Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1881-02-12
A SIP at ire Sentimental.

a coldlv practical world, the memory Of
whose own youth the tides of after response
bihdes have swept away, it may yet be
doubted whether the good festival Of ST.
VALENTINE cannot exhibit a larger and
more enduring constituency than any Of its
pretentious brothers in the calendar. And
why should mott be so? The virgin mind
oryouth, alive to all impressions Of the beau
tiful and the true is quick to seize upon an
idea SO closely twined to hearted things and
70 make of it its very own, 10 hold in cher
ished association during the happy tenure OF
It's golden DAYS Given, then into the glad
custody ofappreciatiye youth and made the
pleasant patron of those deeting years the
assertion becomes whelmed in proof that so
long as there exists the intervening period
betwixt childhood and maturity
Youth I'm It's golden prime
Iifcs sweet summer time
just so long shall Valentines not want its
quota of arden, friends. Aud what matter,
pray. If these ides of February devotees are
youthful and their hearts are young? Does
it dctract one jot or title from the strength
Of such advocacy? or.docs II not rather con-
tribute largely thereto because of the embryo
forces adhcriug TO their age? Where else
are we 10 look for the yigor that shall keep
green and fruitlul-while memory be yet
unusurped-the hearted growth which some
- Valentines saw nourishcd into tender
life? Where, save unto hopeful, helpful
youth. may we turn to witness the maiute-
nance of that soft love lightwho tiny CLEAN
a Valentines has seen emitted and which
pales alone IT'S fires Intellectual in the deeper
flame Of Hymeu'- glowing torch? Neither
age nor vet sober ma,ured years can give to
the festival which youth So APPLY calls its
own that true meaning. th.t ideal loyalty
and thar tender observance which has been
It's herjag, these many, many days I'M
mcrsed IN cares and sorrows of which a
Younger generation know, happily, nothing,
what can our elders understand of the cx-
auisite pleasure attaching to the fragrant,
lowered Valentines? How can they appre-
ciatc. in s'ightcs, measure, the heart-Hutter-
ings whereof it is a silent and recurring
witness? the timid hopes of acluiescuce-
the trembling fears of disapproyal-the
sweet expectancy of eager, waiting hearts ?
No. no; they can have none Of these pure
appreciations The period wherein such
cuiovmcnts were theirs has passed away and
It's memories, if not forever banished, come
% them only in the scmblance of far off
dreams.
Thi, token, fair and fragile, which some
bold Romeo in his teens has chosen-of
what does itwhisper? Eulaced and pcrfum-
cd and broiderel with howers-all deli
clJe in tiuts and hidden thoughts that lovers
read Alright And see within the cunning
gates of yclum a perfect couplet betrays the
hcart-sick lad
Thy voice around me floating my heart ca
Like baImy breath Of spring a zephyr soft and
Hsht'
VIII not Juliet respond to the senti-
ments thus cover,ly expressed Ind babe her
wooing gallant take heat and hope thence
onward Or must there haply ensua from
the else Frightening Valentines tenure
rounded out unconsciously with disappoint-
meuts and regrets? For, note you, there is
uaught of gold without its twin alloy-nor
ofpleasurcd devoid pain: and even youths
dear Valentines is q bitter-sweet. And vet
the sorrows 90 which whilom Valentines
gives birth are golden sorrows, chaliccs OF
cherished mould hear, breakings which
none have felt who dare not nurse them to
tine grave. The stricken one holds in sad
Sc. sweet regard the memories of the past
and treasures well the all that IS left him of
q time that viii come no more: an Unfnish-
ed diary lying, du-t-hdcn and dog-eared, in
some forgotten uook-buricd, mayhap, be-
Meath q hos, of pa-,ion-dust bits of poetry,
q faded glove, some ribboncd stems of what
once were flowers pretty things-harebells,
yio,cts and hcart>easc| a shred of misty.
yellow lacc-dclcate as cidcr-down, an in
duitcsimal fragment of purple silk and other
some of what De las chris,cncd, also, hearted
debris and pat away forever. And thro'
tears which come uubiddcu at sight of these
poor relics our victim Of Valentines may
the type De very rare. is fain to admit that
the poet bu'llcd better than hc dreamed
whogavcyoiiteratureandt the world Of lovers
that pcrtec, coup.et, so sweet, yet grayely
real
OF all sad wo.l, Of tongue or pen.
Ill. -----l--- t---. II .i.Lf LlNn Ma.nl