Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-10-10
THE EVENING BEFORE MARRIAGE


THE EVENING BEFORE MARRIAGE
eve shall certainly be very happy to,
gether !" said Louisa to her aunt on the
evening before her marriage. and hel
cheeks shone with deeper red, and her
eyes gIowed with delight. ..... ..-
When bride says a0e. it may be easily
guessed whom of all persoes in the world
she means thereby.
81 do not doubt it, dear Louisa" re-
piled her aunt; "see only that you con-
tinue happy together" .-,.........t. ...-
go, who can doubt that we shall cons
tinue so? 1 know myself. have faults,
indeed, but my love for him will correct
them, and so long as we love each other
we cannot be unhappy. Our love will
never grow cold"
' Alas 70 sighed her aunt. "thou dost
speak like a maiden of nineteen, on the
day before her marriage. in the intoxica-
tion Of wishes fulfilled, Of fair hopes sand
happy omens: Dear child, remember
this-even the heart in time grows cold.
DAYS will come when the magic Of the
senses shall fade. And when this en-.
chantment has fed, then it first becomes
evident whether We are truly worthy Of
love. When custom has made familiar
the charms that are most attractive, when
youthful freshness has died away. and
with the brightness Of domestic life more
aud more shadows have mingled. then,
Louise, and not till then, can the wife say
Of the husband, " He is worthy Of love;"
then, first, the husband say of the wife,
She blooms in imperishable beauty
But truly, on the day before moro mar.
riage, such assertions seemed lau9hable
to me-"
:" understand you, dear aunt. You
would say that our mutual virtue alone
can in later years give us worth for each
other. But is it not he to whom I am to
belong-for Of myself can boast nothing
but the best intentions-is he not the
worthiest. noblest of all young men ofthe
city ? Blooms not in his soul every vir-
tue that tends to make life happy ?"
"My child" replied her aunt, II grant
it. Virtue blooms in, thee as well as in
him; can say this to thee without fat
terry. But, dear heart, they bloom only,
and are not yet ripened beneath the SUMS
heat and the shower. No blossoms de-
ceive the expections more than these
We can never tell in what soil they have
taken root Who knows the concealed
depths of the heart. 90
"Ah, dear aunt. you really frlghten
me-"
$50 much the better, Louise. Such
fear is right; such fear as it should be on
the evening before marriage. love
thee tenderly, and will therefore declare
all my thoughts on this subject without
disguise. l am not as yet an old aunt.
At seven and twenty years one still looks
forward into life with pleasure; the world
still presents bright side to US. l have
an excellent husband. I am happy
Therefore have the right to speak thus
to thee, and to call thy attention to So
cret which, perhaps, thou dost not yet
know-one which is not often spoken o.
to young and pretty maiden-one, in
deed, which does not greatly occupy the
thoughts of young man, and is still o
the utmost Importance in every house
hold-a secret from which alone springs
lasting love and unutterable happiness
ia Louise seized the hand of her aunt in
81" Dear aunt, you know believe YOU
in everything. You mean that enduring
happiness and lasting love are not insured
10 US by accidental qualities, by fleeting
charms, but only by those virtues of the
mind which we bring to each other
These are the best dowries which we car
possess; these never grow old"
" AS it happens. Louise. The virtues
also, like the beauties Of Ethe body, car
grow old, and becomes nrepulsive aant
hateful with age.'' M a7 = 3ry,- nd
"Now. dearest aunt, what is it yol
say Name to me virtue which can be
come hateful with years ?''' Il u N
-" When they have become so we nj
longer call them, virtues. sas zbeautiiu
maiden can no longer be called beautiful
when time has changed her to anold ant an
wrinkled woman" ,....-. -
But. aunt. The The virtues are 1nothin!
earthly -, s-t H..
Perhaps. -.. .s,,.a.... ~ .-.....
1 How can gentleueness and mildnes
ever become hateful % -....
$50 soon as they degenerate into in
sipid Incidence and listlessness."
And manly courage ?''
Becomes imperious rudeness."
And modest difidenee 90 s.+ d.. d.. .l :
"Turns TO fawning humility % ~ q. =.
And noble pride ?". - .. -
"To vulgar heughtiness.' 80 .-'.. -.
"And readiness TO oblige ?'' IS. :; 5.
Become habit Of too ready friend
ship and seryiIity.' ---.s...
/ =" Dear aunt, you make me almost an
w. ga. n.