Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-11-19
Frsm Graham's Magazine.
The Bad and FSissOrn, n reason
GGr On ciaeENvis1El.

YOU have told me. Mr.. Hunter, at least
n dozen times. YOU would reveal to me the
secret of your bachcIorism; now we have
no visitors ard no prospect of any; the
quiet patter Of rain has tempted you to CT
Gar and slippers; and that dim burning of
the coal in the CRATE, the drowsy fire of
June, Just enough TO dispe the damp. and
not enough to rouse one uneasy nerve, is OF
itself pledge for long tranquil evening.
! And vet-bv no means, my dear sir, don't
toss aside your cigar, and as to signing its
oui Of the question-yOu are too stout for
sentiment, have a wcll-to-do air, sort OF
te-tale. god-dinncr aspect, that don't ac-
cord well with the sentimental
Mr.. Hunter drew from his bosom
small miniature, the portraits Of two sisters.
the one a girl of seventeen. the other
som Of female loneliness. Even | forgot
the well-to-do air. and found myself uncon-
sciouslv svmpathising as his smooth I'M
marked face settled into an expression of
melancholy. TO be sure it was unnatural.
and just as it was about to reassunc its ha-
btual look of easy content. and the cigar
was quietly restored to the lips. he caught
a glimpse Of my eyes, and they might have
looked mischievous. for he flung the cigar
aside, and declared that he would never no.
never. satisfy my curiosity. NV omen
were al alike. hcartlcss. untruthful, and
full of whm. 4 man never knew where
to find them--onc thing to-day, another to-
morrow A book that all is preface-the
reader never gets beyond the first page
No wonder married men arc lean and ca
davcrous. That same lean Cassius must
have been married man. Otheos occu-
patton was done when he became a mar
ried man. Witness the spleen of Iago-it
is that of married man. Macbeth was
married murdcrcr-it makes me des-
pcratC.--
Yes desperate to ho married. l won't
enter into defence because, my dear sir,
do so much want that same story. | for
give this little cbution of bachelor spleen,
: believing i; may be Of service to YOU. But,
Mr.. Hunter. here is the secret Of all the
bachclorism in the woril-inconstancy: re-
member the Old ballad that saith
, Sigh no ,nore Iadyo sigh no more,
Men were leceyHr> ever
One foot N sea and one on shore,
, To one thing constant never"
"Now do tell me the story of these pref
" HiiiS. anu pa biiiiSC iiDl " GiiilbN Ntt'
, Mr.. Hunter was too good naturcd To re-
fuse--bachelors arc good naiured.
/ This is painting from sketch made
: of the two girls. shortly after we cmbar-
I kcd upon that fatal voyage. They were
standing as YOU now see: Ellen with the
6; me tranquil. gentle dcmeanor. and the
roguish Am in this very attitude indeed
but thousand changeful meanings fitting
over her face
Il was but twentv-two-fulI of life,
health and enthusiasm of early manhood.
Ellen was the realization of my dreams
the one pure and blessed being forever
floating about the fancIes OF the magma
ton. the impersonation Of my ideal of
womanhood at that time: meek. trusting,
dependent, and loving with a singleness
and purity of soul that sanctied every
emotion. need not say that the most
restless dream of ambition. the most alIur-
ing indictments to pleasure, were as moth
, ing to me when weighed by the wealth of
her guilelcss tones Of affection, the earnest
and touching accents Of tenderness that fell
from her sweet FPS.
Il was about to return to one Of oar
southern cities. there to prosecute my pro-
fession, and Mrs. Lacy. a widow of some
: fortune, and long an invalid, determined To
= arrange her affairs and remove thither also.
in company with her two daughters, my
sweet Ellen and Anne.
The first evening OF our voyage Ellen
joned me for promenade on the deck.
and as she considingIy put her arm within
mine, shall never forget the renewed sense
: of manhood experienced at that moment.
nor the exquisite delight arising from
: consciousness that a creature of such grace
and tenderness relied on me, and me only,
for protection. Believe me, too. 4 woman
can realize but once, mean only in the
one individual who engrosses her whole
heart, in that sweet sense of dependence
that delight in appealing to the manliness
of being. to whom alone she is not asham-
ed to confess her weakness.
:, You smile, but we bachelors know more
4 of your woman hearts than you do your
y selves. For instance, you admire strength,
because you are physically my inferior
You admire intellect, because, however in
y teectual You may be, YOU delight still
y, more in the affections. Beauty is nothing
, to YOU. but seItsustainng man!iness is ev-
: ervthing. You admire nobIenes and gene
:, rosity of sentiment. because they arc not
4 your own characteristics; courage, because
y YOU are towards"
=. oh Mr.. Hunter, Mr.. Hunter do pro-
!, test"
J. yet hear me through. Love with a
,,,,.t lao ,,;,b