Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-03-29

Have 1 ever told you, Nell, of my first
love letter ? l presume not. 1t is a story
I have not been very fond of telling. But
years bring to me, if not philosophy, a
comfortable sense of the comical in regard
to all early illusions and disillusions.
The moment of opening and reading the
first love letter is thrilling, and august
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
sutton, one cannot smile on, what sweet
pain! But you know all about it. dear.
was very young when I received my
first love letter-indeed. not permanently
out of short frocks and the bread and but
ter age.
Having lived the great portion of my
life in the country, the companion of my
brothers, was desperate romp and gip-
sy, delighting to roam the fields and woods,
preferring the fishing rod to the needle
and even the stable to the parlor. AS yet,
a fine horse was the rival of all mankind
in my young affections. Still had read
Scott, Edgeworth, Hemans, and L. E. L.,
with an occasional stealthy dip into By
ron, and had my own foolish little roman
tic dreams of my hero, my fairy prince,
who was to come in loves good time.
I used to dream of him, as sat like lit
tie Ellie, among the elders, with my feet
in the brook, or as 1 rode alone in the
woods. thought little of his pedigree,
but resolved that he must have a patri-
clan Greek profile, dark, blue eyes, and
black, curling hair, coming down on his
lofty brow in a Byron peak. I made no
account of houses or lands in loves Area
dia; but my hero must possess fine horse.
1.-The steed of steeds' was sine qua non.
Our removal from country to town was
an absolute sorrow to me, with my nature
loving heart, and wild, free habits. hat
ed the busy monotony, the thronged lone
illness, the dull whirl of city life. l could
only console myself with occasioal flights
back into my old rural haunts. From the
longest, toughest tramps I returned re-
freshed, prepared to endure what I could
not cure.
I"came out" prematurely and Temporal
rily when was scarcely fifteen, on the oc-
casion of large wedding party. I wore a
long dress and white kid gloves for the
first time. My hair was curled. oh, the
fortunes Of a night and the hideousness of
day in curl papers, 1 wore natural flow
ers and carried huge bouquet.
Distressingly difficult, not to say awk-
ward, early in the evening retired to a
deep window seat, where I remained
watching the merry groups of wedding
guests, and listening to their chatter, with
childish wonder and delight.
Among the gayest of the gay was a GER
tain fair young lady. whom I had known
for some time as my double. Not that she
was in the least like me. She was a blonde
whilst was very brunette. She was dis
tinguished for sumptuousness of attire;
and dress was not then, any more than it
is now, my besetting sin, OF peculiar virtue
whichever you incline to call it. But odd
ly enough, this fair lady bore my name
precisely, surname and baptismal. I used
to think the circumstance annoyed her,
almost as though I had stolen the fashion
of her Parsian bonnet, or the pattern of
her costly embroidered shawl. Aside from
the name. there was little in common be-
tween us, certainly NJ love. At this party
she quite Optshone the bride. I found it
curious to watch her.
"Her liehtness and brightness did shine with such
splendor."
But not long did watch my double,
for, my dear, at this very party l saw him
my ideal hero-my fair prince. From
all that goodly company singled him out
at glance. 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." 1t
it wasn't just Trevalyan, it was quite as
respectable name. The John I'll stand
by.
Well, he stood by me and talked to me
for a bright, wondrous half-hour. precise
ly as though I had been full grown belle;
and under the spell of his pleasant fat
terys fell in with the little make-believe.
and ehatted away, quite at ease and SAID
some things that were really not so bad.