The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-03-07
M I S ELL A II e Eou S
From Godey's Laky's Book for february.
kate's Valentine.
BY HENRY SUNDERLAND.

Young ladies of her age, has her own
opinions on matters and things currently
transpiring. She thinks independently,
and generally speaks what she thinks
OF course her knowledge of human nature
is not very deep; nor is she as wise in all
her conclusions as she is led TO imagine.
do not say this disparagingly, for Kate has
as good sense as nine In ten who have
only numbered her years, which are about
;wenty-one.
On one subject Kate had, for year or
two, been particularly decided in her ex-
pressions. The Valentine epidemic, which
has ragged SO violently, she considered a
social disease empha,ically. 1t was no
healthy manifestation of right feelings in
her estimation.
As last ST. Valentines day approached,
and as the store windows and counters
began to be flied with emblematic love
missives of all kinds, from the most costly,
delicate and refined. down TO the cheapest,
coarsest and most vulgar, Kate exhibited
more and more strongly her antipathy TO
the custom about to be honored
IF any one was to send me a Valentine,
said she, i would take it as direct insult
10 my common sense
oh, as for that replied, sportively.
lovers are not so silly as TO address the
common sense Of those whose favor they
desire to win.
Whoever wins me- was her prompt
answer, must appeal to that. At no other
point will be accessible
We shall see.'
'And we will see.'
.I'll wager a new hat against spring
bonnet said /, 'that you receive Valen-
sine this year from certain young man
naned-Never mind; don't blush so; |
won't name him.
Il would discard any one who insulted
me with a Valentine, replied Kate, indig
nantly.
Don't say that, for fear you will have
cause to repent the indiscretion.'
Yes, / do say it. No man of good
sense would stoop to such trifing.'
Il don't know, Kate. A little triiing
now and then is relished by the best of
men,
That's rhyme, which does not always
60 hand in hand with reason
You'll grow wiser, Kate, as You grow
Older
If that is the kind of wisdom age brings,
I'm sure l don't want it,
| answered with laugh, for to be grave
on such theme was not in me. AS the
fourteenth approached, Kate frequently
repeated her expressions of disgust at the
silly custom Of sending Valentines that had
become SO popular, and declared, over
and over again, that such liberty with
her would be taken as direct insult, and
resented accordingly.
Among the visiting acquaintance OF
Kate, was young man named Lorlng, for
whom could see she had kindlier feel
ings than for any other male friend; but,
either in consequence of natural reserve
of character, or because he was in doubt
as to Kate's sentiments regarding himself.
he never seemed perfectly at ease IN her
company, though he sought it on every
proper occasion. had him in my mind
when suggested the reception of Val
entine from a certain young man, and
Kate understood me perfectly.
Well, Valentines day came round. At
dinner time / came home as usual, and al
most the first words my wife said to me
was
What do you think! Kate received a
Valentine
sIndeed!'
its true. 1t came by the Dispatch
Post. / received it at the door and sent
itup to her room.'
Have You seen her since9'
NO
of course, she's particularly indignant.
Il don't know anything about that. 1t
was handsome one. infer, from the size
and envelope, and had in it something
hard, which took for jewelry-a breast
pin or bracelet
E Where do you think it come fron'
said l.
i've guessed young Loring.' answered
my wife.
IF he has sent it, he has committed
great mistake replied.
How so?'
You know Kate's antipathy to Valen-
tines.'
Young ladies' often talk great deal
without really knowing what they say:
and Kate is not altogether free from the
fault said my wife.
readily enough assented to this. When
The bell rung for dinner, Kate came down