Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-02-09
An UNUSUAL VALENTINE.

ANaUNUSUAL VALENTINE.
"Jane,' said Aunt David. "do you
know thit YOU are twcnty-three, aud
lave been "bridesm id three times?"
Yes, aunt, but what OF thatp"
IL was'only nineteen, when / mar
ried yourt nclc David, and had been
bridesmaid but once"
Jane paused, and laid down the piece
of crewel embroidery which was almost
ready to be rejected by the Decorative
Art c .ub. She was bright, handsome
girl. pining to death in the dul.est old
house, the most astc'css house. which
the wor ever saw. Unc'e and Aunt
David had evidently FURNISHED when
charge frescoes bad wall papers, vic cnt
carpets and black walnut with "green
reps,n or brocate lie furniture, were the
fashion. Jane had been born to an
aesthetic mher tance. Her father, the
poor artist, brother TO Uncle David had
been to Aunt David the embodiment of
70 Y and impecuniosity. AL he had
left toihis little daughter was his own
great bump of ideality, his refined soul,
his correct eye, two plaster casts of the
Venus of Mi o. and three Tcrsos, sever
al bits .of brocade, and q Venetian tap
try, some brass lamps and his bless
ing. s.The wh lie amt worth five dol
lars, said Aunt David, max ng a men,
tai inventory. However, she had al
lowed Jane to arrange her own room
with this trash d had supplemented n
"good solid education" as she cal ed
it with n sincere love. and care for the
girls welfare as she underst cd things.
"Good food, good clothes, good
schooling-what more can girl wantP''
asked Aunt Da id. She knew that there
wa something yet that she did want.
Only teauty. tnly variety, only h pc,
love; only graceful surroundings only
Sympathy that was all that Jane want
ed-"an1 yet she was not sati fiedV'
nt..Dayid looked at this inexpli-
cable and ungrateful girl, with a fresh
grievance in her face. ''And so you
have refused Mr.. Hart, hear" she
went OHIO say.
Janesstarted, and the piece of crewel
work fell to the ground.
He should not have told you" said
Jane, bhshing with shame over the dis
grace o. having had an otler. Offers of
marriage were not C mmon in Urania.
''lndeed, you should have told mer'
said Aunt David, angrily; 'your cnly
friend and relative that can do any
thing for ryon."
Aunt David was apt to emphasize
those words which gave an .illustrious
rad ance to her own benefactions.
What was your objection to Mr..
Hart, i should like to knowp" asked
Aunt David.
"He is too old. do not love him."
said Jane. pcking up the crewel, and
blushing like one of her own poppies.
.'He iain't as old as your Uncle David
was when l married him. And | was
younger than you are: and as for love,
Jane, there is a great deal of nonsense
talkedS about that ] never saw any
good 'some of marrying for love. Why,
Your own father and mother married
for love, and should like to know if
they were happy! Nothing but sick
ness, and poverty, and death, and"
The poppies and wild corn were be-
ing rapidly br ghtened by shower
from the eyes, those lovely gray eyes,
which bent oyer,tlem, as hard old Aunt
David tou he'd upon these facts in the
historysoF the lonely orphan, who sat in
one of those atrOcious green rep chairs.
Aunt David did not like tears, however;
she did. not intend TO draw them fourth,
but in her intense disgust of Jane folly
she hadsgone further than she intended.
lyon know my money dies with me,
Jane, ",said she. 1T all goes back to
the Pettertons, and young George has
this house. when / am done w III itn
This thought had something C ansolatory
in it to Jane. For Young George Better.
ton hadsbeen one of her most devoted
admrefs. He was her especial, and
peculiar and most deiested abhorrence
She was g ad that he was to have this
very ugly and most dismal house; th 8
enchante 1 castle of dul ness, and that
sic was not to have it.
al can't live forever, you know,
Jane, 'fsaid Aunt David, ap 1loget cally.
Jane threw down the crewel work
and bdpt over with her damp face to
kiss tip mahogany countenan eof Aunt
David-s -
LID me live with you. and ser,e
YOU, add. care of you as long as
you do live, dear auntie; and don't
make me marry anybody" pleaded
Aunt nayid shook her head. ~ NAV
I've Just long enough to leave You a
faded old maid" said the far-seeing
Yankee la y. 'l notice that girls like
yo1 ggow m ore particular and less
attractive every year Now there was
Emily Barry; l can remember when
she was. q pretty girl.r'
"Heayens." said Jane, with a shud-
der; "caa youP" And as this dreal-
full image OF past glories danced before
her eyes and she remembered that what
Emily Barry was, so she might be, a
sort of drea iful s asm close about her
chest. and She almost determined 10
think again OF Mr.. Hart. Amt Jane
saw her advantage. Mr.. Hart is a
very good man, and he has q good prop
erty. HE has the best house in the
whole county, as you know, and good
furniture, Why, ] remember that he
furnished the same year that Uncle
David and did, AMI his first wife kept
thingslclean.h
20 aunt! / think it is the ueliest
hou'e lever saw" excepting this, she
was a ;out TO say, but she saved her:elf. J
"Well, lisa good deal better house
than DR.. Davenant will ever have" said
Aunt David, carrying the war into
Africa
The poppies cast their red reflections
upward again. IL was the old story,
tho very old, old story; and DIR. Dave
nant poor and proud. he had not spoken
but oh. i he should
Jane was romantic. She had no,
been her, fathers daughter, else. Life
had been so dull and prosaic about hel
that she had conjured up an ideal ex
istence,, and in il the handsome young
doctor. had begun 10 play the part O
Prince lorizel The dreams of fame,
and othope had gone even so far as t
reach an esthctic cottage. wherein. sur
rounded with perfect Will am Morris
papers, q few placques, plenty of books
some real old mahogany chairs, an oil.
clock. ssome Persian rugs. and porter
made oac Of her father tapestry, Jan,
shouldssit % beaming. beloved bride
making live q clock tea for her HUSBAND
in ueen Anpe teapot; and oh. how
sweet this lit le domestic. practical pict
ure. absurd in its mingling of detail
with dream, lovely and natural. as com