The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-12-16
{ NUMBER 25.
To Marry oriN lotto Marry.
ruE QUESTION HuxonioUsIY coxmp.sEp,

ifIT sEf1irf1d3 = ----v 5te.iT .1fofI
tBlackwoods Magazine &C. O'Dowd.")J
ls lite realty lie il one must pass Il on
the tight opesi h existeDes worth hsv.
ing, when it 10 etesnsiIy question u bal.
anciog-swayins to this side, aod besding
to thatS .28lG
tits proven that al people have voca-
ton for marriage, and 10 conjs1alism per ss
certain to require those who, to attain 1t,
must divide between two what they had al
ready found barely sufficient for one?
These are thezsinpss questions vhieh 70
have no need Of philosopher to ask or
answer for us. Ifone were simply to pro-
nounoe from what appears on tho surface
of life-and it is very hard 70 30; deeper
we should say that the single people, cape
cially the men, have the best Of it. They
ars more in request among their friends,
available Tor more attentions. and, keep
longer young than their married brethren.
The donble-barreled egotism Of marriage
spoils many . good fellow, and destroys
the charm Of many q delightful woman.
The firm. that terrible partnership. crops .p
at every moment, and routs that glorious
spontansity, that delicious iresPoasibilisy.
we once remember. .at ,a3 ss,zf a,ae
!, ! have 20 patience with those people
who want TO marry on what it i puzzle
to them to live singly upon. They must
be moral, forsooth! at the cost Of reducing
some unhappy; girl 70 drpdeesy on the
false pretense for it is false pflovins her,
Why can't they letit sione as the great
master Of. common sense said Of lees
eventful contingency. .r.r.,-r{ a.
have met more pleasant and compap-
ionable people among the single than tbs
married but there is cauting notion
abroad that marriage is sort Of backbone
for good behavior, and SO the curate must
be married, and tue. doctor ought to be
married. I don't know how Ear theory
goes, or whether ladys shoemaker should
have . wife, but I'm sure Asrp coiduro
ought. r,ge "a q, .rs,.if,4r, at,o, .e
hope We shall soon hear the last OF
this tiresome costroyeray for il say man
wishes positively to ascertain. from his
personal, experience, whether it By safs to
marry or el00 per annum. let him commit
a small misdemesnor il, Ireland and bc sent
to Jail for three mouths, II his cons.ita-
ton stands the dietary-the seven ounces
Of Cruel and pinch oflbsdsy per diem--hs
may have his bans Published The day he
comes out, and certainly there will be moth
ing in this absorbsnt system TO iutssfere
with his happiness.
, But it is'a mistake 10 suppose that mar
riAge is necessity, except to . three vol
ume novel. l am certain that very large
number Of people ere not made for that
species Of coupanionship. Mod en-
not enamored Of Mormonism or spiritsal
wifery, nor have the sligbtest sympathy
with Agapsmonss. What / desire to in
sist on il. that oar present day civiiixssios
inculcates conjugalism too ipdiscriminats-
ly. and takes post unjusti6able means to
support its position -Oss OF these, and
the least commended Of sl!. 10 10 dispArage
those Who are called old maids. / have
seen many timid rider in hanting- 6sld
ieered into riding at . fence that cost him
. ]" cropper;" and I nm convinced that
many women are driven iafo marriage to
escapethe obloquy and sarcasm OF belong
ing TO that maligued category. j1iasil 2
1t is no exasgetatioa to say amaligned."
/ would ask any one who has seen much Of
lifs--who has. SO to say, bsen . man of
the world. watching iss ways and studying
it, doings-I would ask him. mas rAs ever
met 10 any section Of humanity greater
kindness. gentlensss end ipatienes than
among these same old maids! Where has
he found more hearty. genial. generous ma
lures ? where sound views oflife dis6gured
by fewer prejudicesi where more thorough
chssityin discussing the motives ! where,
in one word, less OF those very attributes
by which it has pleased the world to char,
acterize this class? II is no part Of my
task b. call witnesses to what SAY but
one will cite. because she .eminently re-
prs ented al that Ehave % feebly attempt
ed to picture; and il her genius might seem
to outshine the lustre Of her personal quail
tiles. it is only to those who had not the
happiness--and it was happiness-Of her
intimacy. am talking Of Miss Edsewosth,i
and it 10 we'll worth all the weight of<ths
years il obliges 70 have met and known
i viii not allirm that marriage could have
spoiled such mature, but ] will cay it cosld
not hsve ,bettered it. Nor is it . small,
part OF the matter that at eighty she vaa.
the guiding spirit. the delight and the
charm Of that family which derived glory
from her name and happiness from her
presence sfaguE 9at III aisdf3I ii9traa
ls it to o class which numbers Miss
Edgeworth and Miss Nightingale among
| its members women need shame 10 be-
long? --s---->--~
have done. / will only add that, IN
stead of beaping ridicule on the condition
81 unmarried women. and. out Of sheer
derision. driving them 10 accept any body.
anything % husbands, let as sccord them
all the Difference and regard We bestoW on
! Others, and let ms not forget. In the pres
euce of some @oid maid" whose qualities al
mind and nature have charmed rs and
whose traces Of beauty are not few nor
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