The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-01-21
Hints to Girls.

/ feel sad this morning. | have been
looking over some old letters that my
dear dead George Nelson wrote me
while he was in the army. What love!
How constantly was his wife in his
thoughts. A pressed rose lay in one of
the letters. l held it to my lips, and
thought of the dear hand that plucked
it-a wild rose growing in the swamps
of Georgia. Then went upstairs and
looked at the dingy old knapsack on
which his dear head had lain many
night out under the starry vault of
heaven, and, feeling lonely, L wept Bit
terly.
l felt as if there was no one in the
world to care for me. was lOw-spirited
when Eleanor came in from recitation,
accompanied by a red-faced young man
sweltering in a cloth coat and blue
satin necktie. He was twirling cane,
and petting little sneak of a mustache.
didn't like his appearance.
They went into the parlor and sat per-
haps half an hour. l saw them when
they parted; he looked bold, and free,
and rather dashing; she smiling and
sweet, and far from self-possessed,
didn't quite like the aspect of things,
and as soon as dinner was over said /:
"Nellie, when you have leisure come up
to my room.n Then I said: al want
you to be frank; is that young man a
relative or lover?n
Now, Eleanor Lisle wouldn't deceive
me; I knew that. She began twisting
her apron-strings, and she blushed
beautifully as she caught her breath
and said:
"Oh, Aunt Chattie, I've been want
ing to tell you about John ever since l
came here; but hated TO begin it.
wanted to know whether l was doing
about right or not. You know mother
is so busy all the time that she don't
know or care much what we girls do, if
we only behave ourselves and don't
trouble her. Pll tell you just the rela-
tiOn we hold toward each other. He has
no sister, only married ones, and pve
no brother only our little Chubby; and
we, John and /, agreed to be brother and
sister to each other. He don't want to
marry, and never saw a girl he loved
well enough to marry, anyhow, he says.
And l don't know as pll ever marry; /
want to fit myself for a teacher, so l can
do some good in the world. He escorts
me places, and we keep company Occa-
sionally, and l think the plan is a very
me, blushing like peony.
"NO you don't, Eleanor Lisle; you are
not satisfied if you look down into your
heart you cannot quite say that you are
satisfied and PlI tell you why. This is
an old game of yours and Johns; it has
been played from time immemorial, and
never yet ended in a way that was alto
gether satisfactory.
uRpfOro I pVar mat NV daar EaOrua
Nelson l had such friendship as yours,
and my John learned to love me, and
was so honorable, so true to the brother
and-sister contract, that with a pained
heart he left me without a word of ex-
PLANTATION, and sought a home in the
distant West; and | never knew why he
did so, until ten years afterward a
mutual friend of ours told me of poor
Johns fearful confession the evening
before his departure.
81 don't know whether loved him or
not, but l do know that the manner of
his leaving, and the loss of bis compan-
iOnship, made me take to my bed for
many days.
"a young friend of mine had a like
friendship. She was a beautiful and
accomplished girl. Her brother-friend
was always beside her; they had a great
deal of comfort in each others society;
but he so absorbed her that she had no
opportunity of forming other acquaint-
ances; she seemed narrowed down.
"After awhile her friend married a
fresh, blooming little maiden, and the
world believed her guilty, and looked
askance to see how she would take it.
This mortified her exceedingly; but
there was no help for it; she was as one
branded.
mo, it is not safe policy, not wise to
have such exclusive friendships. No
girl would like the notoriety of being
Tilted when she was not, and when
there were no grounds for such a charge
One had better be very cautious of such
friendships; they may seem sweet for 8
time, but they will be bitter after s
while. Oh, girl does shrink so from
having her fair name sullied, or from
having a wrong construction put upoI
her conduct!
Don't have any exclusive friend
ships with gentlemen; don't accept o
the attentions of any young man jus
for the sake of having beau like othel
girls do, of having some one to go Ou
with you as gallant. You cannot b.
careful enough of your fair name; dom
ailOW IL W OS Uauuleu dTOuDu ike q Dy
word.
81 know by the blush Just now tha
you don't entertain quite sisters feel
ing for your John-brother, and whilt
you may remain good friends with him
l would advise this peculiar style o
friendship to come to an end.
"You don't want to be known a
John MOrrison's girl among his friend
you don't belong to him, and vol
don't want he should boast in his circl
of acquaintances of the phase of you
friendship and his, and say that he i
not marrying man, and all these flip
pant things that young men will say
Better occupy a position that will no
subject you to any idle talk or odd re
marks"
The girl, Eleanor Lisle, with a yer,
glowing face, kissed me, and said:
81 love you, Aunt Chattie, bette
than l do my own mother, and oh, I'm
so glad you know all about my affair
you old darling, you u'
One of our girls, Marguerite, write
tolerable poetry. She is all the dreame
in our family. We are very practica
We eat, and drink, and go to bed early
and rise with the lark, and dres
plainly, and take hold of life with a
earnest grip. Margie is the exception
She wears her hair flowing, and be
neck bare, and cultivates dreamy eve
and dreamy ways, and sometimes-
may as well tell the truth-we do get
little veXed at her.
She is pavar ouita raodv for brao L fos