Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1873-04-10
Jeremiah Smiths Wedding
Suit.
From the Golden Age,
BY MARTHA j. LAMB.

r | from the Gol0en age.
Among the noted statesmen in Congress
during years of the last century, was Jer.
l.. miah Smith. He was the intimate friend 9
Wolcott, Ames, Sedgwick and others of d.
It served eminencc at that period. He WIS al
] preme Court, and Chief Justice of Ne,
Hampshire.
e We Americans of this latter generation
. have been brought up to say very little abou
our ancestry. Ever since the Jeffersonian er
| we have been steadily indoctrinated in tn
belief that the pride Of birth was unbecomin,
to a republican community. Previous to tha
time, however, there was an acknowledged
, aristocracy, marked by certain statelines
of manner, and conformity to prescribed
rules Of courtesy in daily intercourse, which
were among the remnants of colonial times
The revolutionary war Jared the social struc
ture, but for many years the distinction:
rested essentially on the old foundations.
Philadelphia was characterized by style
of life more socially elegant than the other
American cities. 1t was the seat of the ma
tiOnal government, and the public characters
were almost without exception high-bred
gentlemen of the old school. The wealth OF
the city was chiefly commercial. bringing
not less generous nor less sure returns than
now, but having been less suddenly acquired
and less generally diffused, it seemed pos.
sessed of more dignity. and was valued more
for the respectability it impaired than as
means of material luxury. Society was made
| up of men and women who were Justly dis
| tinguished for beauty, grace and culture. Eu-
ropcan celebrities were frequently entertained,
and they offered examples of courtly usages,
and embroidered upon former customs
much that was deserving of acceptance in
the higher and better life of the older na-
| tions.
| But to return to Jeremiah Smith. He be-
| longed to a family whose name had pres
| tige which was socially of dominant infu
ence. He attended all the dinners and sup
pers and parties. He was bachelor and
not young. lie had al earnest, intelligent,
handsome face, and fine martial figure. He
dressed stylishly and was a great beau. He
was in igh favor with the ladies, but he had
been in love so many times that he had found
it long since impossible to keep statistical
account of the ''divine beings" he had
wooed and won. He was. like the young lady
who, when asked by herhover if she had ever
loved before promptly replied, eyes, indeed!
have been in love eight times, and loved
better and better every time"
It was in 1893 that he wrote to al intimate
friend, describing Miss j W.: ''It
seems to me, he said, that never sincerely
owed before. God grant that time and alb
scncc may have their usual effects.
His prayer WAS granted. Two years later
he wrote to the same friend, describing Miss
E. R., whom he had met the day be-
fore at dinner party ''She is surprisingly
beautiful, sweet tempered, and all that a wo-
man can or ought to be- but heighho! she is
as good as married; aim glad l was in
formed of the circumstance, else | should |
have been head and ears in love-
But lie found himself seriously in love at
last, Notwithstanding. He met the lady at
every evening entertainment, and often on
the street, and in a short time his case had
grown worse than hopeless At least, SO we
may infer from the way in which he gave
vent to his feelings in verse, which though
comprehensive, is not so melotliOus as the
songs of some latter poets:
ITO Adam Paradise given,
Blooming with all that charms the sense,
Of fruits one only was forbidden,
And that Occasioned sore complaints.
How much scverer is my f1fc
Than his! unjust! how oond he grieve?
He was denied the precious fruit
But ], alas. deprived of Eve!
Nay, mOre-severer sill my case
A double pain without alloy
The fruit that am forbid 10 taste
Another freely may enjOyr
For once, listen all We incrcdulOus, true
love ran smoothly. The Indy managed to
quarrel with her old lover and accepted Mr..
Smith. When he wrote to his friend about
it, he declared himself engaged for the last
time, ''positively."
Then came the wedding. Miss R,
who had been all this time on a visit to some
friends in the Quaker City, returned 10 her
fathers house in Maryland, whittier her vet
eran lover soon followed her. While on his
~
mishaps in the history. He lost bis wedding
Of the stage where it had been carelessly '
strapped, and was never seen more. He was
in dilemma. He might have been more sorely ]
afflicted had he lost his last love, but it was
certainly enough misery for one season, par
icularly as it was not in the days of steam, ;
Biography, or ready-made clothing stores.
He had been very particular in his outfit, and
t had cost two hundred dollars, which was ]
luiie fortune in that day. Would the Gu !
.ious reader like to know of what it con-
sisted? Here is a list of the articles: 4
IA lght-colOrcd broalcloth coat, with c
)earl buttons: breechcs Of the same cloth |
,reeches of black satin; vest, swansdown, a
,uff, striped; vest, mOleskin, chequer figure; a
'est, satin, figucred vest, Marseilles, white; n
rest, muslinet, figured; under vest faced e
With red cashmere; two underyests flannel;
me pair flannel drawers, one pair cotton d
lrawcrs, one pair patent silk hose, one pair
White silk hose, one pair striped silk hose, I
en- or dozen white silk hose, three pair of fl
otton hose. four pair of cause hose, towel, b
tx shirts, twelve neckerchiefs; six pocket a
one Of them bandanna; a
hintz dressing gown, a pair of silk gloves
nd pair of kid gloves"