Relic on the Lethe

This short story, aimed at young readers, appeared in the West Virginia Argus on February 27, 1885 . The credit line attributes this tale to Frances B. Currie, and the story was reprinted from the N. Y. Examiner. She appears to have been a frequent contributor to Frank Leslie's publications , but unlike J. L. Harbour, no biography has been found yet to shed more light on her life and output.  Since this story should also be out of copyright in the US, we have reprinted the entire story for your enjoyment. A PEACE-OFFERING.  A Valentine Story with a Moral, for Young Readers.  Margery Wright was not a beauty. Even the most charitable person in the world could not admit that she had the smallest claim to such a title. The boys in the Delving Seminary said that Margery had a "squat” figure and a “pug" nose. They also alluded to her mouth in a way that brought angry tears into her eyes. They said it opened like a pair of oyster-tongs. These young gentlemen had lived for twelve...

This story appeared in the Charlotte Gazette, Feb. 28, 1895 after being picked up from the New York Ledger (at a time when comic valentines were common but beginning to wane). The author, J.L. Harbour, appears to be a prolific late 19th century to early 20th century writer. By one account , he had written over 600 short stories by 1902. A sketch of his life written the same year states, "He began to send original stories, such as brought to view and tended to correct life's inharmonies, lapses and weaknesses, to eastern journals, and among others to the Youth's Companion , whose editors recognized his gift even in its immaturity."  This short work appears to have been written before he became widely known for "Papa and the Boy" and "The Mourning Veil," but it provides a glimpse of his writing style and sensibilities in humor and character studies. Like many other authors we have investigated here, his work has generally been forgotten by today...

In 1851, shortly after Esther Howland began making Valentines commercially in America, a writer for the Alexandria Gazette opined, "St Valentine’s Day has sadly degenerated in these latter days. The delicate compliments of old times, are superseded by guady[sic] presents, or hideous caricatures. The fashion of 'Valentines' will soon go out of vogue."  The Daily Dispatch , writing about Valentine's Day four years later, sheds a little more insight on this "playful waggery" tarnishing a holiday for sweethearts. The Valentine industrial complex employed artists to create "caricatures and satirical verses. . . . Some of them are very good—some are abominably vulgar." The writer indicates there have been some reports of cruelty behind sending such Valentines, "but it is to be hoped they are rare, especially with regard to the fair sex. Of the other we need not have so much care, particularly the old bachelors, whom we readily consign to the m...