Litchfield enquirer., 1830-09-23
the performance of her

hor happiness in the performance of her | duties.'
 Was she not ford of society, of amuse- ments 2 demanded Mir. Burton.
 Certainly; she enjoyed society with that keen relish which cultivated minds only know. It was not with her the silly, selfish pleasure of exciting admiration by her appearance, but of improving herself b. the most exalted privilege of humanity conversation. And she had, in perfec- ton, the happy art of making all around her enjoy themselves. Her intelligence and vivacity were not reserved for brill- iant occasions, that she might shine in company. I have never seen her more gay and agreeable than in her fathers a. partment when nursing him during his pe- riodical returns of i'll health. The inter- course between them always reminded me of Winter in the lap of May. The tastes and feelings, that usually seem checked aud chilled in one ofhis years, were by her sunshine and freshness of spirit kept alive, and he retained at eighty years the relish ofthose innocent and mental pleasures that charmed him in youth, that is, when Ca lista was present--but he would droop and complain if she were detained from his side, and all cheerfulness seemed to forsake him. IL was this that determined her not 1 to marry during her fathers lfe.'
 Your heroine is then to turn out an old maid, fnd,' said MT. Burton, smiling, and you are reading me homily on my prejudices against single damsels.'
 No, not exactly that. I am simply re- lating the circumstances that made me love, almost worship an old maid and you may draw your own differences. For myself, believe that the happiness and responsibility of a woman is most perman- ently secured by good marriage-but think it highly injurious to my own sex, and to society, that our young girls should be educated only with view to marriage. would have females instructed that the fulfmcnt of their duties is, in any fortune, any station, sufficient for their happiness and would have them respected, when filling up their lives by acts of usefulness and bencvolence, as among the excellent of the earth.'
 Why, so would 1; but you know, Mrs. Carvill, that all single ladies are not as perfect as your friend. 1 cannot but hope Calista welded some worthy man at last
 A smile crossed the lady's benevolent countenance. as she replied, ',hat wish 1 never by her. While her father lived she never permitted marriage to enter her cai- culations. She never gave any encour- agement that permitted an ofer-and though so handsome, and agreeable, and with the expectancy ofa toierable fortune, she, by her prudence, prevented any gem tleman from falling in love with her. All who approached her seemed to consider her beyond their reach. And this circum- stance has always made me feel very intol- erant towards those coqucttes who keep train of lovers around them, when they have no intention of accepting any of the number. Againstsuch heartless coquettes, when left 10 be old maids, the ridicule of the world is not unjustly directed. l ney- CT wish to hear single lady boast of her offers. There is something undignihed and unfeeling in the exhibition of the dis appointments she may have nflicted--un- less the offers were dictated by mercenary sufficient provocation to be severe. Ca lsta's father lived till she was nearly forty. The days of romance were nearly over.-- She had engaged in many charitics-had taken one of her nieces to educate-had, in short, fixed her routine of life, and felt that her habits must be altered, and favor ite occupations perhaps foregone. should she marry then; for man suitable to her age, would also have formed his habits, and fixed his opinions, to which hers must have been conformed. A widower and bachel- or, both unexceptionable in character and fortune, applied to her friends--and her an swer decided for celibacy for life. Yet she was one of tho most lovely, and is now one of the most agreeable women l ever saw. Her heart, her affections have ale ways been engrossed by some dear objecr, and do not think wife or mother ever fulfilled their duties with moro tender de- votion. The fountain of woman's love has flowed out in benevoIence to her friends and in making others happy, she has found the reward of her own happiness: Would she in the character of vile ana mother be more amiabIe, more justly ent'- tied to our esteem than she is now as an old maid 2
 sNo-I think not and like your ideas respecting the education of young women. | have, myself, been disgusted to hear cai- culations for the marriage of their daugh- ters. enter into the plans of mothers and I have vowed never to wed with such D..A