Sharp County record., 1878-03-01
MY FIRST LOVE LETT Err.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

/ OSODny, q comfortable sense OI IIlt COlu-
ical in regard to all early illusions and
dis-illusions
4 The moment of opening and reading
the first love letter is a thrilling, an au-
gust point Of time in which all the
spring tides of passionate young life
seem to meet in a swift, dizzying whirl
of emotion. If from the right man,
what triumphant joy! If from a suitor
one can not smile on, what sweet pain !!
But you know all about it, dear.
[ was very young when | received my
first love letter-indeed, not perma-
nently out of short frocks and the bread
and-butter age.
Having lived the greater portion of
my life in the country, the companion OF
my brothers, | was desperate rOmp
and gipsy, delighting to roam the fields
and the woods, pref6rring the fishing
rod to the needle, and even the stable
to the parlor AS yet, fine horse was
the rival of all mankind in my young af-
fections. Still | had read Scott, Edge
worth, Hemans and L. E. L., with an
occasional stealthy dip into Byron, and
had my own foolish little romantic
dreams of my hero, my fairy prince,
who was to come in Loves good time.
/ fused to dream of him, as | sat like
little Ellie, among the alderS, with my
feet in the brook, or as | rode along in
the woods. thought little of his pedi-
gree, but l resolved that ne must have
patrician Greek profile, dark blue eyes,
and black curling hair, coming down on
his lofty brow in a Byron peak. [
made no account of houses or lands in
Loves Arcadia; but my hero must pos
sess a fine horse. The steed of steeds"
was a sine qua non.
Our removal from country to town
was an absolute sorrow to me, with my
nature-loving heart, and wild, free hab-
its. l hated the busy monotony, the
thronged loneliness, the dull whirl of
city life. | could only console myself
with occasional flights back into my old
rural haunts. From the longest, rough
est trampS | returned refreshed, pre-
pared to endure what / could not cure.
l "came out" prematurely and tenn
porarily when | was scarcely fifteen, on
the occasion of large wedding party.
| wore long dress and white kid gloves
for the first time. My hair was curled.
Oh, the torture of night and the hide
BUSINESS of day in curled papers! l
wore natural flowers and carried huge
bouquet.
DistreSsingly dihident, not to say
awkward, l early in the evening retired
to deep window seat, where | remain
ed watching the merry groups of we'd
ding guests, and listening to their easy
chatter, with childish wonder and de-
light.
Among the gayest Of the gay was a
asr-te. fas, igss1n6 ,,'Gadg.v vAcnk'E hId
-- Tor some time as my double.
Not that she was in the least like me.
She was a blonde-very much blonde
while Twas very brunette, She was
distinguished for Sumptuousness of at
tire; and dress was not then, any more
than it is now, my besetting sin, or pc
culiar virtue, whichever you incline to
esteem it. But, oddly enough, this fair
lady bore my name precisely, surname
and baptismal. | used to think the Cir
cumstance annoyed her, almost as
though | had stolen the fashion of her
Partisan bonnet, or the pattern of her
costly embroidered shawl. Aside from
the name there was little in common
between us, certainly no love. At this
party she quite outshone the bride. |
found it curious to watch her
Her lightness and brightness did shine with
such splendOr-
which was all very proper, she being a
rich tallow chandler's daughter.
But not long did l watch my double,
for, my dear, at this very party saw
him-my ideal hero-my fairy prince.
From all that goodly company singled
him out at glance. There were the
dark blue eyes, there was the Greek
profile, the black curly hair, the Byron
peak and all.
Imagine the emotions of your friend
when to her secluded window-seat this
very young gentleman was brought and
presented as "Mr. John Trevalyan.n ~
Ii it wasn't just Trevalyan, it was quite
as respectable a name. The John I'll
staud by.
Well, he stood by me and talked to
me for bright, wondrous half hour,
precisely as though l had been full
grown belle; and [, under the spell of
his pleasant fattery, fell in with the lit
tie make-belief, and chatted away, quite
at ease, and said some things that were
really not so bad. Yet, when spoke,
it seemed to me it was some one else
talking in a second double. My very
voice had an unfamiliar sound.
Mr. Trevalyan talked Of poetry, art,
music, and flowers, in g low, sweet, be-
guiling, particular way, after the man
ner of his kind. He said, of all the fine
arts, his enthusiasm was decidedly for
sculpture, $50 cold, so pure, so exalt-
ed. " and he begged to know if l shared
his aesthetic preference. l suppose, if
| had been properly trained, OF year