The Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1852-1853, 1853-04-06
The Night Before the Marriage.

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An "aunt of twenty years" gives
advice TO her neice "Louiss," on 'the night
before the wedding, ''under the text ;hat
''in long years, even the heart grows cold"
'In the first solitary hour after the cere-
mony, take the bridegroom and demand
solemn vow of him, and give him a vow in
return. Promise one another sacredly Bev-
er, not even in Jest to wrangle with each
other; never to handy words or indulge in
the least ill-humor. Never! say, never!
wrangle in jest, and putting on an air off ILL.,
humor merely TO tease, becomes earnest by
practice. Mark thatl Next promise each
other, sincerely and solemnly, never to have
secret from each other under whatever
pretext, with whatever excuse it might be.
You must continually, and every moment,
see clearly into each others bosom. Even
when one of you have committed fault,
wait not an instant but confess it freely
let it cost tears, but confess it. And as you
keep nothing secret from each other SO, on
the contrary, preserve the privacies of your
house, marriage state and heart from your
father, mother, sister, brother, aunt, and all
the world You, too, with Gods help, build
your own quiet world; every third orfouuh
one whom you draw into it with you
will form party, and stand between you
two That should never be. Promise this
to each other. Renew the vow at each
temptation. You will find your account in
it. Your souls will grow as it were togeth-
er, and at last will become as one. All! if
many z young pair had on their wedding
day known this secret, how many marriages
were happier than, alasl they are!"
Louisa kissed her aunts hand with ardor.
81 feel that it must be so. Where this conf
dence is absent, the married, even after
wedlock, are two strangers who do not know
each other. 1t should be SO; without this
there can beno happiness. Andnow, aunt,
the best prescryatiye of female beauty"
Her aunt smiled and said: ave may
not conceal from ourselves that handsome
man pleases us hundred times more thar
an Unlocking one, and the men are pleased
with US when we are pretty, but what we
{ call beautiful-what in the women pIeases
the men, is not skin and hair, the shape and
color as in picture or statue, but 1t IS the
character--it is the soul within these, which
enchants us by looks and words, earnest
ness, and Joy and sorrow The men ad-
mire us the more they suppose those virtues
of the mind to exist in us which the outside
promises and we think a malicious man dis
agreeable, however graceful and handsome
he may be. Let a young maiden then, pre-
serve but that purity OF soul, those sweet
qualities Of mind, those virtues, in short, by
which she first drew him over to her feet
And the best preservatlve Of virtue to render
it unchanging and ever young is religion,
that inward union with the Deity and eter-
nifty and faiths piety, that walking with
God 50 pure, SO peaceful, 50 bsneiicea. vii
mortals." ~ "'1 l4 a.,E''
"See, dear heart" continued the aunt
"therc are virtues which arise out Of mer
experience. These grow old with time, ant
alter, because of changes Of circumstance
and nclinstions, prudence alters her rules G
actions, and because her growth does not al
ways keep pace with that of cur years an
passions. But religious virtues ncve
change; these remain eternally the same
because our God is always the same. an
that eternity the same which we and thos
who love us fastening to enter Preserve
then' mind important and pure, lookin
for every thing from God, then vii! thu
beauty of soul, remain, for which the bride
gre ON to-day adores thee. | am no bgc
no fanatic. am thy aunt of seven an
twenty. But for this very reason l sa
to thee-bc a good dear christian, an,
thou wilt as mother, yes as a grandmothe
be still beautiful"
Louisa threw her arms about hen
neck and wept in silence, and whispered =
Il thank thee angeln'