266 The Two Valentines. [MARCH, 



be her personal Valentine, and to renew if not complete their early 

 engagements. 



On this determination being announced to Sally, it occasioned no small 

 perturbation in that fair damsel, equally alarmed at the mental accomplish- 

 ments and the personal defects of her constant swain. In fact, her feeling 

 towards Stephen had been almost as ideal and unsubstantial as the shadow 

 of arainbow. She liked to think of him when she had nothing better to do ; or 

 to talk of him, when she had nothing better to say ; or to be puzzled by his 

 verses or laughed at for his homage; but as a real substantial Valen- 

 tine, a present wooer, a future husband, and he so ugly and a poet too. 

 Oh dear! she was frightened to think of it! This impression first broke 

 forth to his sister who communicated the news of his intended arrival 

 in a variety of questions, as to Stephen's height, and size, and shape, .and 

 complexion ; especially as compared with Daniel Tabb's ; and was after- 

 wards displayed to that rustic adorer himself; not by words, indeed, but 

 by the encouraging silence and saucy smile with which she listened to 

 his account of the debarkation of his cockney rival, from the top of the 



B stage. " He's tinier than ever," quoth Daniel, " and the smartest 



dandy that ever was seen. I shall be your Valentine, after all, Sally/' 

 pursued her swain ; " for I could hide him with the shadow of my fist." 



This was Valentine's-eve. Valentine's-morn saw Sally eyeing the two 

 rivals, through a peep-hole in her little check curtain, as they stood side- 

 by-side, on the green, watching for the first glimpse of their divinity. 

 Never was seen such a contrast. Stephen,' whose original square dwarf- 

 ish ness had pined down into a miniature dandy sallow, strutting, and all 

 over small the very Tom Thumb of apprentices! Daniel, taller, bigger, 

 ruddier, and heartier than ever the actual Goliath of country lads ! Never 

 was such a contrast seen. At length, Sally, laughing, blushing, and 

 bridling, sallied forth from the cottage her huge roll basket, but not as 

 usual filled with rolls, carried, not on her head, but in her hands. " I'm 

 your Valentine, Sally ! am I not ?" exclaimed Daniel Tabb, darting 

 towards her, " you saw me first; 1 know you saw me first," continued 

 the ardent lover, proceeding to claim the salute usual on such occasions. 

 " Pshaw! nonsense! let me alone then Daniel, can't you?" was the 

 reply of his mistress, advancing to Stephen, who perhaps dazzled by the 

 beauty, perhaps astounded by the height of the fair giantess, remained 

 motionless and speechless on the other side of the .road. " Would you 

 like a ride in my basket this fine morning, Mr. Stephen ?" said the saucy 

 las, emptying all his gifts, garters, pincushions, ribbons, and Valentines 

 from their huge reservoir, and depositing it on the ground at his feet. " Don't 

 be afraid ; I'll be bound to carry you as easily as ihe little Italian boy 

 carries his tray of images ; he's riot half the weight of the rolls is he, 

 Daniel ?" pursued the unmerciful beauty. " For my part, I think he 

 has grown shorter. Come, do step in !" And, with the word, the 

 triumphant Daniel lifted up the discomfited beau, placed him safely in 

 the basket, and hoisted the burthen on Sally's head to the unspeakable 

 diversion of that saucy maiden, and the complete cure of Master Stephen's 

 love. No need, after this, to declare which of the two rivals is Sally 

 North's Valentine. I think, with the little clerk, that they will be married 

 a,t \Yhitsuntide, if not before. M. 



