Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-02-26
February 18th.


Why did St. Valentine choose the least at
tractive of all the months in the year for the
mating Of hearts? Was it. that compassiona.
ting poor February, be thought to glorify it
with the crown of lover All well! the win
ter is growing old and we are longing to push
it from the stage to make room for the bright
young Spring perhaps it is we'll to iatforn its
dying hours with rose color, even as ladies
deck themselves in bright hues after the flush
of youth has faded. 49,. es
But somehow it seems to me that love ought
to belong to the glow and fervor of the sum-
| mer to June-the queen bride Ct the year.
Her moon or star-it nights, perfect foliage and
flowers, soft skies and ripping waters are meet
accomplishments for Cupid who in this bleak
month must be obliged to thaw hearts ere bis
arrows will pierce them. By the way this
may be the reason our modern Cupid is not
blind. Doomed to plod his way through the
cold and over rough roads, he has opened his
eyes that he may see the shorter and smoother
paths. lie is getting practical and sensible in
these later days. W are no longer in danger
Of wounds from random shafts for he cody
and calmly considers wealth, station, age
beauty, public opinion, obstacles in the way of
attainment, &c, and if all is agreeable he takes
deliberate aim, sends the arrow straight to the
mark, and the work is done. What an i'm
provement on the old plan! All troublesome
beart-aches are dispensed with--no signs. no
oil gs,ir 1pit
no wakeful nights are necessary-blushes are
absurd-it is ridiculous to tremble when you
hear a well known football, or feel yous heart
bound SO exultantly when a certain hand
touches yours, OF. start SO gultiy at the un.
expected sound of q voice. Sentiment of all
kinds is abolished. IF one has poetica tai
ent, it should be employed only when it will
, bring fame or gold. Lovers vows are spoken
in brief business-like terms, in the presence of
third party, WHO may prove convenient
witness in q breach of promise case. Ofcourse
| no one in this matter of-fact age is so uuso.
phisticated as to sigh for the days Chivalry
when gallant Knights, prancing st1eds
fought AMI died for Lady fair, or tuned their
harps to sing Of love for her ear alone
All that may sound well in poetry, but one
couldn't get divorce, fortune ana a new
lover all at once, then. People married for Ire
in those days. And as for recovering damages
for breach Of promise, it couldn't be, for 10
promises were broken then, that we read of.
St Valentine was wise after all in choosing
stern February for the love month"; Tor it might
be difficult for romantic people to love prac-
tically in June even in this age.
[ have package of valentines, tied with
ribbon of true blue, which came to me one
February, at the dear old academy, when a
romping school gill of scarce sixteen. / sat
reading them to Brownie The door suddenly
opened and in walked our stately preceptress
But the expected reproof came not. Gravely
smiling, she brushed the tangled hair from my
forehead, saying: "The laurels of girlhood are
sweet to gather, bu: walk softly and wear them
thoughtfulls."
Worn and soiled little missives how you |
bring to memory the forms and days Of yore |
This one, traced in such strong, manly charac-
tiers, from one who; at the first blast of his |
couhtrys bugle, went forth to her aid. It's
sentiments are like the life Of the writer, earn
est, noble, unlike the empty compliments of
valentine. The graceful curves which portray
the finished rhyme of another, call to mind the
flashing eyes and curling locks of the genius |
of the school He too, went to die for bis
country, and the ttso now sleep in one grave
upon lonely island where the bte waters of
the great gulf sing them perpetual lullaby. |
Living, they hated each other; dying, in the
same room one summer midnight, did they |
clasp hands and forgive, that they now sleep so
lovingly together2 The writer Of q third is
now dutiful husband and father. The fourth
with its high flown sentimentalism and far
fetched words, instantly conjures up the fame
red beard and little blue eyes of the bachelor
professor. O, school days School matesl are
ye fed forever and am I no longer a child?
VIENHE.
E,vFNING SCIJOOT. --Thiq sobool oa