The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-02-18

the time to stand in the vestibule of the Post
Office on last Saturday and watch the express
ions that came over the faces Of those anticpat-
| ing and those receiving valentines To the
student OF human nature the opportunity was
rare one for the study Of his favorite subject.
Neither age, sex, color, nor previous condition
Of serytude was exempt from the burning
anxiety that seemed to have afflicted all alike.
The blushing maiden of seventeen, stole tim
| idly up to the delivery box and in voice trem-
ulous with expectation, asked 'if there was a
letter for her, at the same time she was posi-
lively certain that there had bean no mail since
her last visit-ahout three hours before, but as
the clerk handed her dainty envelope spotted
all around with grand chain Of small
Cupids, the delicate carmine decpened on her
virgin cheek and her heart began the shuttle
cock performance in the roof Of her MOUTH
At first she scru.inized the post-marK with a
closcness that left no doubt on the mind of the
interested observer, that her hopes of future
happiness and matrimonial bliss depended on
the solution Of this perplexing problem. Next
! followed minute examination Of the super
scription, but the modest sender of the pictori-
| al billet doux had written back handed, and
the efforts Of that maiden fair to straighten
template. She holds it close to her optics, then
at arms length, then changes from one hand to
the other and takes it to the light-but the light
didn't assist her discerning faculties, and in
her extremity of discontinue she Surned it up
side down and still it remains an unfathomable
mystery. Finally, she breaks the seal and her
admiring orbs behold a vision of her state Of
future blessedncss in the chubby little nudity,
perfectly guiltless Of even fig leaf, sitting
among the roses and darling forth his barbed
arrows.
| Next came a city fop, whose exactly divided
hair and empty head, looked through the win
dow as he desired the clerk to ''hand out moi
valentine" He was presented with honlely
looking envelope and produced therefrom an
exact photograph OF his important self, accom-
panied with some appropriate verses from the
inspired pen of Mclaughlin Bros. He ''smole
sic!ly smole,' as he s'saw himself as Others
sec him." but one could tell that the smile be-
tokened no inward happiness.
Again, newly welded pair came in and with
that indifference characteristic OF the ''couple,
asked blandly for the mail. A neatly folded pack
age is handed to the confiding wife and with a
half exclamation of surprise, behind what may
be fingers suspicion of jewelry-she hastily
and incautiously opens it, Out drops the dainti-
est and tiniest pair Of shoes, far too diminutiye
for even the tabled Cinderella's restless feet,
and the gaudest of worsted hose. A start Of
comprehension, q sudden blush, a half hysteri
cal giggle and a whining smile directed at her
liegc lord, eloquent OF confident anticipation,
and the loving pair with arm linked il arm, go
joyously out to stow away the good and useful
valentine for the necessities of that day that
beams out so cheerfully from the hazy n1ists Of
the future.
Then there comes the middle aged man Of
bilious temperament and irascble tendencies
He OWNS a 'slock box" and lie inserts the key
and twirls itwith vicious snap. He takes out
the contents after the fashion ofpotatoes out OIL
hot ashes and theoretically tears the ends Of
the envelopes. He withdraws the contents ani
it has the crisp feel of bank paper, he opens il
and there are sudden and startling Indications
of cerebral CONGESTION aflame in his counte
nance. He gives half grlnt, half snort O.
surprise and Indignation and with a muttered
well, am D., he stalks furiousy and vim
dctively out.
Lastly. there comes the MT low youth who i;
lean and care Worn and has had the "damasb
stolen from his cheek'' by corrodng anxiety
about his Scraphina's protracted silence. He
looks confdingly through the general delivery
port" as tho he recognized in the unsympa-
thetic clerk standing like Ajax before him, an
old and bosom friend, and he says i'll torres
that tremble under the burden of anxious in
quiry, sis there anything for me, }" and as the
reply crashes through the vitrious partition
''nothing," he fingers moment irresolute, and
then goes unsteadily out and walks down street
with stony stare over the heads of passing &C
quaintances and runs recklessy against cart
wheels and tramps through piles of oyster
shells and reaches lis attic room in bewilder
ment of dispair-a torn and b!ighted wreck, a
victim of intolerably deferred hope. Socom
and goes the day of St. Valentine, bringing
like all other days in this queer word. sunlight
to some, and to others, shadows. But we in
dulgc the hope that the numberless arrows OF
Cupid that on Saturday hurled so thickly
through our social atmosphere, were Invested
of their poison and that instead Of carrying the
venom of sorrow and disappointment, they
bore only the balm Of sweet contentment and
''lovc's young dreams fulfilled
THE YOUNG MEMS BUILDING AssoCIA
TIoN.-A Building Association with the above
title went into permanent organization on
last Friday night with the following officers
President, w. Fl. II. Lynn; Secretary and
Treasurer, G. L. Cook; Directors, Messrs. Thos
D. Ransom, W. Il. Weller, W. A. Burnett, E
NJ. Cushing W. L. Bumgardner and Geo. z
Baker; Trustees, David A. Kayser, Philip Il
Trout and E.. w. Hartman.
This association goes into operation under
~. ~ e.rardElo o,,cpiooc Alrea1v over 120(