Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-02-11
~ Got the BeautifulIest Valentine OF
Anybody in School,"

she saw only the little tokens from
Miss Stanton and the girls"
AS the distribution began, Dorcas
sat, resignedly, her brown hands fold
ed, trying to figure how many minutes
until it would be tomorrow.
ITO him that hath shall be given"
is always the rule of school valentine
box, and even Miss Stanton's tactful
care in providing hand-painted cards
with quotations for the less popular
ones couldn't even things up.
For Dorcas luck went little better
this year than usual Genevieve, her
seatmate, gave her a star-shaped mis-
sive in big box like the boys sent,
and Abby, whom she had helped for
two years in arithmetic, sent her a
string of red hearts, each one pierced
with a silver arrow.
The box was nearly empty now.
"Miss Dorcas Carter" Tim was call
ing the last valentine in the box Then
he pulled and tugged and, tearing
away part of the tissue paper drape
ries, drew forth-a big white box, al
most as wide and long as the va1en-
tine box itself and which would have
made two of the one containing Cora
dell's pink violin.
Back at her seat she undid the
knotted string with trembling fingers.
Then she lifted the lid. The children
crowding about her desk were silent
o+ f,nc+ IN, opd Than M
Stanton joining them. they burst into
a chorus of "ohs" and ''ahs."
In bed of cotton lay sparkling
heart-shaped affair. BilloWs of pink
chiffon were draped about it and out
side Of this were paper lace ruffles At
one side was a sheath of celluloid ar
rows tipped with gold and, attached to
these, small card bearing in gold let
tiers, ITO one love-" On the back of
this was printed in half-easy, half
lahored masculine hand, From your
secret admirer."
DOrcas wondered how she ever got
started home that night. Long after
the dismissal bell rang children crowd
ed about her desk pleading for Just
one more look" and 'only a weeny
touch" A half dozen at least, boys as
well as girls, begged for the privilege
of carrying it home for her, and just
as she stood hesitatingly trying to de-
eide, Happy picked UP the box and,
marching resolutely away with it, COM
manded Dorcas to hurry up and come
on
I'm goin' to cut out the fellow that
sent it, he announced.
Mrs. Carter waited expectantly at
the sitting-room window. She saw
them as they turned the corner and
was out to meet them. Dorcas, with
one glad rush was at her mothers
side, her arms outstretched her shy
ness vanished.
II got the beautifullest valentine Of
anybody in school, she cried out,
land new, mamma, you'll be happy,
it's from boy"
Happy, grinning with both pride and
embarrassment, followed with the box.
Its some valentine, Mis- Carter"
he said. "Dorky's sure got some guy
going. But he was too bashful to see
her home"
Mrs. Carter dimpled. It was the big
event of her life. She was receiving
her daughters first admirer.
In the kitchen Mrs. Carter urged
cookies on Happy until he declared he
twas ready to bust.
Later, with Dorcas on her lap, she
congratulated her little daughter on
her beautiful valentine.
Its just like valentine | got when
/ was girl" she said.-Ellen Thomp~
son in the Kansas City Star.