Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1880-07-15
ENGAGEMENTS.
Discussion Of the Question Whether En-
gasements Ought to be Long or
Short.
From the London Truth |


[FrOm the London Truth
1t has often been said that nothing help
SO much to steady young man as being en-
gagged to the girl whom he loves and for whom
he VOWS to prepare suitable home. Th
solicitude of David Copperfeld's friend, Trad
dies, to buy bits of furniture, flower pot
and such like for the house where he and hi
betrothed were to dwell, was pretty thins
and much to be commended but on tht
other hand it is undeniable, especially if th,
young people see much of each other during
the period of probation. In this case much
of the bloom is taken off the poetry of court.
ship, and no less gliding off the prospects OF
marriage. There may be great deal to say
against the policy of wedding in haste, bu,
young people who take each other for the
better and for worse, in all the illusion of
mutual trust and admiration, go through a
time of ecstacy unknown to those who marry
nationally. The honeymoons of such pairs
are halcyon epochs to be remembered all a
life long, and if the after periods seem dull
and loveless by comparison, yet it is some
thing to have lived, however brief time. M
to the highest ideal of felicity.
Besides, there is no little sweetness in hay-
ing faced the first hardships of life together
1t young couple have to encounter pov-
erty, and if they conquer it side by side
tightening all their labors by sharing them,
and diminishing their troubles by mutual con-
ISOLATION and encouragement, they forge links
which must bind their hearts closer and closer
together. | like to see snug young man
stacking up money in bank against his we'd
ding day, while his future wife LOOKS on COM
placently at the operation, as who should say,
Thomas must earn good many more pounds
before he can furnish house good enough to
lodge me-" but l like still more to see
young husband and wife who have teathered
their little nest together. 1t is pleasant to
hear smiling woman remark: eve had
nothing at all when we married, but see now
how cOsey we have made our house." This
means that there has been cheerful hard
work on the one side, thrift and self-denial
on the other-in fact, union. After all, the
yoke of marriage is an apparatus that should
sit on two pairs of shoulders, and there is
nothing very seemly in seeing girl wait to
wear her own part of it until it has been
nicely padded with quilted satin.
My advice to young people who must pass
through long engagements is to see as little
of each other as possible, and likewise to
correspond sparingly. Quarrels are easily
hatched even on paper, and they are almost
sure to arise if an Interchange of love let
ters be commenced at the dangerous rate of
one a day or week. This pace is too fast
10 last. l should say that one letter fort
night was ample. If this wise absteminous-
ness from the use of pen and ink be tried;
f the loving pair see each other but two or |
hree times year--at Christmas, at Easter, |
for perhaps half week during the summer
Ind if, during their separation, they remind |
,ne another prettily of their reciprocal af-
lection by gifts of flowers, trinkets, nicely
,cmmed pocket hsndkerchiefs, and we'll
worked slippers in worsted, the rocky time
# long engagement may possibly be sailed
through without accident. Nevertheless, all
his leads up to repeating that when two
'oung people have made up their minds to
marry, the sooner they do so the better