Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-08-07
MR.. GRIFFIN's VALENTINE.
BY ROSE TERRY COOKE,

Mr.. GRIFFIN was an old bachelor and
a stock broker, man whose soul was
absorbed IN money. II stood with HIM
for all other pleasures and objects in
life! Living in New York, he never
sought any amusement but the roar and
struggle of the Stock Exchange. He
never stopped to look at a picture, gem,
or blossom in anybody's window, on
his way downtown. He was the terror
of apple.selling boys and bouquet girls; /;
not one of them dared offer him their
small wares, nor did any little boot
black venture to pipe an invitation
toward this forbiddins sPooinaOn,
however muddy his thick boots
were. As for love or lovemak-
ing, they were as far from Mr.. Griifin's
thoughts as any other too expensive
luxury. He lived in the third story of a
small brick house, one of block in
side street almost up to Central Park.
He boarded with widow, meek and
shiny woman, who, nevertheless, he'd
taste for money as well as Mr.. Griffin,
and contrived to make him pay good
price for board But day was at hand
when Mrs Blivins should lose her profit
able boarder. Mr.. Griffin, although one
might not have supposed it, had a mother
up in the country. Probably he would
have loved her if he could have loved any
body. He went once year to see her,
and stayed full week. His travelling
expenses were not quite as much as his
board, so he perhaps made half dollar
by the operation, got a weeks pure air
gratis, and, always taking his run" as
he called it, in the dull season, he lost
no business. But one day his mother
died. He had to go home to the funeral,
and staying his week out, Ostensibly to
settle her affairs, he made a great dis
eovery--it really had cost his mother less
to live a week, servant and sall, than il
did him. Melindy Barker was a stout.
smart woman of thirty, fresh and pleas
ant-loOking. She had lived with old
Mrs. Griffin five years and done all the
work, beside being, in goodset Yankee
Phrase, one of the familypsp
Mr.. Griffin owned a tenement house in
the city, and Just now the fourth story
flat was vacant; nor had he any applica-
tions for it, since it was now July. He
walked up and down the gravel path a
good many times, with his hands in his
pockets, meditating If he had smoked
he would have fumigated the idea; but
he never smoked--small vices are ex-
pensive.s AT last he invited Melindy to
go back to New York and keephouse for
him. There was his mothers furniture
that would sell for nothing, but was
quite good enough for him and would
save buying. Melindy would have half
dollar week more wages-for he did
not dare to offer ner the pittance that
she had hitherto accepted though what
he did offer bore but small relation to
the city tariff of wages; but he knew
oII 20 10 hot nrp I,a
intent of all country immigration to the
city. Melindy pondered the request
deeply over her cooking stove and wash
tub. She had longed great while to
90 to York" She had been under the
grim rule of Mrs. Griffin in Peterstown
long enough; that struggling country
village offered no prospect to Melindy's
ambition or hopes. A vague out
look fiattered her with ideas of shops,
visiting, dress, not impossibly matri-
mony. She decided to go Mr.. Griffin
staid out his week, helped pack the
furniture and left Melindy in possession
for few days, while he went back to give
Mrs. BliVins warning. With that excel
lent woman he had perturbed inter
view. She insisted on fortnight's warn
ing or payment; and Mr.. Griffin could
not part with SO much money. He
staid il out, and Melindy remained
in Peterstown till the first of Au-
gust, when, after three e-hours' sail she
found herself and her baggage at the
steamers dock, one sultry noon.
We pass over in wise silence the scene
of struggle, dirt, confusion and squalor
presented to homesick Melindy by the
aspect of that fourtll-story Hat In East
II street; but she had good courage and
deal of neutrality-suspicious. shibbo-
leth of New England speech, that tells
| its purport only to the initiated. She in.
sisted on cheap papers, to be selected by
herself, and got them, on condition OF
putting them up herself; she "struck'
| for pail of whitewash and a brush as a
permanent Institution, she refused tc
cook q dinner till the plumber had ,been
! sent for TO mend a leakytwater-pipee And
Mr., Griffin growled apdibly over the ex
Iterminatofsl and polisheFss and powders
of sundry sorts he wasforced to buy
at the point of the bayonet, so to speak
But the plumberl When Mr.. Griffin
| grinding his teeth, stopped to order thai
useful and unreliable mans immediate
presence, little did he think that he had
laid the first brick of Melindy's dream
castle and the CORNERSTONE of his owl
Iu1SquleI unu ulsLurDahce. 90 Iate Splns
It's web out OF our own substance, fast
ems 1t to our own cornices and pillars
tangles US in the invisible destruction
traps us in ourtFacks, and our last gasI
is; f" If l.could only have known" Blu
1 we never do know
| Fa eIalso trapped the plumber; for ono,
Eiahfs fife he kept promise, rather won
| dering at himself while he did so; bd
! August was not his busy season. He wa
an Englishman by parentage, thougI
city born, and his keen eye, used TO- tn
slender, useless shapes and pallid prettl
ness of New York lower class. girls, Wa
at once attracted by. MelindyS buxon
| figure, her fresh cheeks, her bright
clear, dark eyes, and her prompt, vigor
Gus manners. John Perkins was a still
man; but, like the Dutchman's, parrot
he thought the more" and, while b
| went abOut his work In A ailanf and M a .