Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1848-12-05
From Graham's Magazine. for November.
EDITH MAURICE.
BY T. S. ARTHUR.

How many beautiful, Lowell y~minded wo-
men do we meet in society, who are uni
ted, by marriage contract, with men,
whose tastes, habits, and characters, can
not but be in every way uncongenial.-
And on the other hand, how often do we
sec the finest specimens Of men unequally
Joined to women who seem to have no
true appreciation Of what is really excel
lent in morals or social life. The reasons
for such inequality is very apparent to
all who observe with any intelligence
The atfinities which govern among those
who enter life's dazzling arena, are in
most cases, external instead of internal.
Accomplishment, personal appearance,
and family connections, are more consid
cred than qualities Of the heart Beauty,
wit, station, and wealth, are the standards
Of value, while real merit is not thought
or fondly believed to exist as a natural in
ternal correspondent Of the external at
fractions so pleasant to behold In this
| false and superficial mode Of estimating
character lies the bane Of human happi-
ness. Deceived by the merest cxternals,
young persons come together and enter
into the hottest relation Of life, TO discov-
er, alas! in few years that there exist
no congenialily Of taste, no mutual APP
probation Of what is excellent and desira-
bic in life, and worse than all, no mutual
affection, based upon clearly seen quail
ties Of the mind. Unhappiness always
follows this sad discovery, and we're it
not for the love Of children, which has
come in to save them, hundreds and thou
sands, who, ia the eyes Of the world, ap-
pear to live happily together, would be
driven angriIy asunder.
Aunt Esther, whose own experience in
life, confirmed by much observation, made
the evil here indicated as clear as noon
day to her perceptions, saw the error Of
her beautiful niece, Edith, in counting ra-
Their than stunning observation while IN
society.
"You wrong yourself, DEAR" she would
often say, "by this over-carefulness a.
bout external appearance. You attract
those who see but little below the surface
while the really excellent and truly in
te!igent avoid instead of seeking your
society,""
"Would you have me careless about
my appearance, aunt?" Edith would some
times say, in reply to these suggestions
'By no MEANS" Aunt Esther would re
ply. "a just regard to what is appropr
ate in externals, marks the woman Of true
taste and right feelings. But you go be
You'd this.'
"rhen violate the principles Of taste
in DRESSING"
Il will not say that you do very broad
ly. Most persons will affirm that yol
display a fine taste, and in using the wore
display would express my objection.
think woman infringes good taste wher
she 50 arrays herself as to attract alton
ticn 10 her dress."
Gas do?''
eyes, Edith. as you do. Ii you dis
guise from yourself the fact that yol
both love and seek admiration for person
al appearance, you do not do so from 9th
, ers-at least not from me-"
Aunt Esther did not wrong her niece
by this Judgment. 1t was Edth's weak
5 ness to love admiration; and what w
, love we naturally seek. Without actual
} ly infringing the laws Of taste and har
! mony, she yet managed to dress IN styl
7 that always attracted the eye, and set OF
I her really fine person in the most ;mpos
: ing manner. The consequence was, tina
5 she had many admirers, some OF whom
were elegant and attractive young men
But none Of these were drawn to the sid
< Of Edith for love Of her moral beauty
| 1t was the beauty Of her person, the fas
, cination of her manners, and the sparkl
of her wit, that made her an object Of ad
miration.
: Edith mad friend whom she dearl
, loved; sweet, gentle, true-hearted CIR
, named Mary Graham. Those who ar
dazzled by an imposing appearance: pass
; ed Mary with Indifference; but the te,
who could perceive the violet's odor b.
: the waysde, as they moved along thre
: life, sought her company, and found, i
o the heart Of a loving woman, more q
= beauty and delight than she ever give
! as creature Of show and admiration.
+ Different as they were, in many re
! spects, Edith and Mary were alike in thu
possession Of deep affections. But love-
what was pure and good; but, while on
had an instructive power Of looking be
meath the glitering surface, the other wa
: easily deceived by appearance. While
one shrunk from observation, The othe
, courled attentions. The consequence was
that Edith had hosts Of admirers, while
: only the discriminating few fingered nea
the retiring Mary. The one was admired
for what she appeared 20 be, the olhe
was loved for what she was. e5 tagesa
Two young men, entirely dissimilar ii
character, yet thrown together as friends
by circumstances, met one evening, wher
one of them, whose name was Ashton
said 10 the other, -r---.,..- ....
"E:skine! l met a glorious creature
last night--a perfect Hebe"
4 "Ah! Who is she?" W.
sHer name is Edith Maurice" sr.'5
I "She's a snowy girl, certainly"
! "Showy! She's a magnificent woman
i Erskine. And so you've met herr"
"a few tilnes."'Ig asa Ia ssll es
HyNo ro ,,o,, MT anchnn fad - .t,