Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-12-28
PLAQUEMINE:
SATURDAY, DECEMBER as, 1850.
An 3pithalamium.

tSelected by Lady, for the Sentinel.l
The following letter, it is said in Holden's
Magazine, was sent by a distinguished literary
lady, twenty years ago, to friend in New York
who WAS on the eve Of marriage:
DEAR CousfN-Herewith you will receive a
present ofa pair of woolen stockings, knit by
my own hands; and be assured dear coz, that
my friendship for you is as warm as the ma
terial, active as the finger work, and generous
as the donation.
"But ! consider this present as peculiarly ap-
proprate s.on the occasion of your marriage
You will remark, in the first place, that there
are two individuals united in one pair, who are
to walk side by side, guarding against cod
ness, and giving comfort as long as they last.
The thread of their texture is mixed, and so,
alas, is the thread Of life. In these, however,
the white is made to predominate, expressing
my desire and confidence that thus it will be
with the color of your existence. No black is
used, for believe your lives will be wholly
free from the black pass ons Of wrath and
jealousy. The darkest color is blue, which is
excellent, where we do not make it too blue
"Other appropriate thoughts rise to my mind
in regarding these stockings. The most in
different subjects, when viewed BY the mind.
in suitable frame, may furnish instructive
differences, as saith the poet:
"sThe iron dogs, the fuel and tongs,
The bellows that have leathern lungs
The fire-wood, ashes, and the smoke,
Do all to righteousness provoke"
"But to the subject. You will perceive that
the tops of these stockings, (by which sup
pose courtship to be represented are scanned,
and huc int cpopl k,,t,
terward comes time when The whole is made
plain and continues so the end and final toeing
off By this, wish to take occasion to con-
graduate yourself, that you are now through
seeming, and have come to plain reality.
Again, as the whole of these comely stock
ings was not made al once, but by the addition
Of one little stitch after another, put in with
Skill and discretion, until the whole presents
the fair and equal piece of work which you
now see; SO, life does not consist of one great
action, but millions Of little ones combined; and
so may it be with your lives. No stitch drop
ped when duties are to be performed-no
widening made where bad principles are to be
reproved, or economy is to be preserved, neith-
er scanning nor narrowing where truth and
generosity are in question. Thus every sti'ch
of life made right and set in the right place
none either too large or too small, too light or
too loose; thus may you keep on your smooth
and even course, making existence one fair
and consistent piece united together. Having
passed the heel, you come to the very toe Of
life, and here, in the final narrowing off, and
dropping the coil Of this emblematical pair of
companions and comforting associates, moth
ing appears but white, the token of innocence
and peace, Of purity and light-may you, like
these stockings, the final stitch being dropped,
and the work completed, 60 together from the
place where you were formed, to happier
state of existence, present from earth to hea-
ven. Hoping that these stockings and admo-
nitions may meet cordial reception, remain,
in the true blue friendship, seemly, yet with
out seeming,
"Yours, from topic toe, -"