Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-12

The Story of a Valentine.
[ have an odd story 70 tell.

have an odd story TO tell.
Hubert said / might print it if I would
disguise the names. 1t came out quite
incidentally. We were discussing the
woman question. l am a "woman's
Fighter" Hubert-the Rev. Hubert Lee,
should say, pastor of the "First
Church, and, indeed, the only church in
Allenvile-is not, though flatter myself
l have made some impression on him.
But the discussion took place in Hubert's
own house, and wishing to give pleas
ant turn at the end, suppose, he told me
how 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 q
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 prsc-
tice, for he has educated his only daugh-
TT, CorneliS, to his own profession, and
believe she took her II. D, with honors,
though she has lately spoiled herprospects
by marrying. But socially he has be-
come little aristocrstic, seeking sn eX-
elusive association 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 arts
tocracy.n l suppose Hubert felt this.
Certainly l did, and therefore enjoyed
the conversation that he repeated to me
all the more.
1t seems that my friend Hubert had
been away al the seminary for three years,
and that having At last conquered in his
great battle against poverty, and having
gained an education in spite of difficulties,
and having supplied city church accept
Sbly for some months during the absence
of the pastor in Europe, he came back to
our native village TO rest on his laurels a
few weeks, and decide which of three
rather impecunious calls he would accept.
When just about TO leave he took it into
his head for some reason to ''drop in" on
old DR.. Hood. 1t was o'clock in the
morning, Gnd the Doctors partner was
making morning calls while the old gen
ilemau sat in his Office to attend to any
tlat might seek his services. This par
tcular morning happened to be an un-
fortunate one, for there were no ague-
shaken patients to be seen, and there was
Lot even q case of minor surgery to re-
heve the tediousneSs of the morning Office
hour. Perhaps it was for this reason,
perhaps 1t WAS for the sake of old &C
quaintsuce, that he gave Hubert most
cordial reception, and launched at once
into sea of vivacious talk. Cornelia,
who was in the Office, excused herself on
the ground that she was examining for
her final examination, and seated herself
at window with her book.
RAJ am afraid l take your time, D &c
tor" said Hubert
80, no, l am giving up practice TO my
partner, DR.. Beck, and shall give it all to
him in year or two"
''To him aud Miss Cornelia2" queried
Hubert, laughing. For it was currently
reported that the young Doctor and Cor
nelis were to form q partnership in other
than professional affairs.
Either because he wished to attract her
a tention, or for some other reason, HUI
bert soon managed to turn the converse
ton to the subject of woman's rights,
and the old Doctor and the young psrsoH
were soen hurting at one another all the
staple, and now somewhat stale, srgu-
ments about w1man's fitness and woman's
uDtitness for many things. At last, per-
hsps because he was a little cornered.
Hubert said:
NOW, Doctor, there was q queer thing
happened to student in my class in the
seminary. don't suppose, Doctor, that
you sRe much interested in a love story,
but would just like to tell you this one,
because l think you dare not apply your
principles to it in every part. Theories
often fail when practically applied, you
know"
go on, Hu, go 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 conf
IDENTIFY.
This friend of mine, Harry Gilbert"
said Hu, "was like myself, poor. A long
time ago, when he was a boy, the son of
q poor widow, the LOT on which he lived
Joined at the back the lot on which lived
q Mr.. Morton, at that time a thriving
merchant, now the principal capitalist in
that part of the country. AS there was
q back gate between the lots, my friend |
was the constant playmate from earliest
childhood of Jennie Morton. He built |
her play houses out of old boards; he
moulded clay bricks for her use, and
carved tiny toys out of pine blocks for
her amusement. As he grew larger, and |
as Jennie's father grew richer, and came
to live in greater style, Henry grew more
Ehy. But by all the unspoken language
Of the eyes the two never failed TO make |
their unchanging regard known to each
other.
Henry went 10 COLLEGE early. At va
cation time the two met. But the grow-
ING di;f.r nee in their social position