Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-15
DEPARTU RES.
The Evening Before Marriage.
TRANSLATED PROM THE GERMAN OF
SZCHOEEE


ave shallcertainly be very happy together"
said Louise to her aunt, on the evening before
marriage, and her cheek glowed with deeper
red, and her eyes shown with delight. When
bride says we, it may be easily guessed
whom of all persons in the world she means
thereby.
II do not doubt it, dear Louise" replied her
aunt, "see only that you continue to be hap
py together"
"Oh, who can doubt that we shall continue
so. l 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 old"
"Alas" sighed her amt, "thou dost speak
like maiden Of nineteen, on the day before
her marriage, In the intoxication of wishes
fulfilled, of fair hopes and fair omens. Dear
child, remember this-even the heart in time
grows old. Days will come when the magic
of the scenes shall fade. And when this en-
chantment has fed, then it first becomes evi-
dent whether we are truly worthy of love-
When custom has made familiar the charms
that are most attractive, when youthful fresh
ness had died away, and with the brightness
of domestic life, more and 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 his wife,
She blooms in imperishable beauty But
truly on the day before the marriage, such
expressions sound laughable to me-"
Il understand you, dear aunt. You would
say that our mutual virtues alone can in earlier
4 years give us worth for each other. But is
not he to whom | am to belong-for of myself
| can boast nothing but the best intentions
is he not the noblest, worthieSt of all the
young men in the city? Blooms not in his
soul every virtne that tends to make life hap
py?"
MY child" replied her aunt, Il grant it.
/ Virtues bloom in thee as well as in him; | can
say thus to thee without fattery. But, dear
heart, they bloom only, ard are not yet ripen-
ed meath the suns rays and the shower. No
blossoms deceive the expectations more than
these. We can never tell in what soil they
have taken root. Who knows the concealed
depths of the hearth
"Ah, dear aunt, YOU really f1ghten me-"
80 much the better, Louise. Such fear is
right; such is as it should be on the evening
before marriage. / love thee tenderly, and
will therefore declare all my thoughts to thee
on this subject without disguise. l am happy
Therefore | have the right to speak thus tc
thee, to call thy attention to a secret which
perhaps thou dost not yet know. one which i:
not often spoken to young and pretty maid
en-, one indeed, which does not greatly occu
py the thoughts of young man, and still /:
of the utmost Importance in every household
secret from which alone springs lasting love
and analterable happiness"
Louise seized the hand of her aunt in boil
of hers. Dear aunt, YOU know / believe
YOU in everything. You mean that enduring
happiness Is not insured to US by accidental
qualities, by fieeting charms, but only by thos,
virtues of the mind which we bring to eacl
other. These are the best dowrv which W,
can possess; these never become old"
"As it happens, Louise. The virtues, also
ike the beauties of the body, can grow old
and become repulsive and hateful with age"
How, dearest aunt, what is it you say
Name me virtue which can become hateful
) with years"
when they become so, we no longer cal
call virtues, "a a beautiful maiden can n,
longer be called beautiful. when time ha
. changed her to an old and wrinkled woman
But, aunt, the virtues are nothing earthly.
: Perhaps"
"How can gentleness and mildness ever be
come hateful?"
$50 soon as they degenerate into insipid in
science and liStlesSness"
And manly courage?"
Becomes imperious rudeness"
And modest difhdence?"
Turns TO fawning humility"
And noble pride?"
To vulgar haughtiness-
"And readiness TO oblige?"
= Becomes habit of too ready friendshi
and servility."
"Dear aunt, you make me almost angr,
} Ny future husband can never degenerate thu
He has one virtue which will preserve him, a