Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-11-30
ABOUT ENGAGEMENTS.
How . True Woman should Look Upon
This State OF Probation.

This State OF Probation.
Is 1t due to the lightness with which
80 many vows are regarded nowadays,
and to the ficklepess of those who
make them, that engagements" and
engaged people" are so constantly
held up as endless subjects for jokes OF
all kindsP When we think of young
lady of our acquaintance who engaged
(P) herself to two young men at once
'just for fun" and deserted both for
third, and of a young man who Is en-
gagged to different lady each time you
meet him, we are certainly amazed at
the facility with which some people
can "get off with the old love and on
with the new'' and acknowledge that
thejokers have right to be as merciless
as they please. But to turn from these
light hearted and light-headed lovers
to those who take more serious view
of the transition stage between the
freedom of the unengaged and the
happy bondage Of married love, let US
see II an engagement is al young
girl, who has romantic inclinations,
fancies it must beP To begin with,
what lot of croaking the newly-en-
gagged girl has to listen to. After the
first congratulations are over, some
wel-meaning friend remarks in a
dreary tone; "Well, dear, make the
most fit, all your troubles are to come,
its the happiest time of your life, SO
don't be in hurry to bring it to an
end" Perhaps another assures her, as l
once heard young lady assured, that
.'these things often fall through, you
may break 1t off yet" These
gloomy predictions are no doubt
all very satisