The Osceola times., 1875-05-29
The Moral of a Pair of Stockings.

L uo MUIdl VI Il dlT VI OtUChlDgS,
The following letter was written
by distinguished literary lady to
a learned Judge on the eve Of his
marriage
Dear Cousln-IIerowith you will
receive present ola pair Of WOODEN
stockings, KNIT by my own hands
and be assured, dear coz, that my
friendship for you is warm as the
material, active as the finger work,
and generous as the donation. But
| consider the present as peculiarly
appropriate on the occasion Of your
marriage. You will remark, in the
first place, that there arc two indi-
viduaIs united in one pair, who are
to walk side by side, guarding
against coIdness, and giving com
fort as long AS they last. The
thread Of their texture is mixed !;
and so, alas, is the thread of lite
In these, however. the white is
made to predominate, expressing
my desire and confidence that thus
it will be with the color Of your cx-
Istencc. No black is used, for ! be
lieve you will be wholly tree from
the black passions OF wrath and
jealousy. The darkest color here
is blue, which is excellent when we
do not make it too blue.
Other appropriate thoughts rise
in my mind regarding these stock
ings. The most Indifferent subjects
when viewed by TIE mind in suit
able frame, may furnish instructive
inierences, as, saith the poet:
"The iron dogs, the fu,l and tongs,
The bellows that have leaihcn iunss;
1he hrrwood ashes aud smoke,
DO all 10 righteousness prov ~
But to the subject. You willpcr
ceive that the tops Of these stock
ings (by which, | suppose court
ship to be represented are scanned,
and by means OF scanning arc drawn
into n snarl, bnt afterward comes a
time when the whole is made pIair,
and continues so to the end and fin
al toclng of. By this | wish to
take occasion 10 congratulate You
that you ore now through with
seeming, and have come to plain re-
ahty. Again, as the whole ofthesc
comcly stockings was not made at
once, but by the addition of one
little stitch after another, put in
with skill and discretion, until the
whole presents the fair and equal
piece Of work which you see, so lite
does not consist ofone great action,
but millions OF little ones combined;
and so may 1t be with your lives
no stitch dropped when duties are
to be performed, no widening made
when bad principles arc 70 be re-
proved, or economy is TO be pre-
servcd-neiiher seeming nor mar
rowing where truth and generosity
are in question.
Thus every stitch Of life made
lIght, and set IN the right place,
none either too large or too small,
too tight or too loose, may YOU
keep on your smooth and even
course, making existence one fair
and consistent piece, until together
having passed the heel, you come
to the very toe of life and hero in
the final narrowing off and drop,
ping of the coil of this emblcmatI.
cal pair of companions ald com
forting associates, nothing appears
but the white, the token of inno-
cenoo and peace, ofpunty and light.
May you, like these stockings, the
final stitch being dropped, and the
work completed, go together from
the place where you were formed,
to a happier state of existence, Il
present IRON earth to Heaven.
Hoping that these stockings and
admouitions may meet u civil re-
cepuon, | remain, IN the true blue
friendship, seemingly, without
seeming, yours, from top to toe.