A VALENTINE PARTY.
Reading edition
BY MARY B. SLEIGHT.
he Chadwick girls, one February morning, were deep in consultation as to the best way in which to entertain their friend Dorothy Adams, who was coming the next week to make them a two days' visit.
"Why not have a valentine party instead of a tea?" suggested Catharine. "Teas are so stiff and poky when one is not acquainted with any of the other guests, and Dorothy is one that likes a thoroughly good time."
"A valentine party would be much more lively, of course," said Helen; "but where in the world could we find enough valentines to go round?"
"Write them, the same as the girls did in Grandmother Livingston's day," answered Catharine. "Even if we haven't any especial gift for verse-making, we can string some passable rhymes together, I hope."
"How would it do," asked stately Elizabeth, beginning to be interested, "to have bows or rosettes of ribbon—two of each color—distributed, and let each person take for a partner the one that wears the corresponding badge? Then, of course, there would have to be two sets of Valentines. For example— Here, give me your pencil, Catharine, please, and that empty envelope. How would this do?
"Blue No. 1, fastening her badge to the lapel of her partner's coat:
"As ladies fair, in days of old, To chosen knights their colors gave, This ribbon blue I give to you; And this, dear Valentine, I crave, That you the little badge will take, And bravely wear it for my sake.
"And something like this for an answer:
"Blue No. 2 (fastening his own badge on his lady's gown):
"Of all the merry throng to-night, With colors rich and rare bedight, Believe me, none will prove more true Than he who wears this bonny blue."
"Bravo, Beth!" cried the others.
"Verily I believe it's catching," exclaimed Helen. "I too have an idea. Quick, give me a pencil!" And straightway all three fell to scribbling, each taking a different color for her subject.
And when they had made an end of cudgelling their brains, the following rhymes were ready to be copied:
Red, No. 1—
Red as my own is the badge I seek, And red as a rose is the wearer's cheek. Why art thou thrilling, heart of mine? Ah, if I knew they were both for me, The badge and the blush, on bended knee I would sue for the love of my Valentine.
No. 2.—
This ruddy bow for thee I bind. Be true, and thou wilt ever find Warm is the heart that wears the red; No scorn nor coldness needst thou dread.
Pink, No. 1—
My lady fair doth wear the tint That deep within the sea-shell glows, But, like the shell beneath the pink, Her heart is white as Alpine snows.
No. 2—
I would this little knot of pink Might be, dear Valentine, the link, Where'er the lines for us be cast, To hold our friendship firm and fast.
Yellow, No. 1—
Dear Valentine, one boon I ask— Pray make it not a loveless task, Nor think me somewhat overbold— When you this yellow knot espy, Ask not to-night the reason why, Within your own my hand enfold.
No. 2—
Oh, maiden fair, whose badge is yellow, Let heart and hand Together band, And find in me your happy fellow.
Green, No. 1—
Green as the larch's bursting buds When spring is everywhere afield, This pledge of all my heart's desire To thee, sweet Valentine, I yield.
No. 2—
Leal throbs the heart beneath the sheen That mates thy knot of tender green. If thou, dear knight, that heart wouldst woo, Be this thy motto, "Brave and true."
A badge of two colors, violet and orange, No. 1—
Who wears to-night The colors bright That in this radiant badge entwine, I single from the lovely ranks, And claim her for my Valentine.
No. 2—
A happy Valentine is she Whose fortune in this badge is told, For violet for heart's ease stands, And orange for the heart of gold.
Brown, No. 1—
Ah me! no golden gift have I To offer to my lady fair, And much I fear she will not deign This tawny gift of mine to wear.
Accepting his and fastening hers to his lapel.
No. 2—
Though sombre-hued this badge may seem, Disdain it not, for oft, I deem, Those forced to wear life's thrifty brown Are worthy of love's brightest crown.
A white satin star, No. 1—
The bravest knight in Arthur's train Was he who wore with ne'er a stain The shining badge of purity; And since I know that thou art true, And that my trust I ne'er shall rue, This token white I yield to thee.
