The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-02-20
Ny First
Valentine
Having Treasured It, | Came
Upon 1t In Middle Life.
By WILLARD BLAKEMAN


member it, for 1t marked an impor-
tant feature in my life. But this is
not the reason for my remembering it.
The true cause was the impression
made upon me at the time, and that
impression has remained with me and
will remain with me so long as 1 live.
In childhood one feels keenly little
things that would be Of trifing impor-
lance in maturity. Child loves are
eyanescent, but while they last they
are of paramount Importance. And
disappointment can remember one
day when was boy that l was to
have been taken to a show. was
away from home at the time and de-
layed going back till it was too late
locked myself In my room and bawl-
ed so loud that could be heard all
over the house.
But as to my valentine. was past
the age when children are interested
in getting a great number OF these
missiyes, but not old enough to dis
card them. At any rate, received a
valentine and was very much affected
by it. The filigree work. the bleeding
hearts, the attachment, within which
was beautiful Cupid with a bow and
a CULVER full of arrows, all conspired
to thrill me with a delight that l had
never felt before. And | took 1t for q
certainty that the little girl who sent
it to me loved me as she said she did
in the printed verses it contained.
And how my imagination pictured
her in the feshl She had mild blue
eyes and golden hair that hung In
shining wavelets down her back.
hkened her to fairies had seen in
picture books dressed In spangles and
holding rod with star on one end
There was nothing beautiful that
did not liken her to. And to think
that this fair being loved me-not only
loved me, but had sent this dainty mis-
sive to tell me sol
There was nothing in the valentine
to indicate who sent it. Indeed,
think if / had known from whom Il
came it would have destroyed this Vi
sion of loneliness created. Perhaps
| was boy of more than ordinary
ideality. | needed subject for my
dreams. Whether it occurred to me
to endeavor to discover my valentine
don't now remember. What dc
remember Is dwelling upon her as an
imaginary creature
Time did not cure me of my love.
grew to manhood, but treasured my
image, though it gradually faded into
fainter form. the whole leaving q
delightful memory.
When / became man l met CIR
to whom | was drawn, not only on
account of her physical attractions
but because she was one Of those WON
en- possessing that which we call char
acter. There is no other word thai
expresses what I mean, but what i
stands for is a great deal.
Margaret Stanford and became fas
friends. Friendship platonic friend
ships what felt for her There
was another girl of my acquaintance
who affected me very differently. In
deed, she was very different girl
She was piquant, being also bit Of Q
flirt, and had brought her destinations
to bear upon me. do not mean thai
she was to be blamed for that It Il
a woman's province to fatter men
and there are times with every man
no matter how strong. when he needs
to be fiattered-
Lucy Tisdale's methods were very
innocent. She was lovable, not ONLY
from a certain native feminine deli
cacy there was about her, but she hat
in her a certain romance. She loved
poetry and pictures. The voice in {
woman is an important factor, and
Lucy Tisdale had very feminine
voice. My friend Margaret's yoice
was rich; Lucy's was like child's
Another difference between the two
girls was that when Margaret was dis
pleased she showed her displeasurt
with a quiet dignity. Lucy, on the
contrary, would cast down her eyes
and seem rather hurt than offended
Why know not, but l sometimes
associated Lucy with my imaginary
valentine. l suppose it was that she
was childlike My valentine, being 3
creature Of the Imagination and per
feet, had a great advantage over Lucy
who was real being in the flesh
But, being now a man, great deal o.
the reverence for the opposite sex tina
/ had when boy had dwindled. Alas
now that / am an old man, though /
has not died out, it has greatly chang
ed. A woman is not creature to b
placed under glass and worshiped
She is to be valued in proportion al
she fills the position In which ProYi
dence has placed her.
Margaret and Lucy did not belong
to the same social set and did moi
know each other This enabled me tx
keep them apart and enjoy the com
partnership of each as | wanted it
confess that wanted Lucy's moEI
than Margaret's. After a hard days.
work usually sought Lucy in the
evening. Her sprightliness took the
tired feeling out Of me. When any
thing. troubled me / turned to Mar
garet. have given a reason why
when tired wanted Lucy, but an
unable to say why when troubled
wanted Margaret. I can only say that
| needed each for what she supplied.
The world is becoming more strenu.
Gus every day. Lucy's disposition
became more and more a necessity
with me as time went on and care In
creased with me. The day came when
I felt it essential to have her with me
all the while, and l married her. She
was by no means loath to accept me
and / was very happy with her. But
l missed that stimulating influence
had drawn from Margaret When
was simply tired got from my wife
what I wanted; when / wished fol
some one to consult, to thrash out
plans by talking them over, she failed
me. She would talk with me about
them, but her suggestions did not tend
to put me on the right track or draw
me off wrong one.
On this account gradually refrained
from consulting her about my affairs
Whether or not she noticed the change
she never took me to task for 1t. ]
rather fancied that such matters bored
her. After my marriage my old friend
Margaret became quite chummy with
my wife. / think Margaret found II
her that which acted as sedativt
with me, a faculty for driving dull
care away. Margaret was frequent
visitor at our house, and at times wher
she was with us and needed some
one with whom to thrash out knotty
question | would do SO with our guest