The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-05-01
My First and Last Valentine.

lhc brightness VIII rcilGw.
! - .
My First and Last Valentine.
! On the l4th of Fcbruarv-it Is the day the
birds are said to chose their matcs-a bevcy of
happy ways and means t" write and send away
valentines, unkn"wn to their teachers who had
. expressly forbidden il.
Long after the teachers were swrctlv rc,os-
! ing i'll tho larl Of dreams, we stole softly and
quietly alon:, the cr"aSimr tc!.,al halls TO Bell
Mariion 5 room. There we wrote sentiment
and mischief nonsense and rdicnlc to all we
could think Of.
never heard Of the fate Of but one, and that
we sent t" n school mate She was pale, quiet
girl. VIII" had little to say to any of US, and
studied for the sake of Improvement, as if con-
scioas that her time wa, precious on this earth,
and her privileges few. She WAS generally dis
liked in the school, c;erp! by the teachers /
do not know why, but an unaccountablc feeling
of jealousy pcrvadc1 my own breast toward
her. If ever missed i'll Il lesson, she wns sure
t" answer i'll ever did a,v mischief her great
black eyes were sure to follow me with sucl,
sorrowful look that conscience was sure to re-
prove me. Bnt the teachers all loved Jennie,
and seemed To place more confidence in her
than in any of Tic others. 1t was she who rang
the tardy bell; she who took exceptions
she who aroused lis from our warm nests so car
| ~ in the morning. For all these reasons she
was associated in our minds with something
unpleasant
Now, Jennie was often in the receipt of very
suspicious looking lc;ters-at least ,rc suspected
they sav"re'i greatly of love AMI young man.
How could we discover ! was the thought in our
minds ; and too often among school girls is the
n,iagc vcriiictl that.
"Sntan will
Find something still
For Idle hands 10 do"
at any rate. We thought it could do no harm to
try an experiment. SO, all envelope was pur-
lioncd from among her treasures, and the
handwriting closely inflated
What should the contents be? 1t was per
!aps because my brain was the most prolific of
mischief that The task of writing the valentine
devolved, by general consent, upon me. |
wrote
81 loved you, and trusted you,
You deceived me,
For ever,
Farewell"
The mail would DC brought at ten in the
| morning we must witness the effect of our yal-
cntinc. Jennc's room was next to mine. with
a door between. The kcyhole being in close
proximity to her chair, We might easily See it
all.
1t was rule Of the SC ho ol to 90 to Miss vii.
sons room for our letters. We were oil con-
gregated about the entrance when Jennie pas
sed out with hers. and with such happy, joy.
full look in her eyes that felt panied at the
disappointment we had prepared for her.
Girls do be quiet; she will Hear you,"
said as they crowded around to witness the read
. ing OF the valentine though the keyholc Hook
ed. She had seated herself in full view and
with look of eager expectation opened her
; letter. Alas how pale she became as she read
those cruel worAs; but we heard not even
! sigh.
"Shc don't care" the girIs exclaimed, and
separated
! was not so easily satisfied. I felt there
might be times, seasons of agony, when even in
woman's heart the tears that cannot: rise to
the eyes, JW '"'eard, seething, choking-bit
tcrcr than any gentle rain which moistens the
.ennbric'h ic'handkerehief. l could not turn away
JOIN the merry throng below, while she sat
there motioness, with her clasped hands, her
VIDE opened eyes, and her tlrobbing hearth
| Inc dinner hour came and passed, but Jep
MES seat was vacant. At tea. time. some opc
was sent to coll her, when she W as found layinp
nlthe hoor, and, to first appearance lifeless.
Reason had vacated it's throne thepoor tired
heart but family beat, while ours tbrobbed
painfully fenrfully, knowing too well thnt we
bad done the mischief The arrow Dointed bv
n thoughtless hand had been aimed too we'll.
Atnigbt she lay raving in Mics Wilson's
arms, and all night knelt by the door which
separated her room from mine, listening with
frightened heart to her words Nowshe wonfa
talk wildly, iHcoherentiy then her words would
become tender and confidng as ifher woes and
heart escaped through ertogether. Again her
moanlngs were terrible to hear. She would
start up wildly, calling so lovingly ON "Wiie ,
willie Iil don't 1easeme am so wretchedl
was nos false iish' believe me Fl was not YOU
are everything to ms.;-you have taken, the
place In my heartfelt my dear, dead fdtier and
iaotherl Oh, an so lonely, lonely lonely.
false "a 10y ~
could endure 10 sssrs, but but rasBed i 49,
room, and with Jenniss dark eyes fixed w;,a,v
ON me- confessed 10 my tSaohsr the bart wI;os
4 Ishad borne jim ibs xieESa deed Oh. how T.n
dsriy f&atched Atsahs sbsdSidssof ths .hes;,s
STRICKEN, girl but al my asyo souid "A 6Esssial
! her back to life; till wifiie sstSS. = ,fssa q