Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-12-05
tT Ill the New \ OF.
-Sn Old Story.

A thousand times the old story which
had such q tragical illustration on
Saturday has been told through the
pres and whispered in society, and
still the lesson is not learned. A young
lady inst ouS OF the school room, is
fascinated by the attentions Of man
Of TIE world, and nottingham persuade
her that lc ia not the nOblest. the
brayest, the best of lovers. What does
she know, poor thing, of the secret
lives cf these gallant gentlemen ? She
rcn Is the legend Of excess and evil
courses, written on the bleared eye
and the tremalOus lip, aud she cannot
understand it. She hears q whisper,
perhaps, of scandalous prodigality and
indulgence, aud she stops Ier little
cars aud loves her hero all the better
rs the victim Of dctraction. She knows
nothing OF his previous history, moth
ing Of his daily occupation, nothing OF
hi associates. She little imagincs that
his soft compliments conceal q cruel
temper. and the hand which presses
bcr5 80 tcndcrlv is 81 brutal hand. fit
only ior led, of violence. That he is
E" r4nlb!cI cal = lr7tnkard false, quar-
rctsome, Idle, selfish, and sensual
that l.e Is at war with his parents and
4 trrant il the company of women, she
might learn Il she would exercise a
much caution in choosing n husband
as ii choosing q bonnet. But young
y.o:nen lave 4 dim notion that it is
.llnl and noble to take & lover Oh
!Iu@t, ana despite good counsel and
iiliai obedience, and they hug them
tglyc6 with the sweet Ielusion that
they arc Elrolnea when they are only
fc,1a
Tho gal triumphs, Of course, over
father AMI mother. Those who really
love her follow the Wedding festivities
with aching hearts and watch the FL
lure with s0rrowiul apprehension -
The inevitable sequel Is not long de
lGyed. For few short weeks life is q
dream of soft sentiment and now
GOWNS. Then the truth begins to dawn
upon the poor little heart. She has
sold herself for = passing fancy. Neg
IStt is soon followed 10y angry words.
and contemptuous looks and brutal
tests. The gallant gentleman goes out
..ursing in tho morning and comes
home reeling at night. Her jewels are
sold to buy bread, and he steals the
money to spend it for drink. There is
4 hideous bruise on the white neck OF
which lie used to say such pretty
things. She shuddcrs at the footsteps
for which she once listened with rap
tr;re. She hides herself III terror from
the face Upon which she thought she
could gaze forever. Sometimes, with
She courage which seems to be given
nlly to certain women, she holds
lruud and smiling face to the world,
hides the hrutalities Of her master,
covers t'p lcr hardships, dissembles
hunger, and no one knows, except the
husband, whom size rests at last from
Ter SORROWS, that the brave heart was
broken III the first month after the
marriage. Sometimes the sad stony
'u1s i'll that common curse and pun
Isl.scnt Of American marriages, q legal
s7epa! ration. and someone's in the a.
tas.Toplle which is worse than divorce
murder.
We do not, OF course, mean to ac-
clIse riC author of the assault COM
luitte,. on Saturday in the Eighth ave
nue. OF the crueities and crimes we
have enumerated i'll this i'm ginary
sketch Something is known OF the
married life Of this Ill fortunate couple,
b,.t VIC ID not know all, and we make
every allowance for exaggerated. ru-
I.or. +ar n2=in facts seem to be
y !! r.. '--,t. the lady married
against j.. -, -.. lice of her family
ut al age 8, Iler knowledge of the
world must nave been bounded by the
experience of the nursery and the
boarding school end the natural re-
suits of sue, headstrong folly have
followed. 1t is one of the vices of our
domestic system that children nova
days are taught the manners and with
them the independence of their elders.
The revolt against government by di-
vine right has extended from politics
into the family. The young miss who
dances at late balls before she is ten
years old, and spends her summer
holidays flirting in hotel parlors, in
stead of romping in hay-mows ard
making mud pies by the brook, has
already learned to despise the advice
Of her parents and resent their CON-
mands as an interference with personal
liberty. Disobedience and disrespect
are taught to American children and
wc need not wonder if at the most i'm
portant jurcture of their lives, when
their whole future happiness depends
upon the prudence of a loving and
DISTINGUISHED counselor, they should
put tho lesson into use.