The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1846-09-05
COLUMBIA DEMOCRAT.
SEPTEMBER s, 1916.
For tho Democrat,
SOCIAL INTERCOURSE.

atiys wisdom saw that il was not meet for man to
dwell alone. Notwithstanding all the luxurian,
beauty of Nature, as displayed in the handy work
Of God, presented perfect picture to his admirng
view, still his soul was not content to enjoy alone
the magnificent scene. A companion was given to
him and his happiness perfected. And as we trace
the progress of the human race, down through the
longvsta ofby gone ages, we find mankind still
seeking for society. True the hermit has some
times betaken himself to desert wilds,' or shut
himself up in 'mountan fastnesses.' The priest
has etredto the Monastery, and the youthful vir-
gin hs'h shut herself up, Nun in the closter. -
Exceptions to the great law Of nature, they have
unfortunately become insensble to social joys, and
of such we may say with the poet:
All in their bosom rcigns moonle,s night,
'Cheer'd by no ray Of soul reviving light,
And nature sits amid the dreary gloom
Like pale spectre watching DER the tomb"
But my purpose is, more particularly, to speak
Q! ScoOl Intercourse. with reference to our own
tines ard in its relation to the younger classes Of
society, and perm s make general application Of
my remarks 10 our immediate neghborhood.
The days ofmy youth were the happies, of
my life" is sentiment almost universally uttered
in declining years. And what is it that makes them
such7 The free easy, and almost constant inter
course with agreeable companions, is fruitful
source of enjoyment. Age multiplies cares, busi-
ness creates coldness and indifference, and the fire.
quent tossngs upon the uncertain pillows of foi-
tune, blunt and render c4ous the finer sensibtles
Of the heatt
But it may bo well at this point to attach some
definite idea to the term Social Intercourse,
Jcr,not to deal too largely in generals. WhatI
mean By Social Intercourse is the commingling to-
gether of kindred spirits in rational comp1nionship
,or the meeting and interchange of sentiments freely
between those who may be susceptible Of recipro-
city OF feeling.
Every person, young and DID, selects from the
mass Of community some particular ones whom he
endtavors to attach to himself in friendly It lation
and we ofcourss select the spirits most congenial
so our own. Thus, little circles of intimates are
fosmed in which the social principle is strongly do
veoped These are sometimes confined to one
sex, and sometimes both united. And here would
make theremark, that in my humble opinion, we
are not wise to confae the circles Of intmates to
our own sex,'for by so doing we are oftentmes led
to throw off that restraint which prop;iety would
suggest and the presence of the other sex would
command.
The natural tendency of Social Intercourse be-
tween the Sexes is to wea off the roughness of the
-unchisseled marble and develope the outlines and
proportions of the fair form concealed beneath =
Let young man absent himself from all female
society until he att0ins the age of manhood, and
most assuredIy the green freshness of youth will
cling to him still. Let him for the first time, after
he has told score Of years enter polite female
circle, in nine cases out OF ten he vii, pot know
whether te stands on his feet his head, and he
will act as awkwardly as an Embarrassed colt
could cite ludcrous instances which have come I'M
der my own observation, but we all have frequent
opportunities OF ocular demonstration Of the fact
Let young lady avoid all mixed company, un
til she has attained her full size, and reached tha
age which single ladies never pass, and then b.
thrown into miscellaneous gathering, her hand
will appear in her way, her arms will be too long
her body too unwieldly, and her tongue like th
clspper of muffled bell.
If then the occasional commingling Of youn
people of the opposite sexes has tendency to rem
sds. them more easy and more refined in their man
ners [and Of this every ones experience will cor
vince him. should we not encourage and cultivat
the habit But some will say that, evil often grow
out of these things, and extravagant ,excesses-
This is all true, but because good practice hal
pens 20 be abused should we altogether discard it
It's total absence of moral principle which, wou
allowany one to abuse the privileges extended
. him in Social Intercourse,
There is In my opinion mistaken notion amor
young people, that those only of the same sg e
nearly the same, should associate together. N,
we all know that child must learn to creep befc
ii team learn to walk, and when II begins to ws
relies upon some external support, as ,he hand Of
Sfriend for instance. All persons are children
society before they become adults, and cannot W
safety rely upon their own strength. II is III
the kind hand and advice of friend should exte
timely aid, nor shall we as soon as we have
tanned the summit, kick away the ladder on viii
We have climbed up. For my own part alw,
ENJOY company in which there are not only tn
sof my own age but both younger and older, fC
hope to learn wisdom from the older, and avoid
faults which may appear in the younger. wan
lis the spice of life and gives il all It's Hayos.'
This notion TO which. last referred is very pr
alent in this place. andthe evil effect Of il is ap