Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-17
DAILY CONNER
BALTIMORE, ND.
A Family in Love.



quaint way watching her with his kindly and
observantey "The world wants such. She
will find enough to do"
And so she did, enough to steal her too
from my side, almost as much as the three
.faRceeS The circle in my study dwindled
gradually down to Lizzie, Launceston, and me.
We were excellent company still, we three.
| had rarely had so much of my pet sister s
society; | had never found it so pleasant.
True she was shyer than usual, probably from
being with US two, older and wiser people
men hkewlSe-but she listened to our wisdom
so Sweetly-she bore with our dry, long
"oraed learning so patiently-that my study
never seemed itself unless had the little girl
seated at my 1eet, or sewing quietly in the
window corner. And then she was comnletelv
"a little girl; = had no forward wavs-no love
notions, or, ten times worse, Neutrality-suspicious.
crossing her innocent brain. I felt sure I
could take her into my closet heart, from her
mind and principles at my will, and one dav
make noble woman of her, after the pattern
Ot-but | never mention that sacred name.
| loved Lizzie-loved her to the core of nv
heart. Sometimes with fatherly, more than
even brotherly pride, used to talk to Iaun-
ceston of the child's sweetness but he always
gave me short answers. 1t was his way His
aconism in most things was really astonishing,
for a man under thirty.
One day, when Angeline's grand wedding
was safely over, and the house had sunk into
a pathetic quietness that reminded one of the
evening after funeral-at least so | thought
-Launceston fell INTO a discussion, which
stirred him into more Inconsistencies than
usual. The subject was men, women, and
marriages.
q am convinced he said, "that l shall
never marry
1t was not my first hearing of this laudabIe
determination so | let it pass, merely asking
his reasons
Because my conscience, principles and
feelings go so totally against the system of
matrimony, as practiced in the world, especially
to the world of womankind. All the counting
and proposing, the presents and the love
letters, the dinners to relatives and congratula.
tons of friends, the marriage guests and
marriage settlements, the white lace, white
satin, white tlyors, carriage, Positions, and
all. Helgh-hO, Heathcote, what fools men are.
l was just about to suggest the possibility of
naming one, say two, wise individuals among
our SEX when in stole white fairy-my pretty
Lizzie in her bridesmaid dress. Herpresence
changed the current of conversation; until
from some remark she made about a message
Angelina had left as to the proper way Of
inserting her marriage in the Times newspaper
tomorrow, our talk imperceptibly fell back
into the old channel,
81, like you, Launceston, hate the whole
system Of love and marrying. 1t is one great
sham. Beginning when miss, at school, learns
that it is the apex Of feminine honor to he 2
bride-the lowest depth of feminine humilia-
ton to be an old maid. Continuing when
she, Il young lady at home, counts her numer-
GUS offers taking pride in what ought to be
to her source either Of regret or humiliation,
Ending when, time slipping by, she drops into
the usual belief that nobody ever marries her
first love; so takes the best match she can
ind, and makes marriage, which is merely the
visible crown and completion of love, the
pititul, dishonored substitute for it. | declare
solemnly that | have seen many wife whom
heldto be scarcely better-thanno wheat all"
had forgotten my little sisters presence
but she did not seem to hear me-nor Laun-
ceston, either, for that matter. His earnest.
ness had sOttened down; he sat, very thought
full, over against the window, where Lizzie
had taken her sewing. What a pretty picture
she made!
Come here, my little girl" I said; ~
should not like thee to go the way of the world;
and yet | should be satisfied to give thee away
some day, quietly, in white muslin gown and
straw bonnet, to some honest man who loved
thee-and was loved SO well, that Lizzie would
never dream of marrying any other, hut would
have been quite content, if need be, to live an
old maid for his sake to the end of her days.
That what call loye-eh, my girl?'
Lizzie dropped her head, blushing deeply.
vi course, girls always do.
Launceston said, in a tone so low that I
quite started, Then you do believe in true
love, after all.
sit would be i'll for me, Or for any human
l n md l,l, = Al.
more earnestly because of its numberless
counterfeits. Nay, as since in the falsest creed
there turks, hope, modicum of absolute
truth, | would tain trust that in the poorest
travesty or masquerade of love, one might fiRd
a fragment Of the sterling commodity Still,
my Lizzie dear, when all our brides are gone,
let US congratulate ourselves that for a long
time we shall have no more engagements"
''4 GU object to engagements?' said Lizzie,
speaking timidly and downfaced-as | rather
like to see young lady speak on this subject.
"Why, how should you like it YOURSELF my
little maid? To be loved, wooed and in
public for the benefit of an amused circle of
friends, neighbors and connections. To have
ones actions noticed, ones affairs canvassed,
ones feelings weighed and measured to be
congratulated, cOndoled and tested with.
Horrible! literally horrible. My wonder is
that any true lovers can ever stand it,
perhaps you are right" Lauuceston re-
piled, mo man ought to place the girl he
loves in such position. Whatever it costs
him, he ought to leave her free-altogether
tree-and offer. her nothing until he can offer
her his hand, at once, and with no delay"
BLESS my soul, Launceston, what are You
in such excitement about? Has anybody been
offering himself to your sister? Because YOU
mistook me. Ask her, or Lizzie, or any good
woman, if they would feel Aattered by gentle
man acting IN the way you suggest? As if
his hand--wlth the ring in it-were anything
tG them, and himself, AMI his true love nothing
at ALP
Launceston laughed uneasily. "Wen, but
what did you mean? "A friend of mine
would like to knowyour opinion in this matter"
my opinion is simply an opinion. Every
man is the best Judge Of his own affairs,
especially love affairs. AS the Eastern proverb
says, Let not the lions decide for the tigers
But [ think, did | love a woman'-(and it
pleased me to know l was but speaking out
her mind who years ago lived and died in her
fond simplicity wiser than any of these did
love a woman, | would like to tell her So
Just to myself, no more l would like to give
her my love to rest onto receive the help and
consolation of hers. | would like her to feel
that through all chances and changes she and
| were one; one, neither for foolish child s play
nor headlong passion, but for mutual strength
and support, holding ourselves responsible both
to Heaven and each other for our life and our
love. One, indissolubly, whether we ever
married or not one in this world, and--we
pray-one in the world everlasting"
Was | dreaming? Did | actually see nv
friend Launceston take, unforbidden, nv
youngest sisters hand, and mold it-frmly,
tenderly, fastl Did | hear, with nv own
natural ears, Lizzie's soft little sob, not of
grief, certainly, as she slipped out of the room,
rs swift and silent as moonbeam?
Eth! What? Good Heavens! Was there
ever any creature so blind as middle-aged
elder brother!
Well, as L told Launceston, It was half NV
own fault and | must bear it stoically. Per.
aaps, on the whole, things might haze been
worse, for he is noble fellow, and no wonder
the child loves him. They canr. ot be married
Jlst yet-meanwhile Lizzie and keep the
matter between ourselves. They are very
Aappy-God bless theml and so am I.
P. S.-Mr. Archer re-appeared yesterday
ooking quite well and comfortable. | see
clearly that, one day not distant, l shall be
ieftlamenting solitaryresiduum of afamily
in love.
SELF-AcTIHG CLooKs.-A novel applicat;on re
rectrO- magnetsm as 4 motive power for clock
las just been perfected by a working iewelIer at
bennington, which promises to Introduce a new era
N the scence OF clock and to bring moderp