The Cedar Co. news-letter. [volume] (Tipton, Iowa) 1853-1853, 1853-11-19
Ylasty Marriages.

the Pniladeiphia Bulletin, for the crime
OF bigamy. The pubic voice confirms
the Judgment OF the court, in pronoun-
cling hn to meri; rightly the punishment
he will receive. Convicted Of having
inyeigled more than one female into
marriage, while he rad other wives hy-
ing, runor adds that the other b,gamies
thus made plain are bat a tlthe OF those
he has committed. II the halt Of what
is SAID about him be true, he is one OF the
most impudent scoundrels living.
Yet, when we think of the success Of
such an imposter, we cannot bu, echo the
question, asked by several cotemporaries.
We cannot but inquire how i, Is that wo-
men come to be his dupes. Marriage is
no light thing, to be undertaken u, a
weeks warning, or contracted with man
whose anteeedents are unknown. The
SUCCESS of villain Bird depends very
much on the folly Of his yictuns. Ii te-
males were more cautious whom they ac-
csm,nnied to the altar, the prisons would
be less crowded with criminals convicted
of bigalny, the folly oil the women bears
no proportion, indeed, to the vlilalny Of
ahe men but il exists nevertheless and
ihe case cannot be fairly stated, ii all no.
sicc Of il is suppressed.
Nor is the deuded wife, who has ac-
ceptcd husband of whom she knows
nothing, the only one, Oh her side, to
blame. Her mother is frequently as
much in fault as herself. In fact the
whole Sex are more or less scnslrable,
because the public opinion OF that sex Is
radically vicious on the subject OF matrl-
Inony, and prime cause, therefore, OF
imprudcnt marriages. What, for exam
pie. is the great aim Of womans Lille, ac-
cordinc to the social canons OF society F.
II il TO re! a husband, To make an early
Gn,ch--a brilliant one, If possible, but a
match of some kind, at any rate---this Is
held up continually as the goal OF young
girls umbtion. To be an old maid, on
the contrary, is tie bugaboo with which
she is frightened Women, by the con-
sitution of their minds, are more hopeful
than men they see everything eouls"r De
rose; and consequently they are too SAN
guine o. the merits Of a suter, ana too
seeptical to his fats. This is especially
true Of young females, ignorant OF the world
and full OF romance. IL IS less subject
of astonishnent, therefore, than one oil
regret, that so many women are beguiied
by gay Lotharlos, who traverse the coiin-
try pcrpe'ratin~ bigamics. There is a
remedy, nevertheless Tor the evil. II Is
apropcr home cducs.,;on.
Many young ladies', a, the present day,
have no such education, however. Sent
TO fashionable boarding schools al an early
age, and retained there until they are
ready to enter society, they no nothing
practically OF mothers culture, and are
utterly unfit for the periis that surround
them. With their heads full Of false
views Of lite acquired from sentimental
works, they estimate the merits OF a lover
only in proportion to the elegance OF his
noustache, the amount OF perfume In his
handkerchief, or the fashionable cut OF
his coat. Insteah Of having learned to
control their early fancies, or rather TO
fancy only true worth, they are deceived
by false glitters. and take the counterfeit
plnch-beek for solid gold. Instead Of con-
sldering marriage a serious act, MOTTO be
entered into without full knowledge OF the
husband, they regard II as most merlto-
rious when coatrasted with a man that
knows bur little OF. or vita waon they
have fallen In love ut first sight. The
caution which ought TO guard affairs oil
the heart. is utterly unknown to those
young creatures. They pretend to have
finished their education, because they
can snltter French, and execute ovcrtureS
on the piano; but In the true education Of
woman, the preparation Tor selecting a
proper conpalioa for life, they are mere
children. Woe to the mothers OF such
daughters. The wonder is, not that SO
many young girls form unhappy conncx-
ions, but rather that 50 many escape the
consequences Of their parents neglect,
There are some persons who, in view
OF the perils that surround unmarried ie-
males, recommend the exclusion OF such
from society, as is the practice IN France.
But this would tend TO make matrimo-
MAI connexions marriages Oh convenience.
The better plan is to educate the girl, from
the time that she ceases To be mere
child, to Judge of love and lovers in ju-
dlcious manner. Attachments founded
Oh personal appearance, or empty accom-
plishments rarely endure. Even where,
after a marriage Of this kind, the parties
remain happy, i! IS either IN consequence
oil their want of deep feelings, or because,
subs aquent to departure OF their roman
Tic dreams, solid esteem has sprung up
in It's place. Bar il is never safe 10 count
On contingencies. Ii IS never wise to con-
tract marriage, Wlica IS not apparently,
at least, based on solid affection.
That a proper home education gener-
ally prevents foolish marriage, the cx-
ample OF the religious society oil the
L. stN,4 III.