Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-12
FRANKS VALENTINE.
BY vERNE ARGLYNE.


Il MIR. Frank Peyton, having completed
his college course, had settled on his
fathers plantation in Virginia, to what
his friends called STEADY fox hunting
and flirting"
It was the first Valentines Day since
his return home, and he was taking
solitary breakfast by candlelighf, in hunt
ing costume, that he might arrive early
at Mr.. Lewis, five miles off, where the
hunters we're TO meet. --.. .' -
''Dar's a letter for ysu Marse Frank"
said his body servant, Oscar, opening
the door. ''Csme lars night, srter you
done gone to bed"
The letter was in pink envelope, seal
ed with green wax, emblematic of rose
colored visions and youthful verdancy,
evidently q Valentine. There was a
post mark; but it was dated outside,
'FsF'e6. 14th."
''Where did it come from, Osi" he
said. -.- -..
sSTom fotch il from Marse Dick Lewis;
Dilsy give it to Tom; and little Miss Kate,
she give it to Dilsy; and dey didn't, none
of 'em know which O. de young ladies
sent tn --. adj
In the intervals of hot batter cakes
and broiled ham, Frank read:
whose fairy fingers traced these lines
Upon this page Of snow,
- And what she thought OF you the while
e. What would you give to known
And on the face, lf-shad owed Ger .a
By ringlets dropping low .-r.'
Whether those thoughts swoke blush
What would you give 70 known ~.
Whether the lips tender smile,
Or merry one, bestow,
Ana II the eyes are rich or mild
What would you give TO know
You're curious, although you may
. L.' Declare IL is not sos aa.'
But unless you're wise enough to guess
Be sure you'll never knew"
Now. Mr.. Lewis house was the great
social center of the neighborhoOd. In
addition to his own pretty daughters,
nieces and cousins, several young ladies
from distant States and cities were visit
ing, Just now, at the old place. A sue
cession of dancing parties, hiding parties,
soclables, and (rare delight) q sleighing
party, had in the last three weeks, sue
ceeded each other. Frank was on the
friendliest terms with a half-dozen of
pretty girls in the party. Any one of
them might have sent his valentine. Or
any one of a dozen young fellows he
thought of, who would wish to enjoy his
attempts TO discover the writer, might
have got it up to quiz him. Or, perhaps,
some lady, whom he had scarcely noticed,
sure that she would never be suspected,
might have sent it. Never had conjecture
a wider field.
Frank paced along the frosty road on
bis little mare, Brunette, and thought
about it. Presently he discovered that he
was constantly asking himself.
"Has it Jenny Lewis, or Miss Oald-
well9"
Virginia Lewis had been his playmate
and friend from the time of his first
roundabout. She was a plump, merry
girl, with brown hair, large, frank, gray
eyes, and very red lips. Jenny, as she
was Familiarity called, had not one spark
of affectation, prudery, or coquetry. so
straightforward was she that Frank,
when he returned home, q finished man
of the world, as he thought, had decided
that "Jenny was nice girl, but lacked
manner and sentiment.
On the other hand, he had known bliss
Caldwell exactly twenty-four days, and
had been in love, as he fancied, with her
for twenty three of them. He could moi
speak of her in his own words. The
poets were ransacked for phrases worthy
of her loneliness. You and would have
called her tall, graceful blonde; but
Frank had quoted everything in English
poetry, from Chaucer TO Alexander
Smith, relating to graceful blondes, with
golden-brown hair and blue eyes, and still
told himself he had found no words
worthy of her.
Frank found 'CloverfeldS" the man
sion of Mr.. Lewis, in state of delightful
hustle and confusion. A score of horses
were neighing at the racks around the
yard; chattering, important grooms wer'
leading FESTIVE animals back and forth
ladies were arriving in carriages and or
horseback, with attendant cavaliers; an(
on the broad piazza, a group of sports
men were discussing the probable route o.
the hunt. and specializing whether tn,