It is "never too late to mend;" so, why should I not take her a little present now, to show her that she lived in my heart and had not been intentionally forgotten?
If she accepted my offering, good.

I should then be certain that she extenuated my gaucherie at her party, whether I got speech with her or no.

Yes, that would be the proper course for me to pursue.
Would you not have thought so in a like contingency?
The present being decided on, what should I get for her?
Flowers, photographs, books, music, and all those delicate nothings, which people generally tender as souvenirs for other people's acceptance, she had in abundance.
None of these would do at all.

I wanted her to have some special, out- of-the-way something from me, which would always call the giver before her mind whenever she saw it.

You may think my wish a selfish one, perhaps, but we generally like to be remembered by those we love.