Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-10-12
Gboitt Giteratare.
From the Yorkyille Enquirer.
LOVE, CoURTsHIP AND MARRIAGE.
By ]. FOREST GoWAN.

From the Yorkville Enquirer
LOVE, COURTsHIP AND MARRIAGE.
By. FOREST GoWAE.
/ The title of the present article cannot
be reversed with impunity for as sure as
virtuouslove leads to conrtship, SO sure is it
| that courtship should ripen into marriage
The problem of choice, as regards the OBJ
ject of our affections, is one that cannot
be solved to the satisfaction of the mind.
It is seldom, if ever, that the man Of tow
ering intellect fixes upon 2 literary wo-
man as the object of his affections and
| the world has long since learned the truth
of the statement, that woneA Of splendid
education, refined tastes, aIG iberal ac-
complishments, have bestowed their hands
and hearts upon even less than ordinary
men.
Men, the development of whose physi-
cal parts might well fit them for the per-
formance of Fallstaf, are continually lead
ing to the marriage altar the smallest
| specimens Of @the sex whose presence civ
ilizes ours" while on the other hand, men
small enough to crawl through the space
between pitcher and its handle, are ever
found in the society of feminine giants.
Cupid use that heathsnish name with
due disgust and contempt -aims his little
shaft at our hearts from almost every i'm
aginable quarter. Sometimes he lets fly
an arrow from behind well turned ankle;
sometimes he covers his tosy limbs beneath
a pretty head of clustering curls, only to
start from his hiding place and thrust his
barbed arrow into our hearts, He makes
use of dimples as loop holes through which
he may direct his shafts; and now and
then takes resting sAot from fair
!, shoulder. The little archer sometimes
Islips the head of his arrow between the
fingers of dainty little hand, so that when
you take that "dear hand" within your
own, and press it SO fondly, yeu may be
sure to feel the painful wound, which the
owner of the hand can only heal.
| Men are continually "falling in love- =
and ever will do so as long as the world
: lasts, or human nature continues to be
/ what it is. But, casting aside all nonsen-
, sical humbuggery,snd nellifulous sentimen-
talism, let us talk plain common sense a.
} bout Love, Courtship and Marriage,
Old man, there sits "the old aoonnn'-
r you love to cali her so-with whom you
: have lived and been happy for 10! these
8pehF tie Put on your spectacles and
$ page, upon which is recordeNsseh for the
your marriage. Fifty years ago! Go
dreamingly back into the beautiful long
: T,,11o H<I1
E was breathing the fragrant air of her
:, sixteenth summer.
p You were at preaching in the old meet
! ing house by the road-side-you were q
n young man of about twenty-one years
: you went there to worship God. The ho
= ly man delivered the benediction-tht
= = worshipers arose to leave the sacred spo
y but, did yous Why did you remain
!, seated?
l. All! you look tearfully upon the "olc
i woman" yonder-1 see your old heart
of busy with that long ago May morning
d when she, who now sits by the log fire
n knitting hose for her little grandchildren
: was the beautiful Jnlia Esterling-th
~ pride of a doting fathers heart, and th
~ belle of your once little village. Her sol
4 blue eyes met yours; and, without know
,o ing why, you felt the warm bloed rushin
50 to your cheeks, choking sensation wa
bo felt in your throat, and an indefnabie fee
he ing swept over your entire heart, and 20
could not account for it. You were neve
sentimentalist-neyerr read novel-an
'ur yet, you went away alone in the wood
Die after preaching was over, and rhyme
y;u dove with love, and bright skies" wit
s'6lue eyes," You never dreamed of dil
ny ner that day !; and when you took yo'
zen seat at the table, supper time, you butte
ter ed your bread on both sides, sweeteut
,ot your coffee twice, cut your mouth with tt
!, !, knife, and made yourself generally ridic
" lous. Your dog came up to you for b
me accustomed pat on the head, and thous
ct, the poor brute put his nose upon yo
not nor1ce nTUed apnaa. naar-hAnt- Won d
re- very we'll, old man.
:. You went up to your room-thrt
'lh yourself upon the nearest chair and we
RS off into long reverb didn't you nov
II. You were startled fom that reverie
any the clock bell striking twelve; and y
oiOoO Will q oiSsh aStil0o ~ lVuA ~
uh- and tossed about until the dawn of d;
', |ea- What headache you had when you wa
tiy, ed out into the garden how little des
al you had for the smoking breakfast! a
'lne how you started and eolored, when the {
ave ave house-keeper askedif you were unwell.
NOV Ah, me was not this your experience
'se days and weeks together
n But friend-how your heart bless
Tt Jim found out your secret sorrows q
And offered to introduce You to Julia Esterli
ans All! old man! you cannot have forgot
aith, how nicely you adjusted your hair-h
not many times you arranged your neck-tit
,ose how carefully you brushed your best c.
nno and then returned to the mirror to t
yet another view q yourself. Before t
ark time you cared ~verf little how you lool
into or what people said about your outer N
or but now-well, let that all pass
will Your friend came for you; and, wit
ieye wildly beating heaf, you stepped into
loral carriage and enyeldped yourself in imY
than etrable silence. Don't you remember v
a rush of feeling came over your b
! - =. when the carriage wheels ceased to
We We yolye, and the driver said, aHere is
Yards house, gentlemen
"a ,aesr Ss Old, white haired man, what would