The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-17
GAIL HAMILTON ON BABES.


GAIL HAMILTON ON BABES.
To the Editor Of the National Era:
When the charming Gail Hamilton first made
her appearance in your columns, we were sorely
puzzled to know whether the writer was man
or woman. The name gave us no clue it was
rather masculine, but the style of thought and
of expression was decidedly womanly. The
doubt, however, is all resolved in certainty. We
know her now--no hiding, no masquerading'
can bother us any more. There may be the
imitation strut and heavy tread of a man in her
walk-there may be the light, graceful wit of a
woman in her talk. But she is neither one nor
the other. GAI. is a girl, and quite a young
one at that With all her bright play Of fancy
and strength of STYLE it is very evident that she
has never looked the sad realities of life fully in
the face. That toning down to truth, that i'm
provement to genius itself that experience
brings-as time adds grace and depth to pic
lures, and delicacy to wines-she has not No;
our Gail, who delights us so much, is girl.
How she will fret and fume and take on airs at
our discovery! Nevertheless, we will enjoy her
all the more. And some day she will laugh
more loudly than any of us at her crude opin-
ions on affection and babies
dropped the Era, and enjoyed a quiet laugh
over the announcement, that only the brave and
o.ooA oas Ia, Ia..a5 ~ H., q .l',jo-u Vf 49,
affections cease to be worthy, we can love no
more. My dear Hamilton, marriage is an in
stitution based on other foundations than that.
The story of Titana and bully Bottom is a sad
reality. The little girls (you, Gail, included
see in their admirers beauties that would puz-
zle lawyer to discover. They marry upon
these imagn airy beauties and good qualities.
and when their poor eyes are opened, another
feeling comes in. AS the mother bends over
and dotes upon her deformed offspring, so the
wife regards her worthless husband Dear hus-
band, he is lazy and idle--nav, he drinks. and
does not always tell the truth. He is bad
subject, after al-very selfish, and, as the world
sees him, exceedingly mean. But then he is
husband. Poor John has no one to love him
but wife, and for that, wife loves him. He is
hers, and she is all he has in this world HUI
mainly is so hard on him, and in her eyes he
grows dearer as he gets worse. May Heaven
save you, dear Hamilton, from such fate. But,
Il
exceedingly drunk into the house, and hanging
over him in fearful anxiety, bathing his fevered
forehead, and praying that he may soon be well
and sober again. You will be no exception to
the general rule This is the fact. This is our
poor womanly nature, and it is well. Did we
not bear with the brutal and love the wicked,
our mission would come to an end. And thus
it comes to pass, that the worst husbands have
at times the best wives. AS general thing a
mean man should have nothing to do with
women, lie may marry one, and she may love
and respect him in spite of his meanness But
he must not go about making love in general
way. He will come TO no good. Women hate
meanness-wives won't see it, | say it plainly.
Gail, and for your sake / wish to impress it
upon you, my dear girl, so that you may be
saved some cruel disappointments hereafter.
Ii we had any doubts as to your identity be.
fore, they vanished when you came to speak of
babies. No mother and few women could write
or talk that way. They might try, but it would
be an unhappy failure. The first great lesson
and delicious lesson it is-a woman learns is,
that her childish instincts that made her play
with her doll--when Tom, her brother, fred
cannons and beat drums-pointed unerringly
to her the source of her greatest happiness, and,
may add, misery, in this world, When our
poor parents were driven from Eden, it was or
dained that each new messenger from the pres
enoe Of Our Heavenly Father should for little
while carry with it the atmosphere of Paradise
the purity and innocence of humanity before the
fall-so that the human family might never for
get what they had lost through sin. All our
evils are mixed with good. We have forgotten
why babies are made so beautiful and dear
We only know that they are so-and how the
heart quickens at the sight, and how the nerves
thrill at the touch of these little things so fresh
from the hand Of our Creator Yet is it an
evilY-but will not follow that up. Sunlight
turns to shadow as it touches earth.
have imagined you, Gail, helping along and
watching that drunken husband may you never
realize deeper grief than | have alluded TO.
May no little broad hand relax its waxen hold
and fade forever from your graspl Nav no ill.,
tie mound Of earth take its place, and be the
only visible but eternal link binding YOU to the
father! But / grow serious-and were so.
should praise your many beauties, instead of
criticizing your inexperience. You are brave.
earnest, and thoughtful. Precious gifts May
they improve.
The Richmond Enquirer states that the taxes
in Virginia are producing each year more than
100000 above the charges upon the treasury. !
1t further Says
"The entire amount of the floating debt of
this State is concentrated in treasury notes. |
payable twelve months after their issue and the
amount outstanding at this time, is 1896, 400
and the holders have been requested to present |
them for payment, in anticipation of their ma
turity but this is declined in most cases, thus
full and oyeraowing treasury, with,
out the privilege of calling in and discharging
its liabilities"
FRoM KANsAs.---Lesusnworth FEB l2.--The
Territorial Legislature adjourned on Friday,
having passed. general amnesty BILL granting
pardon to those persons now in custody, and an
immunity from prosecution on account of past
disturbances in Southern Kansas. 1t has re-
,eived the approval of the Governor.