The Georgetown news., 1855-12-27
From Harper's Magazine.
DISTNTERESTED FRIENDSHIP.
BY A BACHELOR,


BY A BACHELOR.
It is the fashion to marry. 1t is the fash
ion to abuse those who do not. 1t is the
fashion with many who do, to regret that
that they ever did what can not be undone.
But this fashion belongs to the occult mys-
teries Of an institution which was the first
of the "Know Nothing" order ever estab-
lished. Those of the uninitiated are the
wiser who mitigate their curiosity, and
choose rather
'To bear the ills they have,
Than fly to others which they know not Of"
l am bachelor, and, of course, am not
| in the fashion. | am an old bachelor, and
my habits are fXed-fxed as fate, for, of
| course, | shall never marry now. Since [
did not marry when such an act could be
carried to the credit Of Juvenile indiscretion,
L shall not verify the coarse proverb, that
There is no fool like dn old fool" NY ex-
perience has been ample and various enough
| am too old to turn over a new leaf.
The common destiny of the race seems to
sweep all, or nearly all, into the hymeneal
vortex. If l have escaped, is it the wrong
l did in escaping that encourages calumny
and bitterness against me? Or is it envy
that incites the married multitude to speak
with affected pity Of the unmarried? Do
they really despise my loneliness, or, under
assumed contempt, do they conceal covet-
business Of my negative felicity? It's COM
manded, "Thou shalt not cOvet thy neigh
boris wife" [ don't. But do they not
covet my no ae3e? They talk Of the de-
lights of mutual confidence. But can there
be no mutual confidence unless one of the
parties wears flowing drapery, and the other
is encased in bifurcated combinations? Can
not there be friendship-can not there be
even love under brOadcloth-lOve of q man
for a man, mean? To deny it is prepoS-
ferrous. There is my old friend James Hay
den. [ am sure he loves me. am sure |
love him. | am sure he is diSintereSted, |
am disinterested, we are disinterested-
There is none Of the pounds-shillings-and-
pence selfshness Of housekeeping between
us. There is none of the selfish manage
ment and jealousy of the loves of the sexes.
We were schooled together. When [ was
puzzled he telegraphed relief When he
was pauled l signaled the world that un-
locked him. We transacted business to-
gether. If lost, his winnings made it up.
and Utce Uersa. He never betrayed or took
any advantage or preference of me. He
never deceived me, and he never will
What husband can say that of his wife?
What wife can say it of her husband?
There is only one venture in which we have
not shared. He took wife. Here could
be no joint-stOck interest; and | wanted
none. [ pitied his weakness, and resolved
to make allowance for it, though with some
misgiyings. 1t is safer to trust one than
two. Yet never has my confidence been
betrayed; and [ am not jealous Of James's
wife, though she is of me. My friends mis-
fortune has put his virtues in a stronger
light. He can be true to friendship in
spite OF matrimony. My house has always
offered him daily refuge from the storms,
which, though they clear the atmosphere of
the household, demand shelter; even as
the most welcome growing rains" are best
appreciated under an umbrella.
am an uncle. All bachelors are uncles.
1t is their destiny and vocation. Perhaps
i say perhaps-for with my friend James
melanchol ly experience before me, [ can not
say what might have been my weakness
perhaps had | not been an uncle, | might
have been husband. Here is an old let
ter-tear-stained, and worn in the folds
from frequent opening. 1t was written by
an early love-a true love-an unselfsh
loye-my sister. Read it:
"MY DEAR BRoTHER-I think there is
more than half reproach in the tone in
which you answer my invitation. If you
only knew what struggle it cost me to
write it! But would not suffer you to be
invited to my wedding with the polite for
mality in which gilt-edged notes were sent
to mere acquaintance. l cannot endure
that you should think, as you seem to think,
that there can be no room in a sisters
heart for an only brother, because she has
opened it to receive husband. We are
orphans. We have been lonely. Why