Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-06-15
A Model Marriage Letter.

Inc following letter was Writton years
ago by lady of great literary distinc.
ton, to her cousin of New York, on the
eve of his marriage, and accompanied
by pair of blue mixed stockings knit
by herself as present -
DEAR COUSIN Herewith YOU will
receive present Of q pair of wooden
stockings, knit by my own hands, and
be assured that my friendship for you is
as warm as the material, active as the
Inger work, and generous as the dOna-
ton. But l consider this present as pc
culiarly appropriate on the occasion of
your marriage. You will remark in the
first place that there are two individu-
ais united in a pair, who aTe to walk
side by side, guard against coldness,
and giving comfort as long as they last.
The thread of their texture is mixed,
and so, alas! is the thread of life.
In theso, however the white predomi-
mates, expressing by desire and conf
dence that thus it will be with the color
OF your existence. No black IL used, for
l believe your lives VIII be wholly free
from the black passions OF wrath and
ieaIo1ray,
ihe darkest color here is blue, whfcI,
Is excellent where we do nc. make it
TOO blue. Other appropriate thoughts
rise to my mind in regarding these
stockings. The Elost indifferent SUBJ
jects, when viewed by the mind in a
saitable frame, may furnish instructive
differences /; as saith the poet
wThe iron dogs, the fuel and tongs,
The bellows that have leathern lungs,
The firewood. ashes and the smoke,
Do all to righteousness provoke"
But to the subject. You will perceive
the tops Of these stocking (by which
suppose eoartship to be represented) are
scanned, and by means of seeming are
drawn into 9 snarl; but afterwards
comes q time when the whole is made
plain, and continues SO to the end and
final toeing off. BY this I wish to take
occasion to congratulate YOU that you
are now through with seeming and have
come to the plain reality.
Again, as the whole OF these comely
stockinsa was no5 made at once, but by
the additions of one little stitch after an
other, put in with skill and discretion
until the whole presents the fair, equal
piece of work which you see, so life does
not consist of one great action, bat mill
AASAAS " AAeeAS OAlOS anu 6O
may it be With yoa-no stitch dropped
Whq4 ausies are to be performed; no
widening made when bad principles are
to be EepEoved, or ceremony is to be pre-
served-neither scanning or narrowing,
where truth and generosity are Ia CUES
ton. Thus every stitch made right and
set i'll the right place, none either too
large or too small, too sight or too loose
thus may yoa keep on year smooth and
oveI course, making existence one fai1
!. and consistent piece, until together, hav.
ing passed the heel, you come to the toe
of life, and here in the final narrowing
off and dropping the stitch CT this EN-.
blematical pair Of companions, and COM
forting associates, nothing appears bat
white, the token OF innocence, purity,
neaoe and light.
May you, like these stockings, 1.-THE
final stitch being dropped, and the work
being completely, 60 together from the
place where you were framed, to hap
pier state of existence, present from
earth to heaven.
Hoping that these stockings and ad-
monitions may meet cordial reception
L remain in tie saue-blue friendship
seemin 4iy, yet without seeming,
Yours, FROM TIP TO TOE.