Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-12-02
(. MAHIN e. CI EMENS.
The Exactlng Lover.
|" First catch your fish."

~ fr = I" FIRST cdfcR your nah.
"Upon my word, Howard, don't know whether
ts consider you rascal, or only simpleton," ex
ciaimel young man to his companion, as at a late
hour in the evening, they descended the steps of a
handsome house in Broadway.
"You do me too much honor in allowing me the
alternative" was the laughing reply .'ind.ed IL
your polite renark had been uttered by body bu,
my own good cou in, it would probably have been met
by knoct.dapl argument"
"Y-u eserye far more severe rcprehonsion, Howard
than am either able or willing to inGict upon you
1t secrns to me that you wantonly trifng with
the affections of young and artless girl who loves
you ard is too guleless to conc. Der attachment"
"If such is your opinion, Tom, / shall certainly
nssen no attempt to change it,
"Why do you act part so inconsistent with YOU
usual med Of thanking?"
"My dear fellow, my corduct is perfectly consis-
tent. have a crstain theory abo-t men--a certain,
systsm in my manners towards thein-and to that
system am to adhere iigidy even in despite of my
own impulses"
"For hcav,n's sake, Howard do rot attempt {.
weave your fragile fne-span theories iuto the web of
actual life; you have been dreamer Of dre&ns and
pro ctor Of schemes all your life yet nhat have Won
gained by them nil?''
Il have gained, as Byron says, "a deal of judg-
msnt.' 1 am no longer passionate boy, looking
upon woman as a being of higher sphere, whose i'm
age is to be 'on,kyei, en.trancd worshippsd' l
have been ia too many love aff,;rs-have knelt teo
'ten beforo idollike the imsg seen in tee prcph-
cts vision, whose heal was Of ine g, ID hut whose
Feet were of clay. look upon wymen now as only
gentle and loving minister to mans happiness: in
ferior to in mind and in vsor of character she is
superior in passion, fortuie, and devoted tenderness
the very creature, in short, of whom slave m, a
queen, is made. We spoil women by cur blind hom-
age and unt them for the station they sent to
occupy, while all our efforts TO elevate them to the
position which our youthful fancy allots them, must
be vain and useless
''This is quite idea, is il not, Howard 2! Le,s
than swclvcmonths ago you az despair for the
brilliant aud witty Azureita FoIa,rc, ard then yo
sutained tout,ancc the supcricr,y--mental
moral, and per.onal--of the feminine creation.''
'.Yor right, Tom--bu: Azur,tta cured me OF all
fuch foolish fnncics she had been spoiled by fiat
terry that she was fit for nothing tu' TO occury the
throne Of th,t tyrannical old Indian Bcgum we were
reading sb ut yesterday. Her whims and capricss
led me to ref ct upon the which ceuli thus
transform being whom nature had made tiluid and
gentle, into such proud exacting, naughty, dorn-
necring creature and became coyinced that tho evil
might he traced to mas's mistaken homage. Hence
forth mean to treat We do children; 10
rsgaTd them as Songs capable Of reason, but utterly
unfit TO be lsfi tn their guidance and who, in
p'ice IF osing dsif d, require TO be ndn :ncsi.''
''Ani pray, hw are you to obtain the opportunity
Of ipHu,ncinp fhr,r pt hp I'M, tba
ti"n.?"
at is by the pf,otiops culy that they ars to be
ruled, T,m."
"rhcn there must yet he a season OF h"u.ge How
ard, FOR women are Dot Ia b, unscugh'.'
"Thsi isrue--tu' neither ere they to he wosel by
sucN blind hu,nble aevo'ion We Usually rsy. BY
r'n knew tho female heart wall and am consumed
br rule is the true one- Piqus them sId .ooths by
r~.urs -"
A, Byr,n knew ,hc ke-rt oe womHn as It exists
in tho tautei atmosphere Of fashionable life, where
tie w,eIs tf passion grow the more rankIy became
nSrturel BY luxurieus sefi-nu sence bat yeu would
not surely follow Byron rule in ths choice OF wfe?''
Indeed should. What would man gain by
hunbling himself before woman during ccurtship,
when he know that his future bsppnes, depended
upon her slavish submission to him after riage
mean to marry delicate, refined, and gentle wo-
man, who will love me earnestly and dsvotcdly-to
whom my slightest wish will be aw-who shall have
no wish but to p'elss memo pleasure urshared by
ms--no Srj,yments such ara directly derived
frou my will ia woman, in short, shall be all that
wife was first designed help mate-subject to her
husband and patient under his will.'
''You are ms despotic as Turk, Howard, where do
you expect to find such modern Griesslda?"
81 have found her already, Tom.''
"Youd do net, certainly expect to train label Frrs
ter to such subms.iop?"
Indeed do-and, what is moro, have no doubt
shall succeed. love her better than ever did any
other woman, but mean to try her to tho utmost,
before place my happiness in her keeping"
"And suppose this new system Of yours will &C.
count for yeur violent Irritation with the belle,
this evening, while Isab, sat neglected in corner
''Ycu have guessed right; met Isabel in the
street, this morning, and | managed to insir uate
wish that she would refrain from dancing at Mrs
Ansa's party, to night. l, was fir experiment in
testing my wor, but 1t succeeded perfectly; she is
passonately fond of dancing but she steadily refused
all solicitations the subject.''
"And you rewarded her attention to your wishes
by almost tofa' Eesieef.
That was part Of my policy she doubtless expected
u be rewarded for herself denial by double portion
of my attention, and had been weak enough to bs-
stow IT, her fosbearance would have been sacrifice
As matters row stand, che has learned that have
power to act her, and that is great point gained"
$50 you expact to win her by woundipg her; this
might do ia buffalo hunting, but will scarcely succeed
in Iove-making."
..Dsn't you see that ex,ito q nsw interest by
awakening her apprehensicns Shs probably felt
sure Of my preference for her until this evening, and
the doubts which my conduct has excited win make
her think of me until We meet again. woman is
easily managed by who is allowed to engrcss her
thoughts"
"Will you allow me to give you my candid opinion
of your scheme, Howard9'
ssCertainly, my dear fellow"
ssI think it most selfish, cold hearted, rascally
method of triHng with q woman's feelings"
"You are complimentary, but n'importe; you are
in tbstoils Of pretty girl who tyranniss over you
without mercy, Tom, ana cannot hope I, bring you
to my way Of thinging at present"
"Nor in future, trust, Howard: 1t seems to me
unprincipied."
"You are wrong, Tom, mean to marry Isabel as
soon Is she Il perfectly broken in.''
"And suppose she proves untractasle."
ssThat will be sufficient proof OF want of affection
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