No. 2—
Thy gift, as pure as thy radiant brow, I take, dear heart, with the reverent vow That whether the way be near or far, I'll follow the lead of my lady's star.
"There!" said Helen. "Counting in the first two, we have sixteen, and the two sets must be put in separate baskets and drawn for. The next question is, what are the people to do after they find their partners?"
"We must seat each couple at a table and give them some puzzle or problem to work out together," said Catharine, promptly. "How would 'An Astronomical Wedding-Journey' answer? You can get that up, Beth—you are so fond of star-gazing; but don't make it too prosy."
"I'll attempt it only on one condition," answered Elizabeth: "neither of you must see it until it is given to the rest."
"Very well, Beth; we'll leave you to yourself while we copy the valentines."
And this is what Elizabeth set them to pondering over on St. Valentine's eve:
An Astronomical Wedding-Journey.
Once upon a time it chanced that the —— in the —— (satellite of the earth) fell desperately in love with a certain fair —— (sixth sign of the zodiac), and the latter, having first dutifully asked her ——' (one of the primary planets) permission, readily consented to marry him. For bridemaids they chose —— (one of the Northern constellations who was noted for her shining hair), and —— (a Northern constellation, a princess who had once been chained to a rock on the sea-shore); while for groomsmen they had the twin brothers —— and —— (third sign of the zodiac).
At the wedding-breakfast the bride sat in ——'s chair (a Northern constellation), and as they were fond of sea-food, they had on the menu deviled —— (fourth sign of the zodiac) and broiled —— (twelfth sign of the zodiac), with —— (eleventh sign of the zodiac) for their water-carrier.
After breakfast they had a game of —— and —— (Northern constellation) with their guests; and the bride, being a fine musician, entertained them by playing the —— (Northern constellation).
As there were no railroads in the country, they harnessed —— (Northern constellation) to Charles's —— (Northern constellation), and took the route known as 'The —— ——.'
"It seems very selfish to be seeking only our own pleasure," suggested the bride, who, like every truly happy bride, wanted all the world to share her joy; and the groom, being a sworn knight, decided that they would go in search of the lost ——. Becoming thirsty on the journey, they stopped at a farm-house well.
"You can drink from the little ——," said the groom, "and I from the big ——."
But a great —— (a Southern constellation) began barking at them, and before they could get back to the wagon they were butted by a vicious —— (first sign of the zodiac), and came near being tossed by an angry —— (second sign of the zodiac). A little later, in passing through a thicket, they met a roaring —— (fifth sign of the zodiac). But the groom, being a fine —— (ninth sign of the zodiac), slew him with an —— (Northern constellation), and when shortly afterward they encountered a great grizzly —— and a little one (Northern constellations), he made an end of the old one in the same way. But the little one was too bright for him, and chasing the tip of his tail, they presently reached that long-sought —— around which the —— are the only dancers on May-day. For the remainder of the journey there was nothing to mar their pleasure; but after they reached the groom's palace, the trail of the —— (Northern constellation) soon made a change, for the groom in his own house, like many another husband, was as eccentric as a ——, flying off in a —— on the slightest provocation, and though he had always been reputed to be made of gold, he proved so poor that he could afford no —— except what he borrowed from his generous father, the ——, whom he disrespectfully called "Old ——."
The bride in her disappointment declared that he had been weighed in the —— (seventh sign of the zodiac) and found wanting, and also charged him with having become so infatuated with —— (the most beautiful of the planets), that she herself was totally ——. And though he protested that she was still his morning and his evening ——, and that he would willingly endure for her the labors of —— (Northern constellation), she refused to be reconciled. Whereupon he made way with himself by taking an overdose of —— (one of the planets), and the bride in a fit of remorse hid a —— (eighth sign of the zodiac) in her bosom, and suffered the fate of —— (Egyptian queen).
A copy of this puzzle having been given to each couple, half an hour was allowed for the filling of the blank spaces, after which prizes were awarded to those who had made out the papers correctly.
EACH COUPLE HAD A COPY OF THE PUZZLE.
