Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-02-12
MISCELL L A N Y.
From Petsrson's Magazine for February.
JAMES VALENTINE.
BY MRS. n. N. LADo WARNER.

What singular tableau! Three beautiful
girls convulsed with laughter and one pale-faced
maiden bathed ir tears. II was st. Valentines
Eve Misdve after mssive had been brought
into the back parlor of Judge Milford's by the
obsequious waiter. Some ot these missives were
large and expensive; SOME tiny and delicate
some replete with aattery; some redolent with
perfumery; all emineDtly silly.
But none of them had occasioned the mirth OF
the two, or the grief of the one Some vulgar
person had sent vile cariacature to the plain
sister, accompanied by an exaggerated descrip-
ton of her ugliDess in verse.
1t was quite painful enough to Jane to know
that she possessed 40 claim to personal beauty.
Gould she have lost sight of that fact she would
have appeared very different at times. But her
sisters always managed TO bring their own pref
tiness into such forciDle contrast with her plain
ness, that she was rarely free from sort OF con-
sciousness of her personal defects.
But she had good sense and patient, spirit,
which they had not. Still, when they grew 50
merry over her solitary Valentine, she finally
burs. into tears, in spite OF her efforts TO the
contrary; tor Jane was in the habit of control
ing her elnotioDs, when wounded and hearsore,
until safely concealed in her own room.
ssLook |" exclaimed Isabel, opening her large
black eyes to their utmost capacity, "the child
is really weeping Why, Jane, you are more
like the picture than everl You'd never do tor
heroine in novel, for they are always repre-
sented as irresistible in tears"
.sMercy! how red yonr eyes are,o calculated
azure-orbed Clara. "You do look frightful!"
1.-THE poor child can't help being ugly" inter-
posed Fannie, gazing complacently into the mir
ror opposite, where her red lips and auburn
ringlets were advantageousy reflected.
''That is just what pains me-" sobbed jane
because God saw fit to create me plain, do
not see why should be made the but OF every
coarse Jest. suppose / have feelings like other
people. Should my faults of temper or omis-
sions of duty be chosen as subjects of ridicule,
am sure would rot complain; but to ridicule
my personal appearance, think, savors Of coars-
ness and ignorance.
Isabel's black eyes flashed. Jane, the young
est of them all, always SO submissive, always so
humble burst out so suddenly, with SO pointed
a declaratiOnl
"Mr Lee, in the drawing-room, wishes to see
Miss Jane," announced the servant at this juno
ture.
"Are you certain he said Jane 2" demanded
Clara.
"Yes men," replied the waiter.
"Lottie is ill again, no doubt" suggested Fan
ME. "Jane is such an excellent nurse;" and Is
abel added, II wish cousin Charles had come In
to spend the evening in sociable way"
1t would certainly have been very agreeable,
for Charles Lee was rich, ine-lookiDg and intel
ligent; he was widower, and remotely related
10 the Milfords. No wonder the three graces
at Milford Hall found cousin Charles an inter-
esting gentleman, his little daughter Lottie a
perfect angel, and his country seat terrestrial
Paradise.
Jane loitered on the way to the arawing-room,
striving to eface all traces of her recent grief.
'.Is Lottie i'll 2" interrogated she, as Mr.. Lee
approached her.
mo, Jane" he replied, "Lottie is well, but in
want"
'In want!" repeated Jane.
"Yes in want of a mother, and / of q wife,
and have come here tonight to offer myself to
little Jane Milford as her Valentine for life, if
she will accept man old enough to be her ia
thern
"Why, am very plain9" she faltered forth !:
Il have received the most horrid carlcature
you ever saw, in consideration tony claims to
extraordinary ugl'ness."
II recullect thinking you plain when l first
saw you," be replied; ''but now, in my eyes,
you are the prettiest of the four. Besides, do
not base my preference on personal beauty
You are good, gentle and sweet-toned; and l
love you. But about the Valentine: do you
consider me particularly ill-looking9"
"fou, Mr.. Lee!" said Jane, innocently, "why,
you are handsome"
"Well, received Valentine to- day quite as
grotesque as your own, I'll be bound," and he
unfolded sheet, revealing lone widower
shivering over miserable fire. ''But this a.
wakened me to a sense of my desolate condition,
and determined to appeal to you, norwith-
standing my fear of your reply, when / consider
my thlrty-six and your eighteen years. Is that
a barrier dear Jane % gl - &
Dear Jane! What charm fingered all a.
round those two little WORDS! Who had ever
pronounced them so softly and tenderly before