Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-02-14
JAMES VALENTINE.
BY MRS. WARNER

What singular tableau. Three beautiful
girls convulsed with laughter, and one plain
faced maiden bathed in tears 1t was ST. Val
entine's Eve. Missive after missive had been
brought into the back parlor at Judge Mil
ford's by the obsequious waiter Some of these
offerings were large and expensive; some tiny
and delicate; some replete with fattery; some
redolent with perfumery; all eminently silly
But none Of these had occasioned the mirth of
the trio, or the grief Of the one. Some vulgar
person has sent a vile caricature to the plain
sister, accompanied by an exaggerated de-
scription of her ugliness, in verse.
1t was quite painful enough to Jane to know
that she possessed no claim to personal beauty.
Could she have lost sight of that fact she would
have appeared very differently at times. But
her sisters always managed to bring their own
prettiness into such forcible contrast with her
plainness, that she was rarely free from ner-
vous sort of consciousness of her personal de-
fects
But she had good sense and patient spirit,
which they had not. Still, when they grew so
merry over her solitary Valentine, she finally
burst into tears, in spite of all her efforts to
the contrary; for Jane was in the habit of con-
trolling her emotions when wounded and heart
sore, until safely concealed in her own room.
"Look :" 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 ever. You would
never do for a heroine in a novel; for they are
always represented as irresistible in tears
Mercy. how red your eyes are" calculated
azure-orbed Clara. you do leok frightful,''
g The poor child can't help being ugly" in
terposed Fanny, gazing complacentIy into the
mirror opposite, where her red lips and auburn
ringlets were advantageously reflected.
That Is just what pains me-" sobbed Jane
Because God saw ft to create me plain, 1 do
not see why I should be made the butt of every
coarse jest. suppose I have feelings like
other people. Should my faults of temper or
omissions of duty be chosen as subjects of ridi.
Guile, am sure would not complain; but to
ridicule my personal appearance, think, sa-
vors Of coarseness and ignorance
Issbel's black eyes flashed. Jane, the young.
est Of them all, always so submissive, always
so humble, to burst ont so suddenly, with SC
pointed a declaration!
T" Mr.. Lee, in the drawing-room, wishes tc
see Miss jane" announced the servant at thi.
juncture.
''Are you certain he said Jane ?" demanded
Clara. =
Yes, man," replied the waiter.
" Lottie is ill again, no doubt" suggested
Fanny. "Jane is such an excellent nurse
and Isabel added, 81 wish cousin Charles had
come in to spend the evening in a sociable
way" -re 49, 7
II would certainly have been very agree
able, for Charles Lee was rich, ine-looking
and intelligent; widower and remotely re
lated to Milfords. No wonder the three grace,
at Milford Hall found cousin Charles an inter.
esting gentleman, his little daughter Lottis .
perfect angel, and bis countryseat aterrestria
Paradise. - rsl5 - ~
Jane loitered on the way TO the drawing
room, striving to efface all traces of her recen
grief Is Lottie i'll ,' interrogated she, q,
Mr. lee approached her. s1s5s as
: .ssae as III ..4s. ,uss.