The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-09-12


tiers should marry young men who are not
rich, forgetting that they themselves were
moor when they married, and that their
wealth has been amassed by long years of
constant toll. Such fathers should remem-
Der the answer of Themistocles, when
asked whether he would choose to marry
his daughter to poor man of merit, or to
n worthless man of an estate: 81 would
prefer a man without an estate to an es-
tate without a man. Daughters are
unwilling to abandon a life of idleness and
luxury i'll their fathers house to share the
fortunes of young men who, though poor
in person, are rich In worth, and have
that within them which win command
success. Such daughters should remem-
Der that a young lady once refused to
marry young man on account OF his pow
erty whose death was mourned by two
continents-the noble philanthroplst, Geo.
Peabody. When the late Emperor of
France was living in poverty in London, he
fell i'll love with a lady of rank and beauty,
and solicited her hand. The lady, who
regarded him as mere political dreamer,
rejected his suit, when he uttered this pro-
phetic remark: Madame, you have re-
fused a crown" Few young ladies have
an opportunity Of refusing a crown,
but, in refusing young men of talent, in
dustry and virtue, on account of their
present poverty, to accept worthless young
men of fortune, they frequently refuse
life of domestic peace and happiness for
one of splendid misery.
The ancient philosophers very wisely
defined marriage to be- a remedy provided
by Providence for the safety and preserva-
ton of youth. We all require sympathy
and love, and where can there be sym
pathy so perfect and love SO enchanting as
that which a true wife feels for her hus-
band? Chateaubriand, in his magnificent
work, The Genius Of ChristianHy, gives
us sweet and affecting description of the
Christian husband and wife: .'The wife
of Christian is not a mere mortal; she is
an extraordinary, a mysterious, an angelic
being; she is flesh of her husbands flesh,
and bone of his bone. By his union with
her he only takes back a portion of his
substance. His SOUL as well as his body,
is imperfect without his wife. He pos
sesses strength; she has beauty. He en-
counters Affections, and the partner of his
life is there to soothe him. Without wo-
man he would be rude, unpublished, soli-
tary. Woman suspends around him the
flowers of life, like those honcysuclzles of
the forest which adorn the trunk of the
oak with their perfumed garlands."
Well might the great poet of domestic
bliss exclaim of marriage:
"Such a sacred and homefelt delight,
Such sober certainty of waking bliss,
l never heard till now
All readers Will recall the exquisite de-
scription of the married life of Albert and
Alexandrina in Il Sisters Story. their
charming home at Castellamare, on the
Bay Of Naples; The soft air and brilliant
skies of Italy; excursions among the lovely
islands of the bay; pious pilgrimages to
holy shrines; their summer trip to the
East; their winter in Venice, followed by
the declining health of Albert; their re-
turn to France; and the sanity death of
Albert at the early age of twenty-four.
Our American Catholic youth owe duty
to their church and their country which
they neglect with criminal indifference.
What become Of the many young men of
brilliant promise wha each year leave our
Catholic colleges laden with honors? Why
are their voices never heard after COM
mencement day? Why is their gradua-
ton thesis their last literary composition
1t is because the seed of learning planted
in their minds at college, like the seed of
the husbandman in the Gospel, which fell
among thorns, is choked with the riches
and pleasures of life, and yields no fruit.
No better example can be offered foT the
imitation of American Catholic young men
than that of Montalembert, the great ora
tor of Franco. Even in his schoolboy
days, his aim was high and beautiful he
scorned all folly and idleness. When he
was only seventeen. he solemnly selected
as his motto through life, ''GOd and Liber-
ty," to which he remained faithful until
death. A young man Of brilliant intellect,
vivid imagination, and noble ambition, he
determined to play mans part in the
world, and earnestly longed for the time to
commence his glorious work. He wasted
not the golden days OF youth amid the gay
frivolities of fashionable amusement, for
he vehemently denied that youth was the
time which should be devoted to the plea
sures of society. He contended that youth
should be given up with ardor to study or
to preparation for profession. ''Ah -
he e2claims, ''when one has paid ones
tribute to ones country when it is possi-
BILE TO appear in society crowned with the
laurels of debate, OF of the battlefield, or
at least of universal wisdom when one is
sure of commanding respect and admira-
ton everywhere-theni it is the time to like
society, and enter it with satisfaction. l
can imagine Pitt or Fox coming out of the
House OF Commons where they had struck
their adversaries dumb by oheir eloqucnce,
and enjoying dinner party"
! This admire l1Ia aI-