The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-11-07
The Girl Who Drove
the Cows to
Pasture
A Story For St. Valentines
Day
By SARAH BAXTER

Grandpa, won't you tell US valen'
tine story said miss Of fourteen
"You told us story for Christmas.
and | think you might do the same
now that st. Valentines day has come
around"
The old gentleman cleared his throat.
the children gathered about him. and
he acceded to their request.
"St. Valentines day has changed
from what 1t was when | was young.
ster. 1t is now day for little chill
dren to send and receive valentines.
81 see no reason why the sending of
valentines when they are in good taste
should not be observed today among
those of the mating age. The only
objection is the abuse of the custom.
but / admit that it is a serious objec-
ton. There are special cases where
a valentine may bring two persons
together in happy marriage. For in.
stance. suppose young man admires
a girl he does not know and has no
means Of knowing"
Never mind all that, grandpa. We
want the story"
81 would not consider all that es-
sential had it not been for the change
that has come over the custom of
sending valentines, warping it from its
original purity. However, have no
more to say by way Of preface and
will begin:
There was once upon time
young fellow-we'n call him Jim
who lived In the country. He had
never had anything to do with girls
and knew nothing about them. He
was red headed and freckled, and
when he looked ii the glass it seemed
to him he was SO homely that he
would have to live all his life without
a wife or children to love him, for no
girl would have him. So he said to
himself, Ill always keep away from
girls, because might fall in love with
one Of them, and In that case might
die Of broken heart 1t seemed
hardly necessary to make such reso
luton. for Jim was never thrown in
with girls. and If he had been he was
too bashful to become at all compan
ionable with any Of them.
what was Jim's surprise one day
to receive valentine. 1t came In an
envelope-the same as you children
use now-covered with Cupids and ar,
rows piercing hearts and was address.
ed to him In girls handwriting. He
stared at the outside, for time not
realizing that it was for him and won.
dering II there was not some mistake
about It. Since he did not know a
girl how could girl send him q val
entine? But there was his name writ
ten out in full, with his usual address
at the village, mile away from the
farm. Still doubling, he opened the
envelope and took out the prettiest
valentine you ever saw. In its center
was colored picture of young man
and girl sitting in a bower, and the
very sight Of it made Jim's finger tips
tngle. In each Of the four corners
was q Cupid with a bow and arrow,
and every arrow was aimed at the
couple In the bower Jim has seen
many valentine since. but they have
no such effect as this first and only
valentine he ever received when he
was young and was conscious that
with all his red hair and freckles and
ungainly farm walk there was girl
In the world who thought enough of
him to send him a valentine. Today
valentines are to him nothing more
than cheap stamped pieces of paper
with colored pictures"
How do you know how he feels
about the valentines. grandpa ?" asked
little girl
How do I know It? Because IL
you care to hear the end of the story
you mustn't interrupt me-"
The old gentleman chuckled and pro-
ceeded with his narrative:
Jim, who had made a resolution that
he would have nothing to do with any
girl for fear he might fall in love and
die Of broken heart. found himself
all Of sudden dwelling continually
on a girl he had never seen. He form
ed great many mental pictures of
her, which gradually settled down to
one that remained always the same
girl with golden hair, blue eyes, rosy
cheeks. u dimple in each. and a sweet
SMILE II he was following the plow
this girl walked beside him. If he was
milking she was milking another COW
near him. When he ate his meals she
sat opposite him at table. Indeed
wherever he was, whatever he was
doing, she was with him
"One thing Jim couldn't understand
IL there was a girl in the world who
fancied him. with all his red hair and
freckles, why didn't she put something
on the valentine to give him a clew t
whom she was? Not knowing anything
about girls. he was ignorant Of the
fact that girls great delight is tt
bother any young fellow she happen.
to fancy, and the more she fancies hin
the more she likes to tease him.
"Of course there were girls In tha
part Of the country. though Jim didnr
know any Of them. else how could b,
have received a valentine? After 1t.
receipt every girl he met he looked a
m u>o ~ cha ShnUod a.y p~oRou.u..