Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-11-18
. NJ | S @ L L L A NY .
EVENING BEFORE MARRIAGE.

TRANsLATEDERoM THE GERMAN OF zscHoKKE.
We shall certainly be very happy togeth-
err 7 said Louise to her aunt on the evening
before her marriage, and her cheeks glowed
with deeper red, and her eyes shone with
delight. When bride says zoe, it may cas-.
lily be guessed whom of all persons in. the
world she means thereby
/ do not doubt it, dear Louise replied
her aunt, see only that you continue happy
together
EOh, who can doubt that we shall continue
SO ! know myself have faults, indeed,
but my love for him will correct them
And SO long as we love each other, we can
not be unhappy. Our love will never grow
old
Alasp sighed her auut, thou dost speak
like a maiden ofnineteen, on the day before
her marriage, in the intoxication Of wishes
fulfilled, Of fair hopes and happy omens--
Dear child, remember this-im time eren tie
heart gt0acs cold Days will come when the
magic Of the senses shall fade And when
this euchatment has fed, then il first be-
comes evident whether we are truly worthy
Of love When custon1eik Has made familiar
the charms that arc most attractive, when
youthful freshness he's died away. and with
the brightness of domestic life, more and
more shadows have mingled, tLen, Louise,
and not till then, can the wife say Of the
husband, He is worthy Of love > then first,
the husband say Of the wife, She blooms in
imperishable beauty But, truly, ON theday
before marriage, such assertions sound Laughs
able to me-
Il understand you dear aunt You would
say that our natural virtues alone can in la
ter years give US Rorth for each other But
is not he to whom | am to belong-for of
myself | can boast nothing but the best IN
tentions-is be not the worthiest, loblest Of
all young men ofthc city2 Blooms not, in
his SOUL every virtue that tends to make
life happy2'
My child replied her aunt, grant it.
Virtues bloom ii thee as well as in him
can say this to thee without dattery. But,
dear heart they bloom only, aud are not yet
ripened beneath the suns heat aHd the show
err. No blossoms deceive the expectations
more than these We can never tell in what
soil they have taken root Who knows the
concealed depths Of tho heart ??
All, dear aunt, you really Brighten me
is right, such fear is as it should be GU the
evening before marriage l love thee ten
Derby, aud will therefore, declare all my
thoughts on this subject without Disguise
am not as yet an aold aunt At seven and
twenty years, one still looks forward into
life with pleasure, the world still presents
bright side to US. have an excellent hus-
band. Fam happy Therefore, have the
right to speak thus to thee, and to call thy
attention to secret which perhaps thou dost
not yet know. one which is often spoken Of
to a young and pretty maiden, on4 indeed,
which does not greatly occupy the thoughts
of a young man, and still is Of the utmost i'm
portance in every household secret from
which alone spring lasting love and unalter-
able happiness
Louise seized the hand of her aunt in
both of hers dear aunt you know be.
heve ytu in everything You mean that EN-
during happiness and lasting love are not
insured to Us by accidental qualities, BY
aeeting charms, But only BY those virtues Of
the miud which we bring to each other
These are the best dowry which Ne can pos
sess. these never become old
As it happens, Louise The virtues also,
like the beauties Of the body, can grow old,
become repulsive and hateful with age
How, dearest aunt what is it YOU say
Name to me virtue which can become hate.
full With years
When they have become so. We no lon
ger call them virtues, as q beautiful maiden
can no longer be called beautiful when time
has changed her to an old and wrinkled We
man.
But, aunt, the virtues are nothing earth
H.
Perhaps
How can gentleness and fnildness ever
become hateful
SO soon Is they degenerate into insipid
Incidence and listlessness
And manly couragel'
Becomes imperious rudeness'
Aud modest dif6dence p
Turns 70 fawning humility
And noble pride 3
To vulgar hanghtiness'
And readiness to oblige.1'
Becnmes habit Of too ready friendship
and seryility.'
Dear aunt, you make me almost angry.
Ny future husband can mover Degenerate
thus He has ono virtue which viii preserve
him e. he Is forever IA deep SENSE, III III.
dessrucsible feeling for everything that Il