The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-02-13
A Valentine
Return
Bv SADIE OLCOTT

Stamp!
The words were spoken by Jimm
Emerson on the 18th day of Februar.
He had gone to box in his closet an
taken out bundle of valentines b
had received the year before and wa
trying to remember from whom the
had come.
"This one is a daisy. This bay win
dow built out from the main part is
peach. If there's no mark on it In
going to take the risk of using it,
He examined the valentine with ;
hand magnifying glass and, not finding
any mark on it, laid it aside to sent
to his best girl. Then he selected an
other to send to his next best girl and
in this way made use of not less thar
dozen valentines.
On the valentine he sent to his best
girl, Helen Strong. he wrote a .couplet
indicating that he was pining for an ex-
preston of her love, which, if received,
he would treasure forever Forever
was the last word of the second line
and rimed with 'sever," the last word
of the first line He didn't disguise
his handwriting, for he was proud of
his couplet and didn't wish it or the
beautiful valentine to go to waste.
Jimmy addressed, stamped and mail
ed his valentines early in the after
noon of the 18th of February The
next morning the postman brought
him a batch of valentines. The first
one he opened he recognized as one he
had sent out himself the day before
There was an Endorsement ON it as fol
| lows:
| My love for you is just as warm as
| when [ sent you this just one year ago.
The blood mounted to Jims cheek at
being detected in using an old valen-
| tine.
Better luck next time" and he open
| ed another
| The luck was certainly better, for he
had never seen the inclosure before
| The third and the fourth were also
new to him. On the fifth, which was
one he had sent. was an Endorsement:
w Idl Olu you SelQ II DdCh tCT. uOu
want It,
Jim had grown somewhat callous by
this time, but the truth is he was look
fng for his valentine from Helen
Strong. Beside hers the rest were of
very little Importance. However. he
opened them all without coming upon
one that bore any trace whatever of
having been sent by her.
9TH get it by the next mail" he NUT
tered and tossed those he had received
on to a table from which they were
destined later on to be brushed into a
waste paper basket. During the day
be lounged about the house, and when
ever he heard the postman's whistle
he went to the door himself in eager
expectancy of his valentine from Hell
en-. But no valentine came. In the
evening he called up on the telephone:
rs that you. Helen?
"Im Jim.
SCOT anything on hand this even
ing?
well, III run in for little while.
did you get many valentines to-
day?
Il sent you one 1t was beauty;
cost $3.50.
Eyes, mine was the one with the
couplet.
''I'm glad you liked 'em.
Yes, | f1atter myself that protrud- |
ing-what dye call t?-is very pretty
81 didn't write anything under the |
Cupid
Cant you tell me what it was on
the phone?
well, I'll be over in few minutes"
When Jimmy arrived he found Helen
sitting by a table in her own private
parlor with stack of valentines be-
side her. Before she would answer any
questions she insisted upon showing her
love missives. Jim took no interest in
those that had been sent by any one
except himself, but Helen forced him
to look at every one of them and to
take lot Of time in doing so. When
the last one had been admired she took
up Jim's valentine. She read the
couplet over several times and said she
hadn't believed that he could write
poetry like that" This made Jim very
proud of himself.
"But, jimmy she said at last,
aren't you mistaken about the cost of
the valentine?"
Certainly not. 1t took all my saw
ngs."
I'm sure it didn't cost so much"
"Why are you sure?'
Because l bought it myself year
100, and paper wasn't near so high
hen as it is To-Day"
This was said with twinkle in her
Eye.
Jim resolved to make bluff.
1--WE heard before this of girls accus-
ng fellows cf sending back their own
valentines. You can't come that racket
IN me-"
"What'll you bet?'
"3et what?"
"That / can't prove you sent me back
valentine 1 sent you" :
make it pound Of candy against
'ox of cigars
"Done" 7
Inserting the points of a hairpin I'M
Ter the Cupid in the valentine, she ex-
osed the letters FL. S.