The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-05-05

everything that Is great, and good, and
noble, dwells in me also, | hope, as well
as in him. This is the innate pledge
and security for our happiness"
&c But if it should grow old with YOU
If it should change to hateful excitabili.
ty; and tXcitability is the worst enemy
of matrimony. You both possess sem
sibility. That / do not deny; but
beware lest this grace should degenerate
into AN irritable and quarrelsome NOR
| tai"
"Ah, dearest, if l might never become
old! Vert thou always as fresh and
beautiful as to-day, still thy husbands
eyes would by custom of years become
| Indifferent to these advantages. Gus
tom is the greatest enchantress in the
world, and in the house one of the
most benevolent fairies. She renders
that which is the most beautiful, as we'll
as the ugliest, familiar. The wife is
young and becomes old; it is custom
which hinders the husband from per-
ceiving the change. On the contrary,
did she remain young while he grew old
it might bring consequences, and render
the man in years jealous. 1t is better as
kind Providence has ordered it. Imag-
inc that thou hadst grown to be an old
woman and thy husband were bloom
ing youth, how wouldst thou then feel ?"
Louise rubbed her chin, and replied,
81 cannot tell"
Her Aunt continued: "But I will call
thy attention to a secret, which"
"That is it" interrupted Louise, hast
lily, that is it which | long so much to
hear"
Her Aunt said. "Listen to me atten-
lively. What nowtel thee have PROV
ed. 1t consists of two parts. The first
part, of the means to render a marriage
happy, of itself prevents every possibili-
ty of dissension, and would even at last
make the spider and the fy'the best of
| friends with each other. The second part
is the best and the surest method of pre-
serving feminine attractions"
"Ah !" exclaimed Louise.
! "The former half means, then: In the
first solitary hour after the ceremony,
take thy bridegroom and demand q sol
emn VOW of him, and give him vow in
return. Promise one another sacrcdly,
never, not even in jest, to wrangle with
each other; never to handy words, or
indulge in the least ill-hum0r. Never
| say; never wrangle in jest, and put
tingonanairof ill-humormerely to tease,
becomes earnest by practice. Mark that
Next, promise each other, sincerely and
solelnnly, never to have secret from
each other, under whatever preteXt, with
whatever excuse it may be. You must
continually, and every moment, see cleal
into each others bosom. Even when
one of you have. committed fault, wait
not an instant, but confess it freely let
it cost tears, but confess it. And as YOU
keep nothing secret from each other, so
ON the contrary, preserve the privacie>
of your house, marriage state, and heart
from father, mother, brother, sister
aunt, and all the rest of the world. You
two, with Gods help, build your OWL
quiet world every third or fourth one
you draw into it will form a party, ant
stand between you two. That should
never be. Promise this to each other
Renew the vow at each temptation. You
will find your own account in it. You
souls will grow as it were together, anl
will at last become as one. All if many
a young pair had on their wedding day
known this secret. how many maria
gcs were happier than, alas, they are !"
Louise kissed her Aunt's hand will
, ardor. g / feel that it must beso. Whel
, this confidence is absent, the married
even after wedlock, are tvs ,sstrnger.
who do not know each o;1:r. ,!tshoulc
: beso; without this the. e&i go bapri
ness. And now, Aul.t,' :. he best tpreserv
ative of female beauty"
Her Aunt smiled, and said: "We may
: not conceal from ourselves that hand
| some man pleases us hundred time
more than an Unlocking one, and til,
2 men are pleased with us when we arr
pretty. But what we call beautiful
what in the woman pleases the man, i
not skin and hair, the shape and color
/, as in picture or statue; it is the char
acter, it is the soul that is within these
| that enchants us by looks and words
, earnestness, and joy, and sorrow. Th
q men admire us the more they suppos,
those virtues of the mind to exist in II
, which theoutside promises; and we thinl
a malicious man disagreeable, howeve
: graceful and handsome he may be. Let
. young maiden, then, preserve that puri
I ty of soul, those sweet qualities of tn
mind, those virtues, in short, by whicI
/, she first drew her lover to her feet. An,
: the best preservation of virtue, to ren
der it unchanged and keep it eve
n young, is religion-that inward nniOl
i with the Deity and eternity and faith
/ is piety, that walketh with God, so pure
4 so peaceful, so beneficent with mortals.
"See dear heart" !" continued the Aunt
q "there are virtues which arise out q
mere experience. These grow old wit
time, and alter, because, by change Z
IS circumstancesand inclinations, prudenc
alters her rules of action, and becaus
l. her growth does not always keep pac
with that of our years and passion,
But religious virtues can never change
these remain eternally the same, becaus
our God is always the same, and tina
eternity the same which we and all VIII