The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-01-24
HoxAN,s CuRIosrrr. AND WHAT YouNu

(, WoMAN's CURIOSITY, AND WHAT A YOUNG
NAN GAINED BY IT.-Poor woman will
men never tire Of laughing at your little
weaknesses and folliesi Is there no way
of suppressing the lords Of creation In
their propensity for turning these little
features which nature has given you into
ridiculef We reckon not. We fear that
TO laugh at your weaknesses Is as natural
to us as II is in you to possess them. If
not so, we would not find II impossible TO
leave ont the following:
A young gentleman who resides In this
city-it matters not whether or not he was
born here-during the late war enshrined
within his heart the image Of certain
fair lady, who lives not thousand miles
hence. Possessed of handsome face,
and pleasing manners, wearer OF the
gray, and bearing. the necessary scars to
show that he was "a man from the 'front.'"
he could not but please her "by whom he
sot so much store." With all this, how
ever, she hesitated before she would say
yes, and "grim visaged war had smoothed
his wrinkled front ere she would consent
to become his'n. A time was fixed for the
young mans throwing himself away, but
when it had nearly arrived, the young
lady's mind was in state Of uncertainty,
and she wished the event postponed. Wo-
man, when will you learn that indecision
is among your worst enemies, and that
"Our doubts are traitors,
And make US lose the good we oft might win,
BY fearing to attempt?
Alas ! never, ii is to be feared. It will
be happy day for suitors, when woman's
intention Of to-day will certainly be that Of
tomorrow. But to return to our story
The young man, though somewhat dis
couraged, consented to the deferring Of the
anxiously looked for union. But second
and third pestponement took place, until
at length our hero in despair determined to
take advantage of his sweetheart's curl
osity, in order to win her hand and in the
event of his failure, to give her up for ever.
He obtained the assistance of q friend, by
whom in few days afterwards a most
mysterious though handsome looking box
was sent to the young lady's mother, to.
gether with the following note:
"Madame,-HeariDg of your daughters
coming marriage, and not knowing
upon what day the happy event is to take
place, transmit herewith bridal present,
with the request that you hand it to her on
the evening of her wedding, as token
from an old admirer. BY doing this, you
will greatly oblige, for the present,
L'INcoNNUE."
The Madame, upon receiving this GU
rious looking .casket, was seized with an
irresistible desire to know what was inside.
She shook it and felt it, and shook it and
felt it again and again, but not 4 sound
could she hear from within that could give
her the slightest idea Of the contents Of
the box. She could not open it, for it was
well bound round with ribbons, and sealed
in four or five places. She was holding the
box in her hands, and arondering ,rhat in
the ,rorld could be inside, when who should
step in but her daughter. "Oh, mother,
what's that ?" was the first exclamation
that escaped her. The Madame started
from her study to find out "what was in
side )" was not prepared to give an answer,
but exclaimed, "Ah! it is-arar-it is
well, the fact is, it is nothing at ALI"
Now was the daughters turn for wondering
,chat in the ,rorld it could be. The mo-
ther saw but little peace that day, and
neither of them could sleep that night for
wondering.
The next day the young lady, while
60. shout the house, saw slip of paper
ly af F#A picking 1T up,
re 3ifQ ~ airing of your
IL r;. 80 1iI '1's aX-