The Democratic advocate., 1874-05-30


A young lady contributor to the Ameri-
can Register Of London, having recently
perused an interesting work entitled, "The
Young Woman's Guide, is moved to make
some very sensible comments thereupon.
In the work in question, there was, she
says, one short chapter, headed Chow TO
Behave During Courtship," which very
sensihly directed the young lady not to
seem as if she expected the proposal till it
came, not to sit in corners with the gentle
man, and never to allow him to squeeze
her hand till she was engaged to him.
There was another one, still shorter, devo-
ted TO "How to Choose Husband like
the passages in Housekeeper's Manuals,
headed "How to Choose Fish" allow to
Choose Mutton" treating the subject
in an apologetic way, as If marriage were
a species of accidental evil, which every
well-regulated young woman should do her
best to avoid; but il by chance it came,
like the small pox or measles, in spite Of
every preventive measure, she was to put
up with it and behave as well as her un-
fortunate circumstances permitted. Such
as it was, however, il gave highly valuable
advice, and to any young lady who is de-
sirous Of wedding the seven cardinal yir-
tues incarnate, / can recommend no better
husband than the pattern one set forth in
those judicious pages. Still, ! cannot help
having lurking fear that he would re-
main husband on paper only, and that
the manageable damsels Of the present
day might seek far and wide amongst the
degenerate successors Of Sir Charles Gran
Olson aud celebs, in search Of wife, be-
fore they would find any more such walk
ing seraphs in swallow-tails. An angel to
cook for you and an angel to court you are
alike, fear, impossible trourailles.
1t occurred to me, however, that though
the husband described in that interesting
little work was altogether "too bright and
good for human natures daily food" still
it was certainly within the limits of IA
tional aspiration to improve a little on the
very imperfect type Of lord, master and
protector, that our young ladies arc Obliged
to love, honor and obey, Jaute de Hiear.
The idols feet of clay viii peep out, my
dear child, though with woman's intense
desire to fall down and worship blindly
something, no matter what, you cover them
up in cloth Of gold and embroidery, and
endeayor TO obfuscate your own eyes with
the clouds of the incense you burn before
his 0mnipotenceship 1t is an exceeding
ly difficult thing to look up to man, as a
demi-god who swears because his beefsteak
is not saignant, or because his eggs are
hard-boiled, or who comes home at 2 A
NJ. slightly the worse for brandy smashel
and mint juleps, or who appears at the
opera in the rear Of some resplendenl
creature, lovely with Eau Blonde, Bloom
Of Roses, and Noir de Ciuassie, 1t is diff.
cult, ! say, to PROSTATE yourself in meek
and adoring reverence, as the good book,
about the duties Of wives say you should
at the shrine Of such fetish. But what Il
to be done2 You would not marry per,
feet man fyou could; IL you came across him
you would run mile from him--you like
those men best who are sure to make bad
husbands that is the simple fact, and
there is no help for il. Let me tell you
something in point One day | was per.
ambulating down certain thoroughfars
in London, and beheld in shop-window
in brilliant array, lovely pots of jam, with
gorgeous labels, all pink and white aad
green. like the French high art paintings
that one sees at the annual expositions
Moreover, those pots Of jam were exactly
Id. cheaper each than could be got In any
other shop in London that / knew of
Now, confess it, If have one greater
weakness than another, ID Is weakness.
for jam, and rather ilatter myself upon
having preserved intact that unsophistica
. ~ sxta