Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-04
THE STORY OF A VALENTINE
BY REV. EDWARD EGGLEsToN, D. d.

When my friend, Captain Terrible, United
| States navy, dimes at my plain table, | am al
| ways little abaShed know that he has been
| accustomed always to a variety OF wines and
sauces, to a cigarette after each course, and to a
cookery that would kill an undeveloped Ameri-
can. So, when the captain turns the caStors
| round three times before selecting his condiment
! and when his eyes seem to be seeking for Wor-
| ceSterShire sauce and Burgundy wine feel the
poverty of the best feast l 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 gateway to this story warning
have no Cayenne pepper. No Worcestershire
| sauce. No cognac. No cigarettes. No MUIR
| ders. No suicides. No broken hearts. No
lovers quarrels. No angry father. No pistols
and coffee. No arsenic. No laudanum. Ne
"heartless cOquette." No "deep-dyed villain
with a curling mustache." Now if, after this
warning, You have the courage to 60 on, am
not responsible.
Hubert said l might print it if ! would dis
guise the names. 1t came out quite incidental
". We were discussing the women question.
| am "wOman's Fighter" Hubert-the Rev.
Hubert Lee, should say, pastor of the
First church" and, indeed, the only church in
Allenville--is not, though flatter myself have
made some impression on him. But the discus
sion took place in Hubert's own house, and
wishing to give it a pleasant turn at the
end, L suppose, he told me how, a 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 has always been radical, and even the
wealth that has come in upon him of late years
has left him quite as much of a radical, at least
in theory, as ever before. Indeed the old doctor
is not very inconsistent in practice, for be has
educated his only daughter Cornelia, to his own
profession, and believe she took her NJ D. with
honors, though she has lately spoiled her pros
poets by marrying. But socially he has become
little aristocratic, seeking an exclusive asso-
citation with his wealthy neighbors. And this
does not look very well in one who when he was
poor, was particularly bitter on "a purse-proud
aristocracy." | suppose Hubert felt this. Ger
tainly did, and therefore l 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 having at
last conquered in his great battle against power.
ty, and having gained an education in spite of
| difficulties, and having supplied city church
| acceptably for some months during 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 inpecunious
| calls he would accept When Just about to
| leave he took it into his head for some reason,
| to drop in" on old Doctor Hood. 1t was nine
| O'Clock in the morning, and the doctors partner
| was making morning calls while the old gentle
man sat in the office to attend to any that might
| seek his services. This particular morning hap
| pened to be an unfortunate one, for there were
| no ague shaken patients TO be seen, and there
| was not even case of minor surgery to relieve
the tediousness of the morning hour. Perhaps
| IL was Tor this reason, perhaps it was for the
sake of old acquaintance, that he gave Hubert n
| cordial al
into sea Of most vivacious talk. Cornelia,
who was in the office, excused herself. on the
ground that she was examining for her final ex-
animation, and seated herself at a window with
her book.
81 am afraid take your time, DOCTOR" said
Hubert.
90, no, am giving my practice to my part
ner, Dr. Beck, and shall give it all to him in a
year or two"
"To him and Miss Cornela2" queried Hubert,
laughing. For it was currently reported that
the young doctor and Cornelia was to form a
partnership in other than professional affairs.
Either because he wished to attract her at
tention, or for some other reason, Hubert soon
managed TO turn the conversation to the subject
of woman's rights, and the old doctor and the
Young parson were soon hurting at one another
all the staple, and now somewhat stale argu.
ments about woman's fitness and woman's un.
fitness for many things. AT last perhaps be
cause he was little concerned, Hubert said:
|
pened to a student in my class in the seminary
l8don't suppose, doctor, that you ore much in
terested in love Story, but | would like to tel
you just this one, because / think you dare moi
apply your principles to it in every part
Theories often fail when practically applied
You know"
Go on, Hu, on; I'd like to hear the story
And as for my principles, they'll bear applying
anywherel" and the old doctor rubbed his hands
together confidently.
"This friend of mine, Henry Gilbert" said
HUI, "was, like myself, poor A long time ago
when be was boy, the son of poor widow
the lot on which he lived Joined at the back the
lot On which lived Mr.. Morton, at that time {
thriving merchant, now the principal capitals
in that part of the country. As there was
back gate between the lots, my friend was tht
constant playmate from earlie't childhood o
Jennie Morton. He built her play-houses GU
of old boards, be nodded clay bricks for he
use, ana carved tiny toys out of pine blocks fol
amusement. As he grew larger, and as Jennie
father grew richer, and came TO live in create
style, Henry grew more shy But by all thu
, unspoken language of the eyes the two neye
, failed TO make their unchanging regard know
, to each other
: "Henry went TO college early. At vacation
time the two met. But the growing differenc
IN their social position could not but be felt
= Jennie's friends were Of @ different race from
!. his own. Her parents never thought of invit
0 ing BIN to their entertainments. And if the,
r mad, rusty coat and lack of money to spen(
e on KID gloves would have effectually kept hin
/. away. He was proud. This apparent neglec
s slnng him. 1t is true that jennie Morton wa
:. all the more kind. But his quick and fooisl
= PRIDE made him fancy that he detected pity il
e her kindness. And yet all this only made hin
s determined to place himself in position il
which he could ask her hand rs Lrr canal RI,