The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-04-19
Old Love Letters.
SOUTH DRIDGToN, April II, 1896

Old Love Letters.
SOUTH DRIDGToN, April II, 1890
To the Editor of the Press:
In porting over the pages of the PRESS the
the other evening, 1t occurred to me that the
readers of that excellent hebdomadal, having
of late supped their fill Of horrifc reports OF
death dealing cyclones, feral floods, and
fires, might perchance be entertained for q
few minutes with the perusal Of something
less blood-curdling-less narrowing to the
feelings; even as tbs said that a certain
Roman emperor alternated the savage de-
lights and bloody pleasures Of the Am
phitheatIe. with fiddling. masquing and
mumming in female attire. Old Love Let
tiers! How much happiness. how much sor-
row, how much good, how much evil, have
been caused by this precious, delightful,
ridiculous absurd sort Of Literature What
oceans Of tears have been shed over them
What storms Of derision and contempt
have been poured out upon theml How
many hearts have been lightened, how many
hearts have been broken by themi No man
that is a man, but can recall some mission Of
this species, at the sorry recollection Of which
even now, bis heart will give an extra throb.
The rules Of Webster and Lindley Murray
may have been violated score Of times in
its composition, but what Of that? The low
ing hand that penned IL, the tender, loving
heart that poured itself out in those incO-
herent, ungrammatical lines. the love light
ed eyes, the rose tinted cheeks that beamed
and bl0omed upon those yellow pages, are
all present to the mind; and though hand
and heart and blooming cheek may have
been dust for years, yet their spell Is still
potent for the moment. to move the toughest
heart to tender memories, and aimless long
care and trouble, and bright with ''the light
that never was on land or sea. But Salts
Supergue," say you Amen! say Land
now, would you like to read Love Letter
written dozen or fifteen generations ago?
"Yes?" Well listen to prefarat0ry word
year Of the reign Of Edward ~. the last of
Her Plantagenets Save one), there lived In
Topcr0ft, county of Kent, rose checked,
blue eyed English maiden, named Margery
Brews. Margery's father and four bold
brothers had fought stOutly for the white
Rose on many bloody field, and at Tewkes-
bury, where the Rose Of Lancaster fell
crushed and bruised, and never more to RISE
Her eldest and youngest brothers were
mortally hurt; so that the victory gained on
throne of Yorkist Edward. had cost the
gentle Margery many bitter tear. But
time will heal the deepest wounds; and to
the young there is many bright tomorrow
to compensate for the darkness and s0rr0ws
of to-day. So in due season. John Pastor.
her cousin, came wooing OF the fair Mar
gerry Brews; and being youth well made
and cruelty TO look at, he soon won her favor,
although the elders looked rather coldly
upon their love making, seeing that by rea-
son Of sack and confscation, the estates Of
both Pastor and Brews were somewhat
Q dCxVQr w
fair Margaret seemed hardly sufficient in the
eyes of John PASSIONS mother; who seems
to have been provident lady, look
ing we'll to the means wherewith the
young people should in the future
keep up the name and family repasts.
Many conference took place between the
"high contracting parties" ere matters were
finally and satisfactorily settled; and one
can hardly help thinking that hundsome
and gallant John Pastor shows but a chat
fering and beggarly spirit In his unst emily
anxiety for fortune with his gentle and
loving cousin. Below are given two letters
which the fair Margery wrote her lover
while their love affairs were still in an I'M
"ToPcRoFT, Feb. 1870, ICE, ~.
"Unto my right well beloved valentine, John
Pastor. Esq, be this bill delivered.
Right reverend and w0rShipful aud my right
well beloved Valentine, l recommend me unto
you full heartily desiring to hear Of your welfare,
which beseech Almighty God long for to pre-
And If IL please you TO hear of my welfare, am
nol in good hue ltedLtI) OF body nor OF heart nor
shall l be until hear from you;
For there wottys Qtnolcs) no creature what pain
tnat endure.
And for to be dead Tor ing tDe), 1 dare it not
And my lady my mother hath laboured the mat
ter to my father full diligently but she can no
more get than you know OF, for the which God
and trust verify that ye do. ye win not leave me
therefore; for If that ye had not half the liveli-
hood that We have, for to do the greatest labour
that any woman alive might, would not forsake
And il ye command me to keep me true wherever
l wis win do all my might You to love, and never
And il my friends say that do amiss.
They shall not me me. let (hi1.der) 50 for to do
Truly over all earthly thing,
And II they be never so wrath
trust IL shall be better in time coming.
Trinity have you in keeping; and beseech you
that this bill letter be seen OF none earthly crea
ture save only yourself. And this letter was en-
dited at Topcraft, with a full heavy heart, by
your own MARGERY BREws.
purposed, Mr.. Editor, when began this,
to tell all about pretty Margaret Brews' love
affairs; how at last the old people hit upon
King Edward graced the ceremony s when
the fair and blushing Margery with white
rose you may be sure upon her breast), gave
her hand to John Pastor; and how they
lived happily at the manor of SPARTAN, even
into the reign Of the first Tudor; adding
these to divers other letter, written by the
parties concerned. during their times Of
doubt and trial. But meeting my friend
Smith, the other day, l read over to him
what i had written, and asked him II he
thought the paper written out as planned,
would be accepted by the PRESS. My friend
deliberately scraped match on the seat OF
his chair, and as he waited for the brim-
stone to burn away before lighting his cigar.
he gravely shook his headr remarking that
such dry and out-of-the- way subjects were Of
little interest to most people; aud further
more, that the manner Of writing 1t up was
turgid, dull and affected and that, In short, l
had best light my fire with the MS. tomorrow
morning Mr.. Editor, / felt discouraged and
disguised; and half inclined to follow his
ungracious and unpleasant advice. Today
have changed my mind. tu0nt write any
more, and ,uont rewrite what l have al
ready written: but tciU send 1t to you just
as it Is. It's no hanging matter l believe.
Mr.. Smith, to write an unacceptable article !!
If the truth were known, it is very possible
that you have done that same! Anyhow, IL
any the wiser, Mr.. Smith, and 1t will be a
long day Mr.. S. before you get another OPP
portunity to pass judgment on anything
write. Ii did at feel so uncertain and out
of sorts, l would write you clean plain
copy Of this, crossing all the Us and dotting
all the i's-but what's the use Of expanding
time and ink and paper upon what, it's more
than likely shan't see In print? I've the
cramp in my fingers no,o.,
Yours in dudgeon,
II. d. ToRREY.