on to a technical
preparatory school, and finally to col
lege.
"Then what happened?" she asked
eagerly.
Nothing except that / came in for
too much money and failed to follow
my good star" She caught at the I'M
dercurrent Of bitterness in his words,
"But you're not old
"Thirty-four"
Suppose you live to be eighty-four,
and find out you've wasted fifty-four
years just looking down your nose and
wishing something had happened
that's different? You said you had lots
of cousins, too, boys and girls, aren't
they? If l were you, I'd send them
valentines tonight, checks, you know,
call them hearts desire Valentines "
"Will you direct the envelopes?"
asked Jack. IN write the checks If
you will"
Surely it was the oldest kind of a
Valentine celebration.
Those are precious old aunts,"
Jack explained, a bit sheepishly. ITS
all kinds of fun, isn't it? VIII they
understand"
go pick out Valentine postcards to
go inside" Ted told him, writing bus
ily IT'S after four already. Doesn't
the time just hy?"
Jack went after the postcards. II
anyone had told him he would spend
the night at the Grand Central termi-
nal in company with Ted of Santa Bar
bara, diligently sending Valentine
checks to all neglected relatives, he
would have called it fantasy. Yet
here it was-a lark, but surely the
happiest he had known in years.
by Jove, begin to feel bewitched,"
he told her. "Can send you a valen-
tine, proxy cousin? Let me send you
one to your Boston address, can't II"
mot the same kind | don't need
any, kind sir" Ted leased. "You may
send me a proper sentiment, though"
After the express pulled out he
started up Forty-second street. A for
lists shop was just opening.
Il want about half a bushel OF VIC
let's sent to Boston on the next train.
Have you got very small box / can
seal and incloseg'
While the violets were being packed,
he slipped a ring from his little fin.
ger. 1t was one he had worn through
school, before wealth had hit him. lie
had told her of 1t as they sat side by
side, told her he loved 1t because it
seemed to stand to him for all his boy
hood hopes.
ITO my Valentine" he wrote on his
card.
Copyright 1916, by the Mcclure Newspa.
per Syndicate)
Maybe So.