The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1864-09-17
Old Sweetheartr.

n s rlcssan, 10 meet old friends, Va, exceedingly
'rying to meet An old sweetheart. Lavender Is nc.
moe "tryips to the complexion q a brunette.
Twas in lfe's early forenoon iha, you knew her,
when existence wore nice new Clothes dyed in the
cstsbll shmont q the rainbow. You quotc,l poetry
" her by the hour, took moonliph, s'ro.'s and
drives and quoted VARIOUS little things addressed
TO nights luminnry by the poets. which YOU found
in the "Dctionnry OF Pcc,ical Quotations" and
committed 10 memory after hours Of painful study.
She was In rap;urcs, and sad you had such |, nom
ory-you remembered cverythi'g you read. You
wore Byronlc collars IN those dnys, cultivated y
raven mustnchc, for which YOU was indebted 10
the hnlr-iycr, spent goDi n,sl u time vouf
hair which was inclined to curl, aud WAS mildly
gwen H. gin and water
Sweetheart Wcd 10 Chde YOU fnr the latter habit.
but n was evident 10 you that you wouldn't y. oil
tie romantic hero that you was, without little ~
sipstion, so yoi never got medal" You wrote
unutterahe poetry In her album. and gave her your
miniature crimson-v.yet case. Suu drcumcI
AWAY hours IN building atmospheric country seats,
In which your ~ cc'heort aud you were tie only
residents, with notfing 10 do but wander amid
towerv paths and quote fioin those impractical
writerr styled pets.
"Yoais have outs,retchcd their .hadowv winrs
between" You didnt marry swecthcart, r'tne-
how, aud life With its stern realities drove all
thoughts Of her from your mind. You arc brought
tyctieT aHhln uhc NIScteilN, anu nl"morN, eNtHrf
telegraph operator that she il, puts you in instant
communication with oden times.
Sweetheart has faded q. course. and 80 have you.
AS you doa your hat in sslu'ation. you rend sur
prise in her look, and then yon rInomter that
your hair ion't curl any more; tho CAFES OF he
have p'oughcd burrows N your Srccian forrl cad, +"
she delighted once h. call il, and Tine, with his
scythc, has moved away quite clearing on the top
Of Your head. You havn't m empty har-lye
bottle, even to cmind her Of the raven mUsti'che
ol other daysan your sandy beard needs trimming
sadly. sweetheart laughs OF some poorly executed
Joke (ghost of that once captivating VII, and you
Irrce.vc she hns a front tooth gone, aud you never
noticed before that she had such homcly profile.
You are suddenly and forcibly reminded That tine
IL son "a n 9 wing" and YOU arc growing Old.
swee'heart introduces her husband 10 you, and
tells him. with litter, (Which ~ psiutul carlca-
tire Of her girllsh laugh, m,isic, md las
cinating You compared 1t to dipping at plant will
lows In tie waterfall, cont You remembcrO that
you are an old beau" Then turning 10 you,
she inquiries 'Do you love poetry ss much as YOU
ever dur" Poc,ry! stuff You put Your hand On
the Tribune almanac and affirm that you had not
fc.d line Of poetry for wears. DURING the day
you go about your business in n wandering man
ncr. The old days como back ngain, and you live
II tie past. You go home and tie presence NJ
your fam ly not ut all visionary unreal dispels
the uny,bs;antal VISIONS cnuecturcd up 10y unex-
pcc'edy meeting tan old sweetheart"