Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-02-12
BY ARTHUR GRAY.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.


and, being once In love. married as a
matter of course. very few Of them
considering what they would live on
In the married state. One reason for
this, or cause, whichever one chooses
to consider 1t, was that they fell In
love aud married young
The reason why appreciate st. Val
entine's day Is that II had great deal
10 do with my present domestic happi-
ness. A valentine began It. valen-
tine furnished means OF keeping II up,
and valentine settled Il.
Efiie Winston nj seventeen was at
the exact age her mother married
married for love married without any
provision for the future. But Mrs.
Winston married much later than a
hundred years ago. when getting liv-
ing was easier and not SO much was
required. Consequently she didn't find
married life MS charming as II might
have been had Efiies father had for
tune or ut east an income common
surate with the requirements OF an in
crcasing family Therefore. as might
he expected. the lady did not propose
that her sons should take wives until
they could support them or that her
daughters should marry men who were
not prosperous.
This was sensible, but when a sensi-
bic idea is carried too far II ceases TO
he sensible. To come 10 the point.
Mrs. Winston determined that her
daughter Eide. in whom came 70 be
Interested. should marry none other
than rich man. wanted Effie. and
hadn't cent. Ergo. Mrs. Winston
was Il very stupid and a very obsil-
nate woman. This was my boyhood
reasoning and since | have grown TO
middle age | have not In my case.
seen any reason TO change 1t. con-
fess. however. that my daughter Effie
shall not marry pauper.
made Etiie's acquaintance at dane
ing school. asked her to dance with
me twice in one OF our afternoon dane
ing school meetings. st. Valentines
day came along soon afterward. and
she sent me valentine. This was
the beginning Of IL. Indeed, the pretty
little misslve was my first intimation
that member Of the opposite sex saw
In me something more than In the
other boys Of her acquaintance. l
didn't stop to consider that she might
have sent one to n dozen other boys.
II | had the heavenly flower of love
might have been uipped In the bud. !
knew Ellie had sent NE the valentine,
for. fearing | might be mistaken with
regard 10 IT, she scrawled her name
Oh IL. assumed that the verses print
ed on il had been laid down there by
the printer for the express purpose Of
letting me know that Ellie loved me.
Many verse. many a letter, has
been penne,. by woman who intends
to tell of the love she bears man
that have not In them 1.-THE Of the
those lines. which had been slung OFF
In thousands 10y IA pressman in dirty
apron. dreamed over my valentine,
and | dreamed OF Ellie. She Is now
very necessary to me, but she Is In
capable OF inspiring me with any Of
that delicious feeling which welled up
within me like waters fitted TO be
quaiied by angels. | carried II 10
school With me and at recess stole
away from the other children 10 look
at It. had 1t with me In my room
when Went to bed and studied II till
knew every flower. every vine. every
cupid. II was the last thing thought
Of before going To sleep and the first
after awaking IN the morning.
Where was |; remember-l was
abusing my future motherin-law for
being SO stupid as 10 refuse me her
daughters hand. This was long after
| had received the valentine. for Ellie
was nineteen and was twenty. Eff
lie was as stupid. | thought. as her
mother about the matter, for although
she declared she would never marry
any one but me. she demurred ut be-
coming my wife. ! being In posses
sion OF an income OF nothing a year
At any rate. she told me that. her
mother having forbidden her from re-
ceiving or commune; ting with me.
she would obey. Indeed, she was
forced 10 obey. couldn't take care
of her as M wife. and had no right
TO be dangling about her keeping de
slrable suitors away.
accused her Of hcarllcssness and
other unattractive traits til | drew
tears. then called myself brute, then
kissed her goodby aud then went
away determined TO put myself in n
position 10 earn enough 10 marry on.
worked like Trojan. did not
only my own work. but every one
else's In the office where | was en-
ploycd While other boys who had no
such spur as | had thought only Of
getting a holiday now and then or OF
Sinking what work they didn't fancy
was thinking only OF Ellie aud n tiny
cottage worked all day and often
az night. Indeed. | worked so hard
that my employers noticed II aud kept
on raising my salary and advancing
me TIL one day | was astoniahed ut a
proposition for. me to manage the de-
tall OF the business nj salary Of &C..
lon N war