, 1869-07-02
NUMBER GO.
ENGAGEMENTS.

say the longer the better; but it may be
maintained that the longer an engagement
continues on this side Of breaking off the
marriage, the greater happiness and security
are likely to be reaped by the two interested
parties. Before love settles down in his
easy chair, let him have plenty of free and
happy exercise" breathers across open
downs, and stolen walks in shady lanes.
Then he gets to know thoroughly the dispo-
sition Of his companion; and if, on reAec>
tiou, he thinks it advisable 10 Withdraw from
the position, he may do SO under penalty,
perhaps, Of an action for breach of promise
of marriage. Better that, however, than an
ugly discovery aiterward. And on a mere
utilitariau calculation Of preponderating
pleasures, long engagements are TO be pre-
ferred. The delights of marriage come
sooner or laler and extend over an indefinite
period; but the joys Of courtship once left
behind can never be recovered. All through
that charming period the object of q mans
affections is begirt with a miraculous halo
which glorihes even q commonplace face and
commonplace mind. There is 3 mysterious
sancity around the being whom re worships
which makes her faint little condescensions,
her tender interests, her gracious intimacy,
a wonder and a delight Then the pleasures
and pains Of quarreling Love is q cunning
magician, and kpOws that q monoionous
sweetness would only tire, unnerve, perhaps
disgust; SO he introduces sharp slteratives
and tonics, that the virtues Of his miraculous
potion may be more keenly and markedly
developed. How happy they are" say
outsiders, when they see two young people
| slyly steal away from the rest Of the eompa-
| ny, wiiiully take the wrong turning at the
next cross roads, ind 60 of by themselves
for an independent ramble. One cannot
help imagining all the pretty things these
two are saying to each other, coupled with
that twin conversation carried on by the
mesmerio language of the eyes. You begin
to count the number Of years that have
passed since you left that period behind,
and you think it abomiuable that people
! should grow old. Perhaps at that very mo,
ment there is a weight as of lead on Ed.
wards heart, and Clara is wishing she had
never been born. There is thunder abroad,
and Edward gloomily asks himself if this
sort Of thing" meaning Clara's unreasona-
bleness and ObstinaeJ, and self-will, and in.
dependent unwomanly self asseTtion-is a
toretaste of what is coming after; while
Clara thinks her companion brute, who has
no kindlinesS towards her, nor consistency
ijn himself And it has oil arisen out Of
ICIara' 5. having gone down to dinner on the
previous evening with somebody else, when
it was Obvious to any impartial person that
the poor girl could in nowise help it. Or
else she has written brief and formal noie
to a certain captain, in reply 10 one Of his.
Or else she has forgotten that Edward ex-
pressly desired her never to wear a blue
snood in her hair when she had on a purple
dress-although the said captain once gals
lantly defended C!ara's doubtful taste Or
else she has spoken slightingly of one of his
bachelor friends. Or elSe-but why prolong
list Of triling causes Of a quarrel which
might include every circumstance in heaven
and earth There is nothing about which
engaged people will not quarrel; and al-
though the cause may be triling to outsiders
it is a Mt Blanc to them. For the time be-
ing they experience as much bitter feeling
in quarreling over pair of gloves as they
would do were the cause Of quarrel the dl-
vision Of an estate. The teason is clear.
The time is one of ideas tending toward rev
alization; and lie and she are breathlessly
anxious that the other should in no particu-
lar fall short of that glorious creature Of the
imagination whom they look to as their fu.
ture spouse. Clara is determined that Ed
ward shall be the most courteous as he is
now the bravest and handsomest of men
and she is shocked and pained to see that he
sometimes laughs at poor old Mrs. Gaddle-
ton. lie, on the other hand is determined
that his Clara shall be miracle of sensitive
good taste; and he cannot bear that she
should praise the manners of the parsons
wife. Each has a selfshly unsel6sh desire
that the other shall be without flaw and a
flaw at this particular time becomes mount.
ain.- Once a Wcek.