Sharp County record., 1879-04-10

WneN Lllt LDlNl ID BNAN W -'1
is within you may hurst into olazei
for which reason, and especially 700!
az I have entered upon the chapter OF
advices, I will read you lecture drawn
from this text.
Glove is said to be an involuntary pas,
sion. and it is, therefore, contended
that it can not be resisted. This IS true
in part only, for, like all things eIse'
when nourished and supplied plentl-
fuIIv with aliment, it is rapid IN It's
nrooress; but let these be Withdrawn
and it may be stihed in its birth or much
stinted in its growth. For example
woman. (the same may be said Of the
other sex) all beautiful and accomplish
cd will. while her hand and heart are
undisposed of, turn the heads ana set
the circle in which she moves on hre.
Let her marry and all is quiet again.
Why? Not because there is any dlml-
mutton in the charms of the lady, but be-
cause there is an end of hope. Hence
il follows that love may and therefore
ouUhtto beunder the guidance OF reason,
for although we can not avoid trst I'M
pressions, we may assuredly place them
under guard; and my motives for treat
ing on this subject are to show you,
while you remain Eleanor Parke Gusts,
spinster, and retain the resolution to
love with moderation, the propriety Of
adhering to the latter resolution, at least
until YOU have secured your game, and
the way by which it may be accomplish
ed. When the fire is beginning to kindle
and your heart grows warm, PROFOUND
these questions to it: Who is the in
vader? Have | a competent kn Wedge
of him? Is he a man of good char
acter. man of sense? For, be as
sured, a sensible woman can never be
happy with fool What has been his
walk in life? Is he a gambler, q spend
thrift or drunkarG? Is his fortune sutfi-
cient to maintain me in the manner l
have been accustomed to live and the
way my sisters do live? And is he one
to whom my friends can have no reason
able objection? If these interrOgatOries
can be satisfactorily answered, there
will be but one more to be asked. Have
l sufficient ground to conclude that his
affections are engaged by meP Without
this the heart of sensibility will struggle
against passion that is not reciprOcated
-delicacY, custom, or call it by what
epithet you will, having precluded all
advances on your part.
"The declaration, without the most
indirect invitation Of yours, must pro-
ceed from the man to render it perma-
nent and valuable, and nothing short Of
good sense and an easy, unaffected con-
duct can draw the line between prude-
ry and coquetry. 1t would be no great
departure from truth to say that it
rarely happens otherwise than that a
Thoroughbred cOquette dies in celiba-
cv as punishment for her attempts to
mislead others, by encouraging looks,
words or actions, given for no other
4 purpose than to draw men on to make
Overtures that they may be rejected.
"Best regards are presented to your
mamma, DR.. Stuart and family, and
every blessing, among which good
husband, when you want and deserve
one, is bestowed on you by
"Yours, affectioaately,
"G. WASHINGTON" "
DIR. Stuart referred to had married
the mother of Nelly Custis. Washing
ton wrote this essay on love and several
other letters to his sprightly ward and
foster-child while the cares of state
were weighing heavily upon him. At
about this time he purchased a harpsi-
chord for her, but when she married it
was left at Mount Vernon and was taken
to Arlington House by her brother, 1t
was restored to the mansion at Mount
Vernon a few years ago by Mrs. Robert
! f. Lee.
! NELLY'S MARRIAGE.
Washington had a favOrite nephew
named Lawrence, son Of his sister,
Mrs. Lewis. He was much at Mount
Vernon after WashingtOn's retirement
from the Presidency, and the "blessing''
of "a good husband" for Nelly when
she should swami and deserve one" was
bestowed upon her She and Lawrence
Lewis were married on Washington's
birthday, Feb. %, 1899 About a month
before that happy event the patriot
wrote to his nephew, saying: "Your
letter of Jan 10Th I received in Alexan-
dria, on Monday, whittier l went to be-
come the guardian of Nelly, thereby to
authorize a license for your nuptials on
the 22d of next month, when, presume,
if your health is restored, there will be
no impediment to the union" From
the records of the County of Fairfax
copied the following order, addressed to
" Captain George Deneale, Clerk :"
MOUNT VERNON, 10Th February, 1899.
| SIR: You will please to grant license fol
| the marriage Of Eleanor Parke Custis with
| 7 o,vropna / oyuis and This shall he yOur an.