Edith Francis Foster

Tomorrow is St Valentine's day," said Jack. "Whom can I send a card to, Mama?" "Who is the nicest little girl you know?" asked Mama. Jack tried to think. "I guess it's the one in the big brick house," he said. "Her hair is curly, and she gave me an apple when I climbed the tree for her kitten. Her name is Kitty, too, and that's a pretty name."

S o Mama took a sheet of paper and painted flowers all around it, with two little doves at the top; and Jack wrote a verse in the middle, with pictures—like this story. "Dear Kitty; The rose is red, the violet blue—I like kittens so I like you. Yours truly, J." Then he put it in an envelope and went out to send it. Jimmy Crow went too.

O f course Jack could not carry it himself, or Kitty would know who sent it. So he tied it around Jimmy Crow's neck. When they reached Kitty's house he set him down on the steps and rang the bell. Then he ran and hid behind the gatepost.

T he door opened quickly, for Kitty was just coming out with her sled. She looked all around but she could only see Jimmy Crow, busy picking a bone her kitten had left there. Then she caught sight of the envelope, and untied it. She dropped her sled rope and the sled slid down the steps and away to the gate. Jack jumped out and caught it. "Oh, what a pretty card!" cried Kitty. "Thank you, Jack." "No, no!" said Jack in a hurry. "You mustn't know it's me." "Well, then, thank you, Jimmy," laughed Kitty. "Now let's go sliding." "All right," said Jack. He put Jimmy Crow on the sled and off they all went. Edith Francis Foster