Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-04-13


example. She is very different. let me
tell yoas from the common ran OF young
ladies'
| Different, and vet in. many respects
too much alike, Uncie Peter said, halt
in reTly and half in sollloquy. And then
the old man sunk into reyerie, at the
conclusion Of which Mrs Howard mana
ged teprevent reGeWal of the napleas-
ant subject. 81
Time passed Oh, and the process OF
coming OUT was gone through, aud not
withstandiug the open "Reminiscences
and covert sarcasm OF Uncle Peter. Miss
|. Cecilia Howard, young and handsome.
and worth plum into the bargain. was
received, of course, with marked consid-
Grafton. A dozen handsome, intelligent
young gentlemen stood ready to give her
warm welcome No wonder, then,
that the brain OF the. young debutante was
nearly turned. No wonder that her ma
tural powers of discrimination, and the
faculty of reading character, were almost
altogether obscured, leaving Der no guide
but her own love Of admiration, and the
susceptibilties OF an innocent, unsnspec-
ting heart. As might have been expsc-
ted, at the age Of seventeen she was un-
der engasementof marriage. And not
| outstanding moral philosophy had been
one OF the branches of her finished educa
ton. her choice was influenced by no
moral considerations. She was wooed
and won by very handsome and very
fashionable young man, whose family
was of the true stamp of modern gentil-
ity. OF such thing as neral worth
she had no conception, for her own ra-
tional powers had scarcely begun 10 devel-
ope themselves. She was yet IA child,
bat in the place of woman, and scarce
ly more fit to act truly the part of wo-
man, than chilI--for she could only
be governed by external considerations,
and by the influence of others, instead of
by an internal conviction and perception,
from reason, that her actions were right.
Fortunately, however, it 50 happened
that Mr.. Merin, the young man by
whom she had been wooed and Won.
though nearly as ignorant as herself IN
regard to true principles of action, ration
ally seen, had been kept through the
watchful solicituIe of mother who
knew something Of the evils that beset
young men when first entering the world
from moral contamination. There had
been no dissemination Of evil principles in
his mind. The ground was Just broken
and ready for seed.
At eighteen Cecilia became the happy
Mrs. Merlin. AS her husband was as
much of child as herself, it was thought
advisable to override their strong desire
10 have an establishment of their own
This was done after much effort, ami the
young couple consented to spend the
first years of their new existence in tie
family of Mr.. and Mrs. Howard.
This year was passed by the young
bride in giddy rouad Of pleasure. =
Books were no more resorted to, except
as the means of filing up an idle hour.
Having completed her education at school,
it would not only have been irksome,
but a real waste OF time, she felt, to look
again into books Of principles or. facts.
OF course Cecilia had no affection for, or
appreciation of knowledge to real use
iful end. 1t was fashionable for young
ladies to be well educated and accom-
p!shed, and that was the impulse under
which she pressed forward at school, and
inbibed Il knowledge Of the various bran
ches that were taught.
At the end of the first year which pass
ed after their marriage, the young cou-
pie set up for themselves. Mr.. Merlin
had commenced business as a merchant,
and now they felt themselves of no little
Importance in society. Furnished out
with cook, chambermaid, and wait.
er, or Man-servant, Mrs. Merlin found
housekeeping very pleasant kind OF
an affair. She had nothing to do but to
dress, visit, and receive company. No
household cares, or interfering duties,
married the pleasant round other fash
ionable recreations.
During all this time, it must not be
supposed that Uncle Peter remained ST.
lent witness of passing events in the
life ofhis neice, for whom his affections
remained undiminised. He was kind
Of thorn in the side Of Mrs. Howard and
Cecilia, censuring, opposing, or ridicul-
ing every folly, imprudence, or false
notion with most annoying pertinacity.-
But there was one thing that he did not
oppose, but rather encouraged, and that
| was the desiresof the young folks to set
lup housekeeping for themselves. Not
that he supposed Cecilia at all fitted for
the duties that would naturally tleyolve
apon her, or that she would, at first,
make an effort tosperform those duties.-
But he was anxious to have her removed
from her mothers influence, and placed
in CIRCUMSTANCES where she would be re-
quired, at times, to act forherself. In
lher own house, he .,oould the 0ftener find
her alone, and while alone, that is, away
from her mother. he knew that he could
much more easily make her comprehend
some things necessary to be learned.
To his advocacy Of Mr.. and Mrs.
n . 4 e. l. o<,Iv TAO