The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1883-05-11
Written For the Times.
A LETTER FROM AUNT MALINDY.

"orh'n that you WAS goin to marry soon, and
sposc that's the reason that I've been thinkir
aoout you 80 much to day. Well a few minute.
ago, says to myself; I've lived long, long
ime and had lots of ups and downs, and have
seen heaps OF trouble, and likewise smart
Hhance OF pleasure in these low-lands of sorrow ;
anu II can do my Sally any good by tellin Of
my experience to her and advisn her, shant
regret the ups and downs I've seen, but will be
mighty 'appy if can he of any use to her."
It's mightie solemn thing to git married-a
mighty solemn thing, my dear. None but them
that has tried it knows how solemn it u.s. But
solemn MS it Is to git married its O thousau
times solemner not to git married To 90 pokin
through this world a tattlin, snarlin, envi
Gus, cross grained old maid, is almost one of the
""'u'est' saddest and most solemn things that
can possibly happen to poor unfortunate te.
male IN these low-lands Of sorrow. All old
maids, however, are not the wicked ugly, snarlin
critters above referred TO. Lots of en- as the
world calls old maids are sweet and pure. and
Kind and lovely, and society couldn't do with.
out EN- no way it could be fixed The world
"ouiu DC ruined and have to close up business
and go into mouruin if they all would take n
notion and git married right away. But I'm
not much oneasy on that pint, for oil of 'em is
not goin to git married for some time to come
moi ior month or two at any rate. But lots
ana cords of EN- belong to the snarlin, cross
grained gang and L IN afrail you would be one
OF that kind; your chin, and nose and ewes md
In fact your whole face has the exact expression
of cross old maid. It's solemn thing not to
GIT married There's Jane Bandy, for instance,
rs sour MS vinegar, rs cross as n settin hen, and
regular kill;joy in the ncighborhood. can
remember when she was thought to be one of.the
best and sweetest gals in the village but now
she is never satisfed if people do well she
envics EN- aud tries TO break 'cm down, and if
'hey are unfortunate she does all in her power
to increase their misfortuncs. Nobody would
once have thought that she would have turned
out sich crooked stick Jim Warner and her
was mighty taken with one another they was
engaged to be married. and the we..diu day was
st and every thing was fixed, and all seemed to
oe goin on MS smooth and rs calm rs q Nav
mornin when oil OF suddent Jim packed up
and went off to furin parts, aud nobody ever
knowed why for. Jim has never been seen or
Jane she took on nightly, and was sick and
out OF her mind Tor a long time, anu eyeryooIy
thought she'd die, but she didn't. she got well,
but she was changed critter and never ha' been
like herself since. think all the love, and good
ness, and sweetness, and milk Of human kind.
ness was driv out of ner heart when Jim Var
ner went off and left her and disappinted her
in sich a cruel manner, and / often says to my
SELF says |, "Jane Bandy would doubtless
have been very different woman from what she
is, if Jim Warner and her ha married" |
never sec Jane but says, "Its an awful solemn
thing to be an old maid"
Well, Sallie, my dear, am glad, monstrous
glad, that you're goin to git married, but want
you to be sure and begin right, and keep right.
Don't have too fine weddn. Let your weddin
be equal to your means. A dwarf may imagine
he is giant, and try to make other people
think so too, but he can't do it for no matter
how grandly he struts about every body will
know he is only poor little dwarf, and he will
be the only one that is fooled after all. The
other birds know'd the Jack.daw though he was
dressed in the pcacock's feathers. You are
poor, and the fellow you re goin to marry is not
rich, and everybody knows it, 30 you needn't
try to make people think you're letter off than .
you are, by havin fine weddin, for you can't do
it. They'll come and eat your fine fixins, and
drink your wine, and laugh and joke, and be
mighty perlte, but they'll be laughin in their
sleeves at you oil the time; and as soon as your
back is turned they'll call you fool for tryin 10
fool them by goin beyond your means 6xin up
a fine weidn.
When Bill Skies and Ann Jones got married
l was there. Bill is carpenter and Ann is the
darter of poor farmer, but, from the way they
was rigged out and from the fine fxins they had
on the table, you would have thought he was a
furin prince and she was the favorite darter of
John Jacob Stewart, or a. 7. Vanderbuilt. Peo-
pie all laughed at EN- and called 'em fools, and
the poor foolish critters had to scrimp mighty
hard to pay for it ALL and are happier and
NO more respected than if they had been quietly
married ut church, and gone quietly home and
used the money that they spent the fine we'd
din in startin to housekeepin.
I've knowed lots and cords of people who had
more friends on their weddin day than they ever
had agin. They wore finer clothes and had
better thingsto ea; than they ever did after wards
and they was happier on that day than they ever
was in oil their lives again. But some
people seem to think that they wouldn't really
be married unless they lad big weddin.-
They begin life by overdoin the thing and ten
to one, they'll keep on in the same foolish way
until they lose their friends their credit, their
character. and everything else but poverty
and want, and house full of children.
Begin right, my dear. and keep right, and
you'll be sure TO end right, no doubt about that