Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1850-10-17
THE COUSINS;
Or, FIresIde Sketches.

1
Mine is a simple tale, yet scorn it not,
Fair reader, with thy young and sunny brow
Oh! LET its gentle teachings move thy heart,
And bind thy spirit, as magic spell,
To all that gladdens home!
q 81 suppose you are going TO Mar,
o Wright's this evening"" said Juli
O Lawton TO her Cousin Fanny Day
O as she seated herself one morning il
N her uncle's breakfast room.
o "No, Julia, expect to be at hom'
= tonight. ] sent a ncte to Mary
IT yesterday, declining her invitation
"Not goingl | am surprised tC
hear you say so; it will not be a
very gay party, and there will be
0 no dancing. What are your reason:
5 for staying away?"
0 81 have several" replied Fanny
D smiling. "WiIl you have the most
important first or lastr'
81 do not care which, only tell
me-"
"WelI, then, 10 begin with the
most trivial, perhaps, somewhat
selfish reasons, l seldom enjoy eve
ming companies. l cannot be ami
mated and interested in conversa-
ton about 'nothing;' ! am not bril-
liant, and so cannot entertain the
company with bright and witty
speeches. and, therefore, neither re-
ceive nor give pleasure"
"But | am sure some intelligent
persons may be found at every par
ty with whom even iastidious Fanny
Day might enjoy a chat"
$50 there may; but, then, ladies
are seldom allowed to converse to-
gether for more than few minutes
without interruption"
"Of course not. 1t is only polite
in the gentlemen present TO endeav-
our to entertain them; but, surely,
Fanny, some of them are very sensi-
bic and pleasant"
"Yes, they are, when with two
or three ladies, or during a social
evening visit; but in large compa-
ny there are so many 10 claim their
attention, and so much of the pleas
ure OF the party depends on the va
ried exercise Of their entertaining
powers, that they have little oppor-
tunity of entering into rational dis
course, and when they have, are not
in a mood to do so. have listened,
Julia, with surprise and disappoint-
ment TO the witty nonsense with
which really intelligent men have
thought proper to entertain ladies on
such occasioas-yes, those whose
conversations have afforded me pleas
ure and instruction at home"
"You are really severe, Fanny
You must remember that women
generally like such conversation, and
gentlemen wish to please them. No
one expects 10 talk gravely at an
evening company"
"But ought we not to talk sensi-
bic at all timesl l cannot respect
any gentleman or lady who, with a
cultivated and well-stored mind, can
spend whole evening without Civ
ing any evidence of it. While the
present tone of conversation pre-
walls, there can be, in my opinion,
but little rational enjoyment in at
tending these large companies"
"If you are so fastidious, Fanny,
why do you not frequent them and
exert your influence to promote a
reformationf'
"One against 90 many could not
effect much, and, besides, a young
lady's motives are so often misunder-
stood if she endeavors 10 lead her
to converse in a sensi-
bic and connected manner. She
renders herself liable to be called Pc
dantic and self-conceited."
"But you who set up to be fe-
male relormer, ought not to shrink
from such epithets."
81 do not wish to assume such
character or position" said Fanny,
earnestly, shut have only given this
as one ofmy reasons for declining
to attend Mary Wright's party.
am not willing 10 give up all the
pleasure Of an evening at home for
the excitement of such a scene. If Il
were to 60 and be silent, ! should be
called reserved and dull, or, if were ;
10 join with spirit in conversation, /
should say many things, as l always
do in such cases, to be regretted af- :
forwards, and should, also, lose so
much real pleasure by going. Faith I
er is generally at home in the eve- i
ming, and as William is often obliged /
to be absent, he and mother are less ]
entirely alone when j am out, and, Is
OF course, miss me very much" {;
"But, surely, Fanny, uncle and
aunt do not desire that, at your age, ;
you should always be at home with {
them7'' D ~ rs c
"They never expressed any wish !
ON The subject, Juiia," said her cous-