The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-03-22
Lesson Taught by a Murder,

The late tragedy at Washington should
impress upon parents the great responsible
ity which rests upon them regarding. the man
ner in which they educate their children
In former days the sense of this responsible
ty was generally more deeply felt than it
now is. Even at the present time, through
out our country, most parents do discharge
the duties to their offspring in conscien-
tious manner. 1t is in our cities and large
towns that children fail to receive that moral
and mental training which strengthens the
character and enables them to fight success.
fully the battles Of life.
| live trace the course of a young lady ed
ucated for fashionable life we find in it but
little which can be productive of real good
Sent at an early age to fashionable school,
she is there instructed thoroughly in nothing
but accomplishments. She acquires su
perfcial knowledge of certain languages =
learns, perhaps, to speak them. She may
study philosophy and mathematics, and may
read some work on general literature. With
| all this, however, she is not educated Her
mental powers are not trained She has ac-
Quircd a certain amount of information, but
beyond she has learned nothing. She may
| speak French, Italian and German, yet she
| would never dream Of taking up and reading
| the best literature of these languages The
| object of her education has been attained
when she is able to speak these tongues, and
has become a snowy musician. In the
meantime what has been her education at
home? She has been regularly to Church at
least once on Sunday. She has been taught
to pay that outward respect to religion The
chances are that of true religion, that of the
heart, she knows nothing At an early age
she has commenced to receive attention of
young men, or rather boys the reienins
beaux in society Her head has been turn
ed with the silly and nonsensical compi-
ments that they have poured into her ears
At seventeen she is formally introduced into
fashionable society, and then commences
the career for which her education has been
particularly adapted. Here she meets with
every variety Of characterize young mar.
ried woman who cares out little for her hus-
band, and deyotes her time to hirtations as
well as the young man who if not fast, is
probably incapable of conyersing upon any
subject but the usual gossip of fashionable
circles She sees that the aim of others is to
dance and to flirt, and she presumes that
this aim must also be hers why should she
not There has been nothing in her educa-
ton to teach her otherwise. She has known
no real moral or mental training. She is
accomplished, and her great object now is to
make a favorable match What does she
look for in a husband? Those qualities
which would ensure her real happiness2 No!
These are secondary considerations. With
the advice and consent Of her parents she
seeks an eligible match-a young man who
has money or the prospect Of having it His
character is a matter of little importance
provided it is not too bad Finally she gets
married, and then her trials fairly CON-
mence.
Her education has been such as to give
her no resource. She can read nothing UNI
less It be light novel, and few subjects
can interest her unless they relate to dress |
and society. Her time is spent in paying |
visits, attending parties, or in receiving calls.
IL she can be attractive she will be surround |
ed by numerous fashionable men, in whose
she finds sufficient material to
satisfy all her mental cravings, With some
Of these she may keep upa Irritation which
will give to her life that stimulus without
which she would be wretchee indeed Her
winters are thus spent in the city, while her
summers are whirled away in similar
course OF life at some watering place. Her
husband is probably of the same mental
stamp as she is. He has perhaps received
education, and has graduated
with his mental faculties no better trained
han those of his wife. A course Of fash.
onable city life has blunted his moral pre-
,eptions, and has caused him to regard the
of the moral law % q merely
rival offence He himself continues hixs
lirtstions after marriage, and allows his wife
n receive the marked attention of his friends.
Vow man can carry q Irritation to any ex-
snt without being positively condemned By
lshionabls society; and, - . fashionable ]