Year: 1875

That's an honest letter from som
little saint


"Then he came up to me and hel
it toward me, while l pretended
, be very busy with my valentines
Then he spoke:


"Do you know that hand writin
Kity


Il felt like an swful little liar. bu
l had promised you. l stretched on
my hand for it and said carelessly.


"Why. amt it Sues ?"


"Sue is his sister, you know. So b.
thought / did not know where it CANT
from and he changed his mind ant
put it in his pocket and went of
when / teased him Afterward to lei
me see it, he said


"No; there are some things fel
low would be cad to show.


$50 l saw it hit home, and we'll il
might. 1t was tremendous letter
Nelly"


And Kitty ended with hug and
kiss, and look Of that royal ad
miralion which a girl can give an
other girl now and then.


When the spring came, Jack
Greene went away from Chester and
did not come back there any more.
No doubt Nelly Hunt would have
forgotten his very existence but fol
that valentine which she could not
forget She used to blush as she
grew older to think how "bamptious'
it was, as she used to call it to her.
self.


Nelly was twenty when Jack
Greene came back to Chester again.
And now he came a physician. just
through his studies and anxious to
build up a practice Soon his fame
grew. His patients were among the
poor at first, and he cured them.
And then richer people heard of it
and sent for him. But, while he
took all the patients that came to him
he never gave up the practice among
those who most needed him. His
praise was in all their mouths. There
had never been any doctor like this
one.


Nelly was Miss Hunt now-for
Bertha had gone away from her into
the next county-and Nelly's grief
had made her gentle heart yet more
gentle and her helpful heart yet
more helpful.


Toward night one summer day,
she had gone to sec an old woman
who had been her nurse once, and
had found her very ill-quite too i'll
to.be left alone and certainly in need
of physician. So Nelly tore a leaf
from her memorandum book and
wrote on it few lines, begging DR.
Green to come at once, and then
called to the first passer by, and en-.
II eated him to take it to the doctor.


1t was an half hour before DIR.
Greene came in quietly and gravely.
attended to his patient with that care.
full consideration which made all
those poor souls whom he visited
adore him. Then he turned to Nelly.


"Who, will stay with her to-
night ?" he asked; "for indeed she
hardly ought to be left alone"


Il shall stay" was the quiet an
swer.


"Then come to the door with me,
please, and let me give you your di'
rections."


Nelly followed and stood there in
the soft summer dusk-a pretty crea-
ture-with the wild rose flush dawn
ing in her cheeks and new light
kindling in her blue eyes. She list.
ened carefully to his injunctions, and
then turned as if to 60. But he put
out his hand to detain her.


"How very much l owe to YOU
he said


"You, how" and a deep, deep
crimson dyed Nelly's face and throat
In that moment she thought of her
"bumptious" valentine which had
not crossed her mind for long time
He looked at her with a smile in
his eye, but with q face that pro
served all of its respectful gravity.
He took his red leather case out OF
his pocket, and from the case he took
the very old valentine which Nelly
remembered so well. Then he pro
duced the briet note she had writer
that afternoon, and still there wa:
light enough left in the day to SCI
them by as he held them side BY
side.


"Your hand hss matured some
what since this valentine was writ
ten," he remarked, quietly; "bu
some of these letters | would know
anywhere. No one could deceive
me-"


II did not suppose you had KEEP
that foolish thing" Nellie said, will
pitiful little quiver in her voice, a
if she was just on the point of burst
ing into tears. 81 am so ashamed"


DR.. Jack looked at her moment
as she stood there in the waning ligh
a lovely, graceful girl, from whom 6
man might be proud to win a pass
ing interest, So :his was the woman
the thought Of whom he had carried
in his heart for years. lfhs had ev
er done any good thing, he was pait
for it in the satisfaction of that hour


care you sorry" he asked slowly
that you helped = man to be his best
self? Those words Of yours were t.
me like the voice of my inmost soul
Since then this paper has not left me
nor have evei ceased to be worthy


Il