Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-12-10
An Old Story.

A thousand times the old story, which
had such tragical result recently, has been
told through the press and whispered in so
cioty, and still the lesson is not learned.
A young lady, just out Of the school.room,
is fascinated by the attentions of man Of
the world, and nothing can persuade her
that he is not the noblest the bravest, the
best Of lovcrs. What does she know, poor
thing, Of The secret lives Of these gallant
gentlcmen2 She reads the legend Of excess
aud evil courses, written on the bleared eye
and the tremulous lip, aud she cannot un-
derstand II. She hears a whisper perhaps
'of scandalous prodigalty and indulgence,
and she stops her little ears and loves her
hero all the better as the victim Of detrac-
ton She knows nothing Of his previous
history, nothing of bis daily occupations,
NOTHING .e bis associates. She little i'm
agnes tht.s b. ~ sVrs e~-- rt.----e- ----4~i &,
cruel temper, and the hand which presses
hers so tenderly is brutal hand, fit only
for deeds Of violence. That he is gambler
and a drunkard false, quarrelsome, idle,
selfish and sensual that he is at war with
bis parents and tyrant in the company Of
women, She might learn if she would exer-
else as much caution in choosing a husband
as TO choosing bonnet But young women
have O dim notion that it is grand and no.
bic TO take a lover on trust to despise good
counsel aud flial obedience, and they hug
themselves with the sweet delusion that
they are hcroines, when they are only fools
The girl triumphs, Of course, over father
aud mother Those who really love her
follow the wedding festivities with aching
hearts, and watch the future with sorrowful
apprehension The inevitable seque is not
long delayed. For a few short weeks life
is dream Of sentiment and new gowns
Then the truth begins to dawn upon ia,
poor little heart She has sold herself fol
/ passing fancy Neglect is soon followed
| by angry words, and contemptuous looks
and brutal jests The gallant gentleman
goes out cursing in the morning, and come
home reeiug at night Her jewels ar,
sold to buy bread, and he steals the none,
to spend it for drink There is a hideou
bruise on the white neck Of which be use
TO say such pretty things She shudders a
the footstop for which she once listened wit
rapture She hides herself in terror fror
the face upon which she thought she ooul
gaz9 forever. Sometimes, with the courag
which seems to be given only to certai
women, she holds proud and smiling fac
to the world hides the brutalites Of he
master, covers up her hardship, dissemble
hunger, and no one knows, except the hus
band, when she rests at last from her sol
rows, that the brave heart was broken i
the first months after marriage Some
times the sad story ends in that commo
curse and punishment Of American mar
riages, a legal separation, and sometimes i
the one catastrophe which is worse tina
divorce, lin murder
1t is one of the vices Of our domesti
system that children nowadays are taugh
the manners, and with them the indepeu
deuce, of their elders. The revolt again,
government by divine right has extende
from politics into the family. The youn
miss who dances at late balls before she
ten years old, and spends her summer hol
days flirting in hotel parlors, instead
! romping in hay-mows and making mu,
! pies by the brook, has already learned
despise the advice Of her parents, and r,
sent their commands as an interference wit
personal liberty. Disobedience and disr'
/ spect are taught to American children
and we need not wonder if, at the most in
= portant juncture of their lives, when thei
whole future happiness depends upon tn
prudence ola loving and disinterested cour
sclor, they should put the lesson into us
-Ner York TrbuRe.