Spray courier. (Spray, Or.) 1???-19??, 1916-03-02
JOFiNlNY'S
VALENTINE
BY ETHEL HOLMES

hHN 'NfHHliUH upbI JDuHUJ DEnHlH
vas quite taken away by her childish
; beauty.
johnny treasured In his heart deli
clo,is something for the glrl opposite
that hc would reveal 10 no one. least OF
nll 10 tho object OF his alteration. SO
fearful was he TINT. shc would suspect
II That, when hc saw her coming on
the street. hc would either look down
ut his toes or UP at the sky, but never
at her
The approach OF 81. Valentines day
was great relief 20 Johnny. He could
send Ills little love valentine ex.
pressing lia feelings for her without
her knowing that he did 80. Tho only
Obstacle III tho wny was TINT he did
not know her name and did not dare
ask any ono who might know for fear
OF bctrnying his secret. Hc was on
Intimate terms with the groccrs deliy.
cry boy. whom no Ind noticed deliver
ed supplies 10 both his and her home.
and asked him for the nnme OF tho
family In which his sweetheart be-
longed, Through Jim he learned the
girl'e name was Julia Reynolds.
Johnny now had II nil his own way.
The next thing for him 90 do was 10
buy valentine. He found II difficult
20 find one 10 suit Him. but at last suc-
eccded. carried IT 10 his room and.
locking the door. proceeded 20 nddress
II 10 Miss Julia Reynolds OF 357 Har-
rison street. spelling Harrison H-a-r-i-
sen.
A terrible thing happened while
Johnny was taking the valentine 10 tho
letter box. Just as be WIS about TO
drop the missivc IN the box who should
come along but the very girl 10 whom
II was addressed. John blushcd scar
Vet and instead OF putting the valentine
In the box put II In his pocket and
walked away. looking UP mt the sky.
II was not It'll the evening. when dark
ness covered hia romance. that johnny
mailed his valentine in box IA mile
from his home.
Whether among the dozen valentines
John received there was one from the
girl he loved best hc did not know.
Soon after st. Valentines day. meeting
Julia coming from school. hc mustered
courage 10 glance nt her and thought
he saw n suspicion OF smile on her
pretty lips. But he dared not keep
his eyes on her long enough 10 make
sure. This was the last time he saw
her ns "a child. for soon nfter the meet
Ing he anw Doctors vehicle before
the Reynolds door and later heard that |
bis little love was III.
Johns anxiety ovcrcnme his bash |
lie gathered lis loose change, |
amounting TO 80 cents. nnd bought
Dosy. Then hc persuaded small boy
lc picked up near the Reynolds house
10 take 1t TO the door, ring the bell
Ind hand 1t in, saying that 1t was for
lula. John stood behind tree box
I'll the feat was accomplished. then
walked away. proud OF what he had
Ichicved.
a dozen years passed. John Waishs
OF his little love was q
cry pleasant ono, and often he laugh
d 1T his terror lest either the girl or
my one else should discover his secret
levotion. Being now man he took
10 interest In st. Valentines day, but
Whenever 1t came round. though he
ad forgotten the missive he had sent
nlia Reynolds. pleasant sensation
eemed TO haunt him. AS TO Julia. lie
Id not know whether she was still liy-
ng. Her image remained with him.
ut us II seen In mirror that had be- |
ONE clouded. Though his childish love
'ns thing of the past, neither it nor
8 object was forgotten.
When John was twenty-five years !
Id he met at an evening function n {
oung lady. with whom he was from
he first en- rapport. They fell to com.
airing notes and learned that they had
nee lived in the same city and In the
anne ncighborhood. j
John had been introduced to the
Dung lady as Miss Reynolds, and 1t
to him that this might be his
hid love- He asked her if her name :
'as Julia. and when she said yes he
as sure that she was the girl to
HON he had sent the valentine and
IL PoSy Wbth SuC Nuo ilG tiilu
rercome his boyish bashfulness and
'ns happy TO avow that he had wor-
liped her from n distance and had
INT her valentine and flowers. Miss
eyno!ds listened to this with evident
easure, but gave no sign of remem.
aring any such boy as John Walsh
,hn. whose. assurance was now equal
his former modesty. swore that he
I'd never forgotten his boyish love
I'd intimated that he would gladly
;rsue 1t as man. Whether the
,ung Indy attributed this to gallantry
not she did not say.
Certain It Is that there followed a
'urtship between the two. In its last
ages John prlded himself on his con-
ancy and fcigned TO regret that his
rmer devotion had not been appre-
nted. Miss Reynolds made no reply
these protestations till he had pro-
sed and had been accepted. Then she
oduced n valentine and flower.
,th yellow with Sge. and in the for
or there came bacI. to John dim re-
embrance of tile missive that had
st him so much pain. Julia told him r
at the flower was one of those he [
ID sent her when she was i'll. She
d known of his admiration from the
st time he had passed her for he had
oxxr, ,,tofpIx hu hie, affOrf 20