Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-06-21


The "proper time to marry never mas oeen
defined; and. whether those who woo IN YOUTH
while the romance OF the tender passion e4er.s
all its witching influence, or those who wal. u"
time has mntured the Judgment have the lar
est chance Of domestic happiness, even 'onnson
himself could not decide. However, va proper
mate, i, INDISPENSABLE to Felicity, lie. people
marry when they may; but Charles had, IN MS
selection. either from the rashness oil youtn, or
,hp blindness of passion, most woiully erred
T, ;s true that Jemima Jones was as handsome
as an angel: bnt there, unfortunately Tor her nus
band. the angelic parallel ended. Her m'na .
was not wholly uncultivated, but her temper
vain. imperious and Jealous; and the battery her
uncommon charms had attracted, contributes
to increase the natural sel6shness oil her heari,
,ill she seemed 10 regard no feelings save he'
own Nor was the preference she 1naiiy gave
The proposals Of Charles Courrland The effect oil
love All the affection she could possibly Spare
from herself was engrossed before she'e'er Sd"
him. But the man she did love was poor anu
the dashing heir had fine house, me CARR,
ape. and could ornament, her with shnery; and
SO she married him. There was terrible
storm the tlav the wedding was celebrated, anG
many apossip shook her head Significantly, as
she remarked it was bad omen. presaglng
stormy or unfortunate life to the young couple;
and HE prophecy was remarkably well fulfilled
And il certainly did require more humble
heart. or better disciplined mind Than the BRIDE
possessed to enjoy her sudden elevation with
,he fouaninity, necessary 20 domestic comfort
And after the rapture of admiring her elegant
dresses and rich furniture had subsidized, she
could not but remember that she had purchaser
them by resigning herselffor life 10 man she
did no; love. Her feelings were never M the
massive voice. nor, in estimating her du,ies' dio
she ever include one particle OF seli-deniai -.
Neither did she reflect that her gratitude, al
least, was due the man who had bestowed on
her fortune and distinction. She VAS TOO un-
thinking 10 moralse thus wisely. and too w'llui
10 attempt contributing 10 another S happiness,
when she was not herself happy The husband
and wife had few pleasures of participation
His ravorite bouks she could not, nor did she
wish TO understands indeed she soon seemed
Jealous of their influence over him, and 10 see
him reading often increased her petulance TO
,erfect fury In short she had qnarrciled out
righ, with the old people, and fdgeted with her
husband before the honeymoon was overs ana
an half year had not passed before Cherries Sc
cretly cursed the day he was married, aud his
mother lamentcd he had not rather embarked
ON a VOYAGE round the world. By degrees
Charles began 10 seek abroad for the happiness
denied him by his own Preside; and when he
had once yielded TO temptation, the reproaches
of his wife only increased the evil; as TO escape
from her afforded his conscience plausible ex-
cuse for his irregularities But the tears oil
his mother had more saluiary effect; and join
ed with the entrea,ies of his father, TO prevent
his sinking 10 the lowest depths Of degradation,
till their deaths, by freeing him from all re-
strain,s Of propsriy Or pEsssRL .mads- his su'a
He lad row been married about dozen
wears, but Of all the children his wife had borne
him none survived their birth, and he quite
despaired Of ever being blessed with living
child; when, to his surprise and Joy, she pre-
sen,ed him al once with two fine daughters
This event, by awakening his dormant sensi-
blities, impaired moral energy 10 the mind
of The happy father which was truly astonish-
ing. He Immediately abandoned his vicious
associates, reformed his incorporate habits, s
set himself about clearing the embarrassmenls
his follies had caused, with the ACTIVITY OF one
who suddenly finds new value attached 10 the
world, and to existence. His estate had suffer.
ed but little diminution; and had his wife but
"acled well her part" they might have njoyed
happiness. but her capriccs were
incorrigible. 1t was unfortunate that her little
daughters, though both beautiful, bore but
small resemblance 10 each other. Mary, the
eldest, said to be the very picture Of her fa-
,h.r;--Miranda of her mother, and that til
fling circumstance was sufficient for Mrs. Court
land TO select the latter as her favorie, and la
wish on her all her tenderness. Mr.. CORTLAND
was more impartial; but his mind, clouded by
the disappointment Of his early dreams Of hap
piness, and weakened by his subsequen, ex-
cesses, did not possess the discriminating acu-
men necessary to foresee the probable conse-
quenccs Of such parental injustice, nor The vigor
of authority requisite TO correct IL. Indeed,
man, let him be adorned with every excellence,
is not, in the education Of his family, compe-
tent To remedy the msmanagemeni Of silly,
Ignorant or perverse woman; and young gen
:leman while selecting wife for himself, would
do wisely to reflect that she is also to be the
mother of his children. Those ministers
might, and probably did, origisally, possess
minds capable Of being moulded 10 love Of the
same pursuits, and exalted 10 an emulation Of
the same virtues And above all, tender af-
lection for each other should have been twineG
around their very hcart-s,rngs Friendship,
the sweet friendship of sympathy seemed, by
the laws OF nature, their favored boon; but the
folly OF their mother deprived them Of the sa-