The Columbian fountain., 1846-10-03
CAN IT BE

dntv Oon,t he curious 10 know who am,
bn, consider what say and the Lord give you
mind SO 10 do. would mol trouble you, but
feel that your happiness for time and eternity
is involved in the steps you are now taking,
and The relations YOU are now forming. With
liuIe forelhoughi, exercise of judgment, dig
nitv of purpose, and decision OF character, you
can now give permanent and happy turn TO
your whole future life Ii has been intimated
10 me that you would probably marry that
Young man whose attention you are now re.
ceiving, and am alarmed for you. Perhaps
YOU have promised him your hand. and expect
10 give il 10 him notwithstanding his unprom-
ising character. And perhaps you will do 50.
after all that may be said TO you in discussion ;
for love, though romantic, hides mountains OF
faults. and creates host of virtues. II pites
vice. and calls il human weakness which il can
cure by its own power. IL mlsconstrues the
fondest advice of friends, and listens to the i'm
pulsiye demands of passion, rather than 10 the
woong accents Of virtue and reason. You
know that young man better than can describe
him and love him more perhaps, than sister,
mother. or self yes, more Than the Saviour
who redeemed YOU You know his habits are
ANYTHING but good, and you are reminded every
time YOU see him, that his ways are not clean.
You see, that whilst his avocation calls for
eyery thing that is refined in virtue, morality,
decency, and gentility, he is sloyenly in his
dress, his person, and general appearance
He regards neither the Sabbath nor God. After
conducting you TO church, he goes, where -
He rdicules religion and its friends, you among
the rest, and claims to be an infdel.
You may say, in your blinded moments of
fancied love. that these are his pecuiarites,
and therefore should be excused. Butdo you
excuse them in others2 Have not my own
ears heard you condemn them in others? How
then, do you pardon them in him? He knows
there is no apology for him; and that you
would be silly to marry him. And when you
shall have become his, and your troubles begin
to Cypress you, he will charge it all upon you
by saying that you knew him before you uni
ted your destiny with his. Now my friend,
what is the matter with him? Listen he
DRINKS and this is the source and explanation
of all his faults and imperfectons have seen
him in your presence with anguid eye, flush
ed cheek, abominabIe breath, and very income
ly carriage observed that that the habit was
fixed and growing upon him; and | was dis
tressed to anticipate the result.
You know that he drinks; that he is not vr-
tuous that he is immoral but you say, if you
marry him, he may reform. Now stir up all
your recollection, and point out an instance of
such reformation. Then, if he does not esteem
YOU enough now TO refrain from such things.
will he, when you shall be in his swn hands I?
If your virtues, worth. and piety are insuffici-
ent now to change him while he seeks you.
will they not always BEG Remember, that
while sober. virtuous, and pious husbands Of
ten become abandoned in drunkenness and
crime, the incorporate and vicious are seldom
il ever reformed refer you toyour own views,
to the alms.house, 10 the prison, to the mur-
derers' and drunkards' grave-yards, TO scenes
Of poverty, disgrace, and horrid misery, TO
helpless widows and orphans, to the whole
history Of domestic suffering and ask you,
can you marry that young man with any hope
Of happiness You are now safe, pure, res
pectable and happy; with many friends to care
for you but marry him, and you will be for
gotten, forsaken. And should he forsake you
and your dependent and defenceless offspring,
as yon must expect, Oh, what wrelchedntss
mast be yours! The world can't show that
a drunkard ever made good husband or fa-
ther. II is contrary to nature as well as facts.
If YOU would know beforehand what sort of a
husband he would make, just remember the
other evening, when he, enraged by the simple
truths Of the Temperance Reform, Indignantly
took you from the congregation. If he can
take such liberties with you now, what will he
no, do when you shall be entirely at his dis
posal? Can you love man, O can you be the
dependent, obedient wife Of being, who, even
while he is seeking your hand, will dare pre-
vent your giving countenance 10 cause which
seeks TO promote your best interests2
NV friend, in this imperfect and hasty ad-
moni,ion, have given you, in substance, the
life OF dear friend God grant that il may
not serve as your biography, when we are both
in our graves
She was called upon once, as you are now,
perhaps, to decide, whether she should become
the wife man who drank. She asked my
advice. What! marry man who drinks =
In Gods name, in The name OF every thing
that is sacred and dear, here, and hereafter, no
Blinded by what is falsely called love, she
needed not my counsel, but ran The fatal risk
Two long years witnessed her terrible grief and
intolerabIe suffering. Reduced 10 abject pow
erty and stern degradation, helpless, broken.
hearted mother, homeless and uncared for, she
was compelled to separation in defence o.
life itself. She once thought it small thing
TO marry rum drinker, but when change
came over her dreams. her selfreproach was
as great as her misery was unutterable Why
not learn wisdom before tits too late? t..
Friend drinking with that young man IS
"iamily failing" And what dread consump
ton! Beware of him, and of any other rum
biber am one of rumruined family my