The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-03
THE STORY OF A VALENTINE,
From Scribner's MaRazine

From Scribner's Magazine.
When my friend Capt. Terrible, u.
5. n, dimes at my plain table, am al
ways little abashed. | know that he
has been accustomed always to variety
OF wines and sauces, to a cigarette after
each course, and to cookery that would
kill an undeveloped American. So,
when the Captain turns the castor round
three times before selecting his condi-
ment, and when his eyes seem to be
seeking for Worcestershire sauce and
Burgundy wine, | feel the poverty of the
best feast can furnish him. am afraid
veteran magazine readers will feel thus
about the odd little story have to tell.
For have observed of late that even the
short stories are highly seasoned and |
cannot bear to disappoint readers. So,
let me just honestly write over the gate
way to this story warning. | have no
Cayenne pepper. No Worcestershire
sauce. No cognac. No cigarettes. No
murders. No suicides. No broken hearts.
No lovers quaTels. No angry father.
No pistols and coffee. No arsenic. No
laudanum. No shrewd detectives. No
trial for murder. No "heartess coouette."
No " deep-dyed villain with curling
mustache.' Now if, after this warning,
you have courage to go on, am not re-
sponsble.
. Hubert said | might print it if | would
disguise the names. 1t came out quite
incidentally. We were discussing the
woman question. ] am "woman's
Fighter. llubert-the Rev. Hubert Lee,
| should say, pastor of the First
Church. and, indeed, the only church
in Allenyille--is not, though hatter
myself | have made some impression on
him. But the discussion took place in
Hubert's own house, and wishing to
give a pleasant turn at the end, | sup
pose, he told me how, q year and half
before, he had FUSED up" one woman's
rights man. who was no other than old
DR.. Hood, the physician that has had
charge Of the physical health of Hubert
and myself from the beginning. Unlike
most of his profession, the Doctor had
always been a radical, and even the
wealth that has come in upon him of
late years has left him quite as much Of
radical, at least in theory, as ever be-
fore. Indeed the old Doctor is not very
inconsistent in practice for he has cdu-
Gated his only daughter, Cornelia, to his
own profession and believe she took
her Nj. ID. with honors, though she has
lately spoiled her prospects by marrying.
But socially hc has become little aristo-
cratic seeking an exclusive association
with his wealthy neighbors. And this
does not look very well in one who,
when he was poor, was particularly bit
ter ON a purse-proud aristocracy." |
suppose Hubert felt this Certainly |
did, and therefore enjoyed the CONVEX
sation that he repeated to me all the
more.
1t seems that my friend Hubert had
been away at the seminary for three
years, and that having at last conquered
III ms great battle against poverty, and
having gained an education in spite of
difficulties, and having supplied city
church acceptably for some months dur
ing the absence Of the pastor in Europe,
he came back to our native village
to rest on his laurels few weeks, and
decide which of three rather impecuni-
Gus calls he would accept When Just
about to leave he took it into his head
for some reason, to "drop i'm on old
Doctor Hood.
1t was nine o'clock in the morning.
and the Doctors partner was making
morning calls while the old gentleman
sat in his office TO attend to any that
might seek his services. This particular
morning happened TO be an unfortunate
one, Tor there were no acuc-shaken pa
ticnts to be seen, and there was not
even a case Of minor surgery to relieve
the tediouSncss OF the morning office.
hour. Perhaps il was for this reason,
perhaps it was for the sake of old &C.
quaintance, that he gave Hubert most
cordial reception, and launched at once
into sea of vivacious talk. Cornelia
wA9 wa III the Office, excused herself ON
the gsCudu that she was examining for
her iinai examination, and seated herself
ut window with her book.
4" am afraid / take your time, Doc
tor" aaid Hubert.
90 no, | am giving up practice Co my
partner, DR.. Beck, and shall give it all
to hri in q year e" two
TO him and Nj IS Cornelia ?n queried
Hubert, laughing. For it was currently
reported tn tne young doctor and
Corncll8 were to form a partnership in
|. other thau professional affairs.
- Either bee lGc he wished to attract
=. her attent., ., or for some other reason
Iubert soon managed 20 turn the con
rsltion 10 the subject of woman's