The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-12-22
TRUTH.
BY GEORGE ARNOLD.

This is not story. My name has beer
associated with stories for so long time
in these columns, that wish to announc,
beforehand, that this little effort is not il
: my customary direction, so that the reader
who otherwise might be looking in vair
for plot or a narrative, may not be dis
appointed.
1t would be manfestly improper, indeed
for LIE to commerce writing in praise o
Truth, and then to go right on and ''tell :
story"
Let me progress, then, with this fcuH
leton-an ex.elleut French name fer all
sorts of light literature, comprehendina
al sorts Of subjects l mean to say few
true and palatable things about Truth
There is an adage that says the Truth
is not to be spoken at all times" At the
risk of offending the author of this thrill
ing observation, / mean to say, that when
it is not to be spoken, nothing else can be.
Truth, or silence, are the only alternatives
can Justify though shall presently re-
fer to the agreeable light in which n GER
tain kind of falsehood may be seen, If
we were always true to ourselves, we
should never be false to each other.
What ?" cries Benedick, reading this
statement, would you have me tell Mrs.
Benedick that l no longer love her That
she is growing old and ugly? That see
every day woman whom / love twenty
times as much? You talk about the truth
very glibly, young gentleman, but suppose
1 were to tell it? Not only should pois-
on my own life aud that Of Arabella, but
Mrs. Benedick's also? Three people
made wretched by one truth? No, sir,
happiness is the end Of life"
II agree with you, poor Benedict" " say
I; ''but you should not love Arabella better
than your wife"
"Ah, he ! You yourself have written
elsewhere, that the human heart cannot
be controlled; that human affections &C
forth as they will or as God wills, careless
of aii our poor weak rules, and promises
and intentions"
Il agree with you, unhappy man, say
when you married her The falschood
you told at the altar, before God and man
you are now e1piating. Had you been
true to yourself then and there, you had
never been false to Mrs Benedick to-day"
"Oh, Of course, if we started right
begins Benedick.
"Ah, yes. If we started right That's
what | mean by being always true to our
selves If my tailor begun my coat by
cutting the cloth into little circles. ,uld
his apology to me, that he had done as
well as could be expected, considering
what a fool he was at first, have much
weight? You, with yonr misery, and de-
ceit, and crime, endeavOr to patch and
piece out the texture of your life with just
such an apology Go thy way, Benedick
and hang thyself. The horror of the be-
ginning deserves a horrible end"
Yet, everywhere and every dry I sec
hosts OF just such men as Benedick going
to the altar with lie upon their lips, yet
with vague hope that it will come out all
right. II respect her, admire her. and
the marriage will be advantageous, say
they. Is that the sentiment that makes
'twain one flesh ?" Will respect, admi-
ration, and worldly advantage keep the
man always true and tender, and the
woman always beautiful and beloved p,
No. 1t is lie, and ten thousand other
lies will arise from it.
The wonder TO me is that this world is
not great deal more wicked than | find
it.
Between lovers, and between husbands
and wives, thcre-should be no deception
of any sort or kind. When my friend X
was bctrothed he said to his lady love
'Do you want to know anything about
nc? have lived in gay circle in
gay city. have dabbed in ail sorts of
folly, and some sin. / don't know any
young men who haven't. don't pretend
to be a saint, or ever deacon. What |
have done has been done carelessly, reck
lessly, before | ever dreamed of marrying
you. Now if there is anything that have
done that would grieve you if revealed
after our marriage, let me tell you all
about it now. had rather lose your es
TEEN while you are my betrothcd, than
when you are my wife !"
~ take you as you are" she said; ''if
learn anything of your past when | am
your wife, shall think il was not nv
husband that did it,"
And ninety nine out of hundred sensi-
bic girls-if you can find so many-would