The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1880-08-10
eourting.

1t is said that the man who wrote
"Iomc, Sweet Home" never had a
home in his lie; that the man who
wrote Life on the Ocean Wave"
was never within ninety miles Of the
ocean, and that the man who wrote
Meet me by Moonlight Alone" was
boln blind. Now, never coulted u
giil in my life. but / have known SO
many unfortunate individuals that
have, dare assert that | actually
know more about the subject than il !
had devoted the most vigorous years of
my life to this ethereal pastilne-
courting. Had ! been courling man
| would never have listened to the
opinions Of others as | have. My
knowledge then would have been per
Sc uno, or individuulistic. instead Of
being universal.
Philosophers tell us that the court
ing period OF mans file is by lar the
happieSt season his earthly existence.
We agree substantially with the
philosophers. Love, as well as hope,
springs eternal in the human breast;
aud love is one Of the necessary factors
Of courting, although many court
without loving. But the true courter
is the undeceiviug lover who wooes to
win. without deceit or shadow OF
turning. SUCH All one was my friend
Jack. II there ever was and honest,
undeceiving young man, my friend
was one. / was Jacks conidant fol-
years, and it gave me an opportunity
TO observe the inner workings OF a
hsart at one time bowed down with
grief and woe, at anpther lifted to the
very skies with joy and hope. Jack
courted twelve different girls during
his earthly sojouru.-Jack was hui
mamie died. Visit the old graves
yard at X, and you will see on one Of
the marble slabs this inscription;
"Died Of biighted hopes and blasted
heart, poor Jack Beauman," etc.
You will remember that the last straw
broke the camel's back. Jack, like
the camel. stood up patiently under
the CALLING load, but the last cir
was too much for his mental and
physical organism-his heart broke
his limbs contracted--he yielded ur
the ghost. Poor Jack often said tt
me: my dear friend, never court, as
u rule; get somebody of an eiieminat,
nature tn do the courting for you, thel
il your better judgement tells you sh'
will be true to the bitter end, why
step in and Join her in Hymen'l
bonds. You then may DO cheated
John Stuart Mill says Man can ncve
understand woman or tell what sh,
will do or what she won't do; but W,
must take risks in this lite if W,
would prosper Woman is a risk
but, my friend take ticket when tn,
inner man tells you that you will vii
a prize, else, not for the world
Jack was older than Ii, therefore
took his advice and never courted.
The eyes of the youthful lover ar
often dazzled by appearances, and b.
the scintillations emitted from beau
tiful exterior He sees, he loves, h
conquers (perhaps); but he does no
generdlize. The happiness to be dc
rived from courting is at most
ephemcral. Jack after survivin
eleven courtship voyages, frequentl.
said to me. "my friend; there is NOR
annoy than JOY in courting," and !
have many times heard him soliloqui2
ing in the language Of the poets: az
for a lodge in some vast wilderness
some endless contiguity Of shade,
'All is vanity and vexation Esprit,
etc. 'Tis sweet to court, but poison
ously injurious to the irail and hckl
lad who looks through glass darkll
who sees with the iris eye alone--th
eye that photographs images upon IL
CANVAS ofthe imagination, but leave
NJ, LISTING impression in the collodic
coating Of the heart. His power
visslon are undeveloped, he sees nj
the dross which the close observ,
. discerns through the seini.transparcl
Q covering, and he finally falls a vi
r tim to the Establishments Of captiv'
; ting frailty, as Shakespeare callt
her.
! Courting is an illusion, a leluqic
and often a fatal conclusion, Ho