Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-25
MIR. GRIFFIN'S VALENTINE.
BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.

BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.
Mr. Griffin was an old bachelor and a
stock-broker, a man whose soul was alb
sorbed in money. 1t 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 picture, gem, or blossom
in anybody's window on his way down
town. 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 forbidding
specimen, however muddy his thick boots
were. AS for love or love-making, they
were as far from Mr. Griffin's thoughts
as any other too-expensive luxury. He
lived in the third story of small brick
house, one of block in side street, al
most up to Central Park. He boarded
with widow, a meek and shiny woman,
who, nevertheless, had 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 profitable boarder. Mr..
Griffin, although one might not have
a
country. Probably he would have loved
her if he could have loved anybody. He
went once year to see her and stayed a
full week. His travelling expenses were
not quite as much as his board, so he
perhaps made half dollar by the OPP
Grafton got weeks pure air gratis, and,
always taking his "run," as he called it,
in the dull season, he lost no business.
p,,tn do hi rNn
to go home to the funeral, and staying
his week out, ostensibly to settle her af-
fairs, he made great discOvery-it
really had cost his mother less to live a
week, servant and all, than it did him.
Nelindy Barker was stout, smart
woman of thirty, fresh and pleasant
looking. She had lived with old Mrs.
Griffin five years and done all the work,
besides being, in good, set Yankee
phrase, Zone of the family"
Mr.. Griffin owned tenement house in
the city and just now the fourth-story fiat
was vacant: nor had he any applications
for it, since it was now July. He walked
up and down the gravel path a good
many times, with his hands in his peck
cts, meditating. If he had smoked he
would have fumigated the idea, but he
never smoked-small vices are expensive.
At last he invited Melindy to 60 back to
New York and keep house for him.
There was his 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 her
the pittance that she had hitherto &C
cepted, though what he did offer bore but
small relation to the city tariff OF wages,
but he knew well that to ones self was
the intent of all country immigration to
the city. Melindy pondered the request
deeply over her cooking-stove and wash
tub. She had longed a great while to
ago to New York" She had been under
the grim rule of Mrs. Griffin, in Peters
town, long enough; that struggling coun
try village offered no prospect to Melin
dy's ambition or hopes. A vague out
look flattered her with ideas Of shops
visiting, dress, not impossible matri
mony. She decided to go.
We pass over in wise silence the
scene of struggle, dirt, confusion and
saualor presented to homesick Melindy
by the aspect of that fourth-story fiat in
East -- street, but she had good
courage and deal of faculty" Che
insisted on cheap papers, to be selected
by herself, and got them, on condluon
OF putting them up herself she "struck'
for pail of whitewash and brush as
permanent institution; she refused tc
cook dinner till the plumber had been
sent for to mend leaky water-pipe
And Mr.. Griffin growled audibly over
the exterminators and polishers ano
powders of sundry sorts he was forceo
to buy-at the point of the bayonet, SC
to speak. But the plumberl When MT
Griffin, grinding his teeth, stopped te
order that useful and unreliable man
immediate presence, little did he think
that he had laid the first brick of Melin
dy's dream-castle, and the cornerstone
of his own disquiet and disturbance. o
fate spins its web out OF our OWN SUI
stance, fastens it to our own corhice'
and pillars, tangles us in the visible ue
struction, traps us in our tracks, ana ouI
last gasp is: IF | could only ha''
known" But we never do know;
Fate also trapped the plumber 10
once in his life he kept promise, ralne'
wondering at himself while ne diu 30
but August was not his busy season
he was an Englishman by parentage
though city born, and his keen eye, use ,:'
to the slender, useless shapes ana paii,,'
prettiness of New York lower class g,Iis
was at once attracted by Mehndy
buxom figure. her fresh cheeks, nc
bright, clear. dark eyes and her promp
vigorous manners. John Perkins was
still man; but, like the Dutchmans par
rot, he Thought the more, ana, VIM
he went about his work In silent an'
masterful manner that struck Mennu.
as the right way, she also perceived Una
he was q man Of goodly presence, tool