said Clover.

"Mine isn't much," replied Katy, and she read:

"The rose is red the violet blue,
Sugar is sweet, and so are you."

"What a mean valentine!" cried Elsie, with flashing eyes. "It's a real
shame, Katy! You ought to have had the best of all."

Katy could hardly keep from laughing. The fact was that the verses for
the others had taken so long, that no time had been left for writing a
valentine to herself. So, thinking it would excite suspicion to have
none, she had scribbled this old rhyme at the last moment.

"It isn't very nice," she said, trying to look as pensive as she could,
"but never mind."

"It's a shame!" repeated Elsie, petting her very hard to make up for the
injustice.

"Hasn't it been a funny evening?" said John; and Dorry replied, "Yes; we
never had such good times before Katy was sick, did we?"

Katy heard this with a mingled feeling of pleasure and pain. "I think
the children do love me a little more of late," she said to herself.
"But, oh, why couldn't I be good to them when I was well and strong!"

She didn't open Cousin Helen's letter until the rest were all gone to
bed. I think somebody must have written and told about the valentine