Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-03-16
L HE H Err A I'D.
Grandma's Valentine.

over your valentines. remind me of
old times, and the ones | used to got
so many, many years ago.
''Taint no use laughin' and iookin
at one another, for lot me tell you
there wasn't girl in the whole
country who had more sweethearts
than l had
And | was considered mighty
good lookin' girl in them days too.'
Il know it's little hard for you to
believe that my puckered and wrink-
led old face could ever have been as
bright and bloomin' az any of yours
Human natur' is about the same,
! find, especially girl natur'. whether
IT'S trieked out in the new-fangled
rigs that you all wear now, or 10 the
short waists and ankle skirts that pe
used to wear. But why pretty girls
wear their hair hanging right down
IN their eyes, is more than can see.
And why modest, sensible girls like
you try TO make your whole heads
look like a last years birds nest,
beats me-
well, yes; about the valentine
I'm comm to it,
Did / ever tell you of the weddin'
brought about by valentine /
got p
You see. girls, il was just about
the time your grandfather and | bad
made up our minds to go along side
by side for life, but il hadn't got out
yet
i am always sorry you can't re-
member your grandfather. He was
such gallant gentleman. Not like
some of the whipper-snappers that
come hore who don't know how TO
behave with any kind of politeness
to old folks, and yet dare to call
themselves gentlemen. Your grand
father wasn't one of the kind whose
| politeness was on tie surface only,
bat his went deeper, and made him.
good, true, aud honorable. | think
be would have blushed for some of
the youngsters who call themselves
gentlemen to-day
Eyes, yes; don't hurry me I'm
comm TO the story
There was young fellow by the
name of John Hawkins, who was IN
Browns store, up to the corners, and
bed tried good many times to take
me home from singin'-school and
from meeun'. But didn't take TO
him much, and | knew as we'll as |
was born that Mehitable Riley was
just dead in love with him, and i
didn't want TO interfere and besides
| had your grandfather
Dear me! how that fellow did
poster me-
She was one of your sandy haired,
lean, lanky sort O. chaps
when / think how he used 10 look
over at me in Singh school, then get
as red as beet, and keep lookin' and
siDgin' as loud as be could--and he
did pretty well, for he had strong
lungs. And there was Mehitable
lookin' so dreadful down in the
mouth. La l can see them all as
plain as though twas yesterday
Valentines day was drawing near,
and all the young FOLKS were writin'
verses and each one gettin something
ready TO send
We mostly wrote them in those
days. We didn't have lace paper
and gilt, and bows and arrows, and
tat babies with no clothes on but q
floating scarf and q pair of wings,
but we used to write what we had to
say, and then we could make it as
strong as ever We pleased.
sMany match was made that way,
aud some young fellow who was too
bashful to say what he wished to his
sweetheart would write it, and that
usually settled it, for we were always
sure where they came FROM
i knew that Mehitable had been
writing long valentine to send
John, and | hoped maybe 'twould
mend matters for her Bit
Valentines day came. and the
very first one | got | knew came
from John Hawkins
Il remember he drew heart at
the top of it, with sword stickin'
through, that looked for oil the world
like piece of beef with the skewer
stickin' in it,.
kate, just go up to my room and
in the northeast corner Of the third
drawer of the old bureau that stands
at the foot of the bed there's green
box with letters and papers in It..
no hrin n vUIU ~
and be apry.
'You see, | kept the exact copy
of it,
Yes, here it is The very paper
looks natural
sWhat did tell you about that
heart ?-don't it look queer 2
1T has faded pretty considerable,
but guess you can read it.
you read 1t out to the girls, Sue,
ard speak as plain as you can
DO keep still girls, so she can
begin. Now, go on
"This valentine my friend, ron see,
Is made for you especislee;
Accept Il from q heart as true
As sword did cut in two.
This valentine would finer be
II twas not for my povertee
Imagine IL finer thing
If t'would more pleasure to you bring.
Now to my dear fond adeu-
Among her friends there are but few
That love so true, so long as !;
So TO you, sweet, warm goodbye.
Before We say goodbye for life,
Oh will you, will you be my wife,
I'll ever prove 90 fond and true
You'll not regret the deed you do
Answer this"
'Well If you are about done laugh-
in LII tell you what | did about il