Smyrna times., 1879-06-04
Was it for the Best 2
SMYRNA, May 29th, 1879.
By REV. H. B. TOWNSEND.

1ier trends SAID IL was perfectly right
that she might be glad of such an offer.
She was not as young as she had been, and
never would be young again. Women at
sixteen may choose in marrying, but at
twenty-six they must be chosen in mar.
riage. There was no absolute necessity
for her marriage, for she had good home,
her father kind, and affectionate, her
brother and two sisters, unmarried, looking
up to her since the death of their mother,
five years before, as now occupying that
sainted mothers place.
The man who proposed for her hand was
himself not as young as he had been. He
was six and forty years of age-twenty
years her senior-but that matters not, in
her friends opinions, as every year in her
life after twenty.three, counts as five
against her chances, and she would just be
nice age for him. In what cold blooded
manner women can talk of themselves
This candidate for matrimony, had
never. since his twenty.tifth year, given
one thought to anything in life, but to
gather and to keep money, stocks and bonds.
But now few twanes Of rheumatism warned
him that he was getting on in life, and if
he could secure a house-keeper, wife and
nurse all in one, and settle down as
comfortable married man, his lot would be
enviable. So he began for the first time to
look at women with the eyes, not of love,
but of matrimony. He selected our friend
at last for severa! shrewd reasons. She was
near the thirtieth degree Of womanhood,
at which point she passed the line into
the frigid zone of old maidhood, and on
this account they would not easily let her
say 'nay," if he wished for "yea."
She was strong and full of health, there
fore she could nurse but would not require
nursing.
1t is pleasant to have sweet-voiced,
gentle-handed, fair-haired woman always
near you, when tired and wearied you
come from the store to have your wants
ministered unto by hands guided by affec-
| ton this is comforting.
So he paid his court for some time, more
to the family, the father, then to her. He
| dropped in of an evening to chat with the
\ old man, and talk over matters and things
| There might be a game of checkers, but
his eyes would wander to the trim, neat
tidy figure fitting about the room, or sit
| ting calmly by the light, reading her book
He always lost those games. He was fall
ing in love.
At length he began to speak more par
ticularly to her, asked to see her book
took an interest in her household duties
And then, when for moment he was alon,
with her, he spoke up boldly, told her he wa
not poor, and, yet, was in absolute want
for all that, for he wished her to love hin
and be his wife.
Her startled "no'' warned him that b.
had been too abrupt, but he could not re
trace his way. So he must 60 on, usin
many words, advancing many argument:
He left, but only to speak to her father.
She asked herself question, "Do low
him?" and she could not answer "yes."
As the time went on she began to thin
a little differently of him. He was not
disagreeable man; in fact, he could be er
tertaining when he would.
1t had hePn pleasanter since he had bee
spending his evenings there. She did nc
love him, but neither did she dislike hin
She, woman like, was pleased that he wa
pleased with her. No woman likes to b
unpleasing; no woman likes never to hav
made an impression. And then the descril
ton Of the home that he would make f
her. Ii was pleasant. In q cosy hom
your own, to have some one always thinl
ing of you, of whom you can always thinl
/. 1t is glorifying to a woman to have
mortgage on some mans soul, no matter
it is not the best cultivated; no matter
there be some stumps yet standing whel
the land is cleared. 1t will all be cleare
and that soul will be to her fair and vic
domain-beautiful, because her own. 81
can there dwell under the shadow of
great content, and no dry wind shall sweC
l. over her to wither her ground leave
Thus argues woman's head.
, He had his little odd ways, but 81
|. could reform all that, as had been dol
with hundreds of men before him, for m'
are like houses, poorly kept and lily duste
IL woman's fingers work not at thel
You can see how it ended.
N She hesitated and-she was marie
II She could and she would love him; for Lo
is a schoolboy, and can be taught his lessor
Il. She could now be happy, for she wai
re. married woman. Women can be happy
M M united to their souls choice, or even if s
be the chosen one of some true soul.
{. She was neither. Selfinterest had soug
her out, pursued her, married and liv
q with her. In her husbands lexicon 6
' could read Marriage, defined thus
profitable investment" She had though
- an exchange of souls. She married
her SOULS hunger. She received ste
and some husks of selfishness. Was it
the best that she married him?
y She proved careful wife, a faith
on nurse to him, and when his semicent
-1y NAL birthday came and sickness Vi
ted death fell upon him, she forgot the we
$500 wears of uncongenial eompanionship,
membered that the pain-racked form
fore her was her husband. Ifnursing, ten
and loving, could restore the dying.he wo
have lived. But the Voice from
1. Throne was commanding the White.ro