Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-06-25


A lady may have an excellent taste,
and select her silks and muslins, ribbons
and laces, feathers and fans, without
committing one blunder in the matching,
and yet when choosing that one beloved,
for whom all the array of fashion was Sc
lected, she shall be guilty of mistake,
in the fitness Of character to secure her
own happiness, which neither art nor
fashion can remedy.
Perhaps it is the difficulty which at
tends the investigation Of the qualities OF
mind and heart-the character-that
makes most people entirely neglect such
things when choosing their partners. 1t
requires thought, and they hate to thipk
it demands reflection, and it is so dull
to reflect. But every gentleman can see
that lady is pretty, and every lady can
hear that gentleman is rich. 1t vas
solely this seeing and hearing system, that
decided the destiny Of the lovely and uc-
complished Miss Caroline Anderson. In
prelerring the man she did for husband,
however, she only followed the bias of
her education, since it had been, from
her childhood, ndustriously instilId into
her mind by her mother that she was
very beautiful, and though she was poor
yet her charms would enttle her to ex-
pect to marry rich man; and that her
happiness, the happiness of residing in
an elegant house, and having elegant
furniture, and elegant dresses, and above
all, living elegantly without being oblig-
ed to acork, depended on her marrying a
rich man.
How unfortunate it is for the real hap
piness Of young females, that since to
understand household cares' ia such
an indispensable accomplishment for
women, that it cannot be rendered a
fashionable one!
Though Caroline Anderson longed to
be mistress Oft fine house, she dsdaincd
to be buurdened with any Of those do
mestlc cares that ought to be assumed
with pride and pleasure by every mistress
of family. And so she consented to
accept Of a man who offered himself,
because she was rich enough to maintain
her like lady. The term lady, mean
ing in her vocabulary, woman who
dressed extravagantly, visited or receiv-
ed company continually, and did nothing
at all. The sentiment that good and
evil are always mingled, is not more trte
than true. Caroline Anderson realized
it, when, in the midst Of her ardent an
ticipation of the felicity which the riches
she was about to possess must confer,
one shocking idea would continually in
trude to mar the picture.
1t was not that her intended husband
was thirty years older than herself, and
very plan-gold reconciled her to these
objections. But oh, he had such an un-
sentimental name! Often and often did
she wish it had been Belville, or Delville,
or any name that ended in riie; or Du-
mont, or Beaumont, or BelIamont, or
some name that ended in mont; But it
was nothing but Crump! If he had only
had title, either civil or military: been
addressed as Major Crump, or Nathan
iel Crump, Esq. she thought she could
have endured it; but to hear him called
Nat Crump, nothing but Nat Crump! oh,
he did think it horrid. "What's in a
name!" Poor Caroline thought there
was much; and when she put on her bri-
dal dress, formed of materials most rare
and costly, and surveyed herself in the
glass whichtold her she was charming
bride, beautiful enough TO be mopel he
rome, she turned away shuddering at the
thought that she must. so soon, be called
Mrs. Crump!
Mr. Crump was not aware that his
young wife possessed such delicate
sensitiveness Gt is difficult to describe
her feelings with one word) of nerve,
and he Immediately commenced calling
her Mrs. Crump, Mrs. Crump, without
mercy.
1t was in vain she limited to him that
"wiie," or "Caroline," would please
her better, and was all the fashion; he
insisted it was not SO digniied-and the
very day after they were married, they
both become highly irritated, she, that
her husband would call her by a name
she disliked, and ne, that his wife would
not Ike the name by which he thought
It proper to call her.
|. Mr. Crump was one of your palms.
taking, Penny-saving, proverb-ioving
people. He had acquired large prop
erty by very small way of traffic, and
in proportion as his stores had incr q nsed,
It seemed as if his mind had contradic-
led; at least SO his nsirhbors ins;nu.-
ted. But pray never attempt to gain
credit as a prophet by predicting what a
man will do, or will become, espe ciaIly
in our free country, where, as soon as
he has the means of living genteel, the
blockbead may set up for the gentleman.
Nat Crump found he was rich, and he
built himself an elegant house only bo