Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-02-23

| mana. EXCuSlng nefSelI lrOLll DFetAldSI
she fastened to her room.
"To send a valentine to the faithful
lover was the uppermost thought. But
how She dare not write her name. for,
after all, she might be mistaken in
counting on his love, or she might offend
his preiudices or his pride by SO direct
an approach. She went fumbling in a
1 drawer for stationery. She drew out a
little pine boat that Henry had whit
tied for her many years before. He had
named it Hope but the combined wis
dom of the little boy and girl could not
succeed in spelling the name correctly.
And here was the little old boat that he
had given, saying often afterward that
it was the boat they two were going to
sail in some day. The misspelt name
had been the subject of many a laugh
| between them. Now-but 1 mustn't be
| sentimental. t.-i
&c 1t did not take Jennie long to draw
an exact likeness of the little craft. And
! that there might be no mistake about it,
she spelled the name as it was on the
side of the boat 'HoAf.'
"There was not another word in the
valentine. Sealing it up, she hurried out
with it, and dropped it in the post-of6ce.
No merchant, sending all his fortune to
sea in one frail bark, ever watched the
departure and trembled for the result of
a venture as she did. Spain did not pray
half so fervently when the invincible
| Armada sailed. 1t was an unuttered
prayer-an unutterable prayer. For
heart and hope were the lading of the
little picture-boat that sailed out that
day, with no other wind but her wishes
in its sails. s .f-
"She sat down at her window until
she saw Henry Gilbert pass the next
street corner on his morning walk to the
post-ofhce. Three minutes after, he went
home, evidently in a great state of ex-
element. with her valentine open in his
hand. After a while he went back again
toward the post-ofice, and returned.
Had he taken reply?
"Jennie again sought the Office.
There were people all around with those
hideous things they call comic valen-
tines open in their hands. And they
actually seemed to think them funny
She had reply. 1t did not take her
long to find her room and to open it.
There was another picture of boat,
but the name on its side read 'DE-
sPAIR.' And these words were added
Your boat is the pleasantest, but un-
derstanding that there was no vacant
place upon it, have been obliged to
take passage on this Slowly the mean
ing forced itself upon her. Henry had
fears that she whom he thought engaged
was coqueting with him. l think, Doc
tor, you will hardly justify her in pro-
ceeding further with the correspond
ence? .. -r.
"Why not? Hasn't woman as much
right to make herself understood in
such matter as a man? And when
the social advantages are on her
side the burden of making the advances
often falls upon her. Many women do
it indirectly and are not censured."
"Well, you know, 1 am conservative,
Doctor, but Pm glad you're consistent.
She did send another valentine. am
afraid she strained this figure of speech
about the boat. But when everything
in the world depends on one metaphor,
it will not do to be fastidious. Jennie
drew again the little boat with the mis-
spelt name. And this time she added
FIVE words: 'The masters place is va
can't 'a..i.-f r.--F
"And quite late in the afternoon the
reply was left at the door: Il am an
applicant for the vacant place, if you
will take that of masters mate
"Good," cried the Doctor; &c always
advocated giving women every liberty
in these matters"
"But 1 will stump you yet, Doctor
to lecture in the village, and my friend
went, not. to hear Cough, but to see Miss
Jennie Morton at distance. Somehow
in the stupefaction of revived hope he
had not thought of going to the house
to see her yet. He had postponed his
departure and had thrown away his
scruples. Knowing how much opposi-
ton he would have to contend with, he
thought, if he thought atall, that he must
proceed with caution. But some time
after the lecture began he discovered
the Morton family without Jennie
Slowly it dawned upon him. She was
at home waiting for him. He was near
the front of the church in which the
lecture was held, and every inch of aisle
was full of people. To get out was not
easy. But as he thought of Jennie
waiting it became matter of life and
death. If the house had been on fire
he would not have been more intent on
making his exit. He reached the door,
he passed the happiest evening of his
life, only to awake to sorrow, for
Jennie's father is dead set against the
match"
"He has no right to interfere" said
the Doctor, vehemently. "You see l
stand by my principles"
"But if tell the story out am afraid
you would not" said Hubert.
"Why, isn't it done ?"
"I beg your pardon, Doctor, for hav-
ing used little craft. 1 have much
at stake. 1 have disguised this story in
its details. But it is true, l am the
hero"
The Doctor looked quickly toward his
daughter. Her head was bent low over
her book. Her long hair bung about it
like curtain, shutting out all view of
the face. The Doctor walked to the
other window and looked out. Hubert
sat like mummy. After minute DR..
Hood spoke:
"Cornelia ~
She lifted face that was afame.
Tears glistened in her eyes, and doubt
not there was a prayer in her heart.
You are a brave girl. had other
plans. You have right to choose for
yourself. God bless you both. But it's
great pity Hu is not a lawyer. He
pleads we'll" So saying, he put on his
hat and walked out
repeated to me that day, sitting in his
own little parsonage in Allenville. A
minute after his wife came in. She had
been prescribing for the minor ailments
of some poor neighbors. She took the
baby from her crib, and bent over her
till that same long hair curtained moth
er and child from sight.
I" l think" said Hubert, " that you
folks who write love stories make a
great mistake in stopping at marriage.
The honeymoon never truly begins until
conjugal affection is enriched by this