Litchfield enquirer., 1871-07-06


 nor the skill to follow them up. That gay society in which she moves seeks to throw pretty veils and disguises over all it's pnr- poses, and is 10th to believe that they are easily penetrated. It filings wide its draw ing room doors, to promote what it terms social intercourse of friends, freqoents midnight ball rooms for the pleasures of the dance. and sets up gorgeous Fairs iu charity's sweet name. and all these ends are answered.; but there is a deeper reason ior the existence of such gatherings which the shrewd eyes of the managing mamma is not slow to see. To her they are valuable above ail as the instituted theatres of dis play for marriageable daughters, for only thus can their personal charms and fasci. hating manners be displayedfn the presence of many desirable admirers. Ia winter, therefore. she cbaperons her sirens about to evening parties arrayed in the most be. coming attire that time and money can de. wise, no matter if it sets health and decen. cy at naught, and makes there every op portunity for the exhibition of those ac complishments which have cost them sc many weary hours to learn, and which are serviceable only to this end. The artist sees to it that the picture he would sell is hung in the best light, and we cannot ex pect the mother to be less anxious for hel treasured darlings. When summer comes she takes them to the temporary centres of wealth and fashion. 10 Newport and Sar. atoga, across the mountains and beside the sea, seeking health and change for the poor dears, as she telIssns, but in reality, as we all know. hswkingthem about through all those wife markets, and exhibiting their in ,1s Al. valuable horse. Sold singly to suit pur. chasers. and none but wealthy parties need apply are written all over their dress and conduct and the management of their friends. This mother is simply practical and self-sacrifcing; she is employing the only means allowed her to establish her daughters we'll in life. And yet, when we meet her, our woman's soul blushes with shame and humiliation that such things must be. It sounds like treason to our sex even to state in plain prose what is so fa- mlllar to all observers and the subject of such fippant comments We know it to be an enforced degradation of our sex, for which pernicious social custom is solely responsible, but it is one to which no wo. man should become insensible.
 That the majority of mothers in the so.
 
 contests leaving all to the propitous fates, and that energetic. self-respecting girls more and more decline the debasing occu patton and prefer to betake themselves to direct efforts for an honorable maintenance is because of that instinct which no custom can eradicate, and which tells them that it IS not thus that the holiest of all alliances should be sought. Any one, indeed, who  must look upon all this as proclamation. Its tendency is to degrade the relation in- to mere social contract, and to compel women, if not men. tn-soaard it in the light of business speculation. All agree in the theory that a true marriage, such as heaven would approve, must be founded first of all upon 8 strong mutual love. Many other considerations should have their weight, but that mysterious attraction between two individual hearts, which no logic can ex- plain and no reason wholly guide, is doubt less meant by nature to be the controlling motive in this important choice of a part ner for life. But in these sordid unions, love, which should be the guide and lead CT, is held wholly subordinate to other con. alterations. The calculating parents of foreign lands bind their sons and daugh- ters together with no pretence of sentiment al ties, and coolly dispose of them by con- tract as if they were so much merchandise. Our American people are sensible enough to allow their children freedom of choice in such matters, but their young minds be- come so thoroughly embued with the am- bilious notions of their elders that tl.ere is no need to interfere. Here wealth finds it's most devoted and reckless worshipers, and as this worship increases woman s temptation to mercenary marriage must al- so increase, unless direct avenues to riches be as freely opened to her as man.
 The state of things which gives rise to this degradation of marriage has existed, it is true, for all ages, but for all ages it has been grievous wrong to woman. To man it has practically said: Provide by labor for your daily wants, and respect your heart; it is not necessary for you to bsrte, that for bread.i When a woman marries for fortune we have no reproach to offer, but when you do the same we shall hold you in a certain contempt. First secure for yourself an income and a name: then win, if you can, whosoever in the wide world seems unto you best.
 But woman hears different msesaQe: il says to her: Your lot must always be to subsist on family charities, either of those who are allied to you by blood or by mar. aiage. In selecting one to dispense the latter, you shall choose from the limited number who first choose you, and speak only when spoken to. Falling in love in good earnest is luxury in which you can. not afford to indulge.
 Under this dispensation, when the right person chances to select her, she thanks her stars and finds herself truly blest. Thereafter she has no sorrows which anoth. CT does not share, no need of help which he would not give, and love and exceeding happiness crown her days. Butif she waits long and no welcome claimant appears, she can still live on, as comfortably as may be- upon the means of her friends. or starve decently in staid retirement So long, however, as the world allows her one way of gaining wealth, and only one, she vii loften be driven to take the holy name oi marriage in vain, in order to secure it. that union to which she should be drawn only by the sweet urgency of the heart, be comes to her means of obtaining iveli. hood.
 The fact that she still accepts this posi- tion without protest and even with ap proval, does not prove it to be right rather 1t stamps it more plainly as wholly unjust and inexorable to her. In this, as in other things, see is not only deprived ot what are the natural rights of all other hu