Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-10-31
A MODEL LOVE LETTER.
The Tender Passion Described in
Words That Burn.

DEAR ELLA:-Every time l think
of you my heart flops up and down
like churn dasher; sensations of
Vulnerable joy caper over it like
young goats over stable roof, and
thrill through it like Spanish needles
through pair of thin linen pants; as
a goslin swimmeth in a mud puddle
so swim / in sea of glory. Visions
of ecstatic nature thicker than the
hairs on a backing brush, and bright
er than the hues of humming birds
pinions, visit me in my slumbers,
and borne on their invisible wings,
your image stands before me, and /
reach out to grasp it like pointer
swapping at blue bottle fly. When
/ first beheld your angelic perfection
/ was bewildered, and my brain
whirled around like bumble-bee
under a glass tumbler, my eyes stood
open like cellar doors in a country
town, and / lifted up my ears to
catch the silvery accents of your
voice. My tongue refused to wag,
and in silent alteration l drank in
the sweet infection of love as thirsty
man swalloweth a tumber of hot
whiskey punch. Since the light of
your face fell upon my life, l some
times feel as if could lift myself up
by my suspenders to the top of the
church steeple and pull the bell rope
for Sunday school. Day and night
you are in my thoughts. When au-
rora, blushing like bride, rises from
her saffron colored clouds, when the
jay bird pipes his tuneful lay in the
apple tree by the spring house when
the chanticler's shrill clarion heralds
the coming morn; when the awaken
ing pig ariseth from his bed and
grunteth and goeth forth for his re-
freshment; when the drowsy beetle
wheels its droning flight at sultry
noontide, and when the lowing herd
comes home at milking time, / think
Ofthee, and like piece Of gum-elas-
tic my heart seems stretched clear
across my bosom. Your hair, like
the name of my sorrel horse powder
ed with gold, and the brass pins
skewered through your waterfall fill
me with unutterable awe. Your fore
head is smoother than the elbow ofan
old coat. Your eyes are glorious to
contemplate; in their liquid depths l
behold legions of little cupids bathing
like a cohort of ants in an old army
cracker. When thy head lies pressed
against my manly breast, the fires OF
your eyes penetrate my whole anato-
my as load of bird shot goes through
a rotten apple. Your nose is as per
feet as ifcarVed from a chunk of Pa
rian marble, and your mouth is puck
cred with sweetness. Nectar fingers
on your lips like honey on bears
paw, and myriads of unfiedged kisses
are there, ready to fly out and light
somewhere like blue birds out Of
their parents nest. Your laugh
rings in my ears like the music Of
harpstrings, or the bIeat of a stray
lamb on a bleak hill side; the dim.
pies on your cheek are like bowers in
a bed Of roses or hollows in cakes o.
homemade sugar. | am dying tofy tC
thy presence and pour out the burning
Z eloquence of my love as thrifty house
wives pour out hot coffee. Away
from you l am as melancholy as {
sick rat. Sometimes / can hear thu
June bugs of dependency buzzing il
my ears, and j feel the cold lizzarC
of despair running down my back
Uncouth fears, like a thousand min
, nows, nibble at my spirit, and my
soul is pierced with doubts like al
old cheese bored with shippers. Ny
love for you is stronger than tn,
smell of patent butter, or the kick 0
young COW, and more selfish thar
y young kittens first catawaul. A
: a song bird bankers for the light o
the day, the cautious mouse afte
piece Of bacon in the trap, as
weaned pup longs for new milk, s.
/ long for thee. You are fairer thai
a speckled pullet, than a Yanke
dOughnut fried in sorghum syrup
brighter than the top-knot plumag
on the head Of a Muscova duck
You are candy kisses, raisins, poun
cake and sweetemed toddy altogett
er. And if these few lines enabl
I you to see the inside Of my soul, an
! assist me in winning your affections
l shall be as happy as a woodpecke
on a cherry tree mr. q STAGE horse i'm