Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-06-13
MY FIRST LOVE.


my idyl. Old, l grant you, air or
madam. but worn out-neverl Do you
say, as you meet the hundredth face In q
crowd. What an old, worn out pat
term No; for though the faces possess
the same features, those features indi-
vidually and their arrangement are ever
varied, even TO the niiliionth face. So II
Is with the story of "My First Love-
there are features in it which you will
doubtless recognize as having formed
part of your day dream, gentle reader,
but as you turn the last leaf of the mar
rative | believe YOU will feel with me
that none save this old, pure, sweet
phrase has any right to head these lines.
am an Englishman, brought up in
all the traditions of an old Tory family
by dear mother-God rest her soul-of
whom her friends used 20 say: "Ahi but
she is of tho old school" Very stiff and
cercmonious. very punctilious and very
polite. but every action fraught with an
old world purity and courtesy that made
one think OF the pictures Of Sir Godfrey
and of the perfumes of dried lavender.
Man, says Herbert Spencer, is formed by
his environment, and my environment
was my mother, woman OF the world,
mark you, aux bouts DIES ongles. You
must not imagine that | was brought up
10 mans estate in ignorance Of the foul
gases of the valley and marsh while
breathing the pure air of the mountain
top. The only effect visible Of the ten
der influences which guarded my life
till ! was four-andtwenty was a certain
reserve of manner and more than ordi-
nary English" horror OF anything APP
preaching 10 bad form" tell you all
this TO show you once more how love
laughs at prejudices and calmly ignores
preconceived ideas.
My mother died with the tulips of
1886. and some Of the fellows at the club
persuaded me to come to America, and
furthermore, with view to a thorough
distraction OF my thoughts, prevailed
upon me to give series OF readings in
the States Of my own and other verses.
have cofuetted a little with the muse,
and, as would he the case with most
young poets--or rather rhymesters-the
thought Of presenting my work viva
voce TO the people OF the United States
caused a strange thrill of delight.
communicated, therefore. with Maj.
i sailed for the States, and commenced q
tour which, am happy to say. was not
unsuccessful.
The following juno found me In Dem
yer, Colo, and put up at the Grand
Canon hotel for week, during which
time ] gave a couple of readings and
rested amid the gorgeous scenery of the
state. The third day after my arrival |
had come down as usual to take my
matutinal coffee In the public dining
room, and was hardly seated when q
lady. whom candor compels me to de-
scribe as ian old lady, came into the
room, accompanied by young girl
They took their seats exactly opposite to
me. A young girl, did | say? Nay, she
was hardly more than q child-l7 or IS,
maybe-and her face traced itself upon
my soul in manner which Is inefface-
able. II was a round face. with Just
that slight squareness of jaw which
promised TO give TO IL a wonderful
strength of personality as years went on.
her coloring was perfect, family
flushed with the dawn of womanhood,
with white temples and throat, and q
high, pale forehead, the whole framed
IN a careless torrent of hair like to liquid
gold. a pair OF great wandering, but
withai fearless, blue eyes, finely
nsdeied nose, Just the least bit tip tilted,
and a mouth like those OF the cherubs
IN Raphaels Madonna in the Sistine
-
figure was Just taking unto itself the
sweet sinuous curves OF womanhood,
which showed themselves as she moved
TO her scat with all the untaught, un-
conscious grace Of perfect and healthy
development. Our eyes met as she sat
down. She looked at me with full.
frank gaze In which there was an unde-
fined something of half recognition
she had evidently known some one who
resembled me--and then, having satisfied
herself of my non-identity, she turned
her attentisn 10 the older lady and their
respective breakfasts. a moment after.
wards rose and left the room.
During the next two or three days we
met periodically. In the dining room, in
the corridors, in the elevator or on the
streets OF Denver. and We always threw
one another in passing that glance
which, though apparently absolutely ex.
pressionless, seems 10 say: IF we knew
one another we should DO friends !"
Have you never seen people In the
streets, In theatres. in ball rooms, con-
cerning whom, as your eyes meet for a
fractional part OF n second, you have
said this TO yourself almost uncon-
sciouslys l have, and ! always regret
these unknown friends of mine, but
never felt II more strongly than did
with regnrd 10 this golden haired child
whom met way out IN Denver, Colo.
The last morning OF my stay in the
city arrived, ana ! was sitting alone IN