Charles M. Relyea, Mary Barton Frontispiece, 1907, The Victorian Web.
Relyea’s illustration depicts Mary Barton, the protagonist of the novel, who receives a sincere valentine from Jem Wilson. The valentine that she receives from Jem is “all bordered with hearts and darts” (101). The decoration of hearts and darts symbolizes Jem’s deep love for Mary, and he sends it anonymously as her secret admirer, but Mary “[suspects] to come from Jem” (101). Jem loves Mary and proposes to her earlier: “I’ve a home to offer you, and a heart as true as ever man had to love you and cherish you; we shall never be rich folk. I dare say; but if a loving heart and a strong right arm can shield you from sorrow, or from want, mine shall do it” (115). Jem pours his heart out to Mary, but she declines because she is still under Henry’s spell of wealth as he is the son of a factory owner. Mary does not realize her strong feelings for Jem when she initially receives the valentine because of her infatuation with the charming, yet deceptive Henry Carson. She falls for Henry’s charms; however, she comes to understand his true intentions: “You may think I am a fool; but I did not think you meant to marry me all along; and yet, thinking so, I felt I could not love you […] I don’t think I should loved you now you have told me you meant to ruin me” (123). The novel does not mention that Henry sends her a love valentine which foreshadows his dishonesty in desiring to engage in a relationship without a promise of marriage. Love is a game of conquest in Henry’s mind—he does not mind if he ruins Mary’s reputation, and he chases other women. Conversely, in sending Mary a valentine, Jem reveals his affections for Mary and seeks her hand in marriage because he only wants to be with her.