The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1853-02-19
"Did you ever dance!"
aMoe. What n question MOI"

that YOUR inference on the score OF indelica-
cy is altogether an assumption" |
"Why every body admits that" 4
mot by any means"
"If the description Of some the of midnight
balls and assemblies that have heard, of the
waltzing, and all that, be true, then nothing
could be mere Notwithstanding more inju-
rious to the young and innocent"
All good things become evil in their per
yerseness," said the lady. ''And will read
lily agree with you, that dancing is perverted
and It's use, as a means of social recreati' n,
most sadly changed into what is injurious
The same may be said of church going"
You shock me, said Mrs. Andrews. eek
cuse me,vut you are profane."
II trust not For true religion-for the
holy things of the church, trust that /
have the most profound reverence. But let
me prove what say, that church going may
become evil"
81 am all attention." said the incredulous
Mrs. Andrews, e.f ls-.
"You can hear plain speaking"
"Me % The church member looked sur
prise. ''a-
"Yes you" rtnb
.."Certainly can But why do you ask!"
"To put you on your guard nothing more"
"Don't fear but what l can bear all the
plain speaking you may venture upon. AS
to church going being an evil, / am ready to
prove the negative against any allegations
you can advance. So speak on"
After slight pause, to collect her thoughts
the lady said:
"There has been a protracted meeting in
Mr. B-'s church.
i know it and blessed time it was.'
"You attende go
"Yes everyday; and generally vas my
! soul refreshed and strengthened"
IBID you see Mrs. Edridge there.'
"Mrs, Eldrdge No indeed except on
Sunday. As for her religion, itisn't worth
much, and will hardly stand her at the last
day" So
.Why Mrs. Andrews! You shock me
Have you seen into her heart Do you
know my purposes! Judge not, that ye be
not Judged, is the divine injun ction."
"a tree is known by its fruit" sad Mrs.
Andrews, who felt the rebuke, and slightly
colored. ,aa.
"True, and by their fruits We shall. know
them" replied the lady, shut come there are
too Many around us here for this earne 81
: COW ersation. We will take a quarter of an
hour TO ours Ives in ..one of the less crowded
, rooms. No one will observe orr absence
AMI you be freed from the annoyance Of thest
dances" .ei.is...ae- -. -. @ - l1ir.
The two ladies' quietly retired from thu
: drawing room-. AS soon as they were more
alone, the last speaker resumed. 'i
!, '.'By their fruits ye shall know them. d.
men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thist
,les! Let me relate what | saw and bear
in the family of two ladies' during this pro
tr:c ted meeting. One. of these ladies wa
Mrs. Edri1ge. was passing in her neigh
boraood about four O'clock. and as owed h.
a call, thought the opportunity gnod on
l. for re,urningit. On en.rng, my ears ca igl
n the blended music oil piano, aud children
" h ,opy voices. Ffom. tho Jvor.a sight
.l-.-.-.-trr-rp my eyes was revealed Mrs
: Eidridgc was seated ut the instrument he
! sweet babe sleeping on one arm, while viii
a single hand, she was touching the note
OF familiar air, to which four children wer,
dancing. A more inaocent, loving, happ,
! group have never seen. .-f....5 -
y For nearly ten minutesI gazed upon then
unobserved, so interested that 1 forgot tn,
d questionable propriety of my conduct, an,
during that time, not an unkind word wa,
uttered by one the children, nor did any
0 thing occurto mar the harmony of the scene
e Ii was sight on which ngels could h,,v,
:. looked with pleasure; for whenever heart.
: are turned to good affections angels are pres
) lent. The music was suspended, and the
: dancing ceased, as presented myself. ht
mother greeted me with happy smile, and
. each OF the children spoke to her visitor with
y an air at once polite and respectable.
}. d"I've turned nurse for the afternoon YOU
: see" said Mrs. Eld'idge. cheerlully "It,n, j.
!, Allce's day to 60 out, and never like Ia
: trust our little ones with the chambermaid
who isn't over fond of children. We gene.
:, rally have good time on these occasions
Tor | give my time up to them entirely
S They've read, and played and told stories,
: until tired, and now I've just frightened
them up, body and mind, with a dance. e
5 "And bright and happy they allhoked."
snow ruu mp into the nursery for little
while, and build block houses" said size.
while have little pleasant talk witt. nv
Friend. That's good children. And want
: you to be very quiet, for dear little Eddy is
last asleep, and Pm going TO lay him in
"Away went the children, and heard no
more of them for half an hour during which
II staid. with the child in her arms,
Mrs. Eldridge went up TO her chamber, and
went with her. AS she was laying him
} III the crib, took from the mantle lar re
norceain figure of kneeling child, and was
examining IL, when she turned to me- sVery
beautiful said - "It is,' she replied. We
call it our Eddy, saying his prayers. There
Is history attached to it. Very early +
teach my little ones to say an evening
prayer. First Impressions are never wholly
! ehaced, therefore seek to implant, in the
very -dawning of thought, an idea of God,
and our dependence on him for life and ali
our blessings, knowing that, if duly fixed,
this idea will ever remain, and be the vessel.
in after years, for the reception Of truth
loving down from the great source of all
tauth Strangely enough, nv little Eddy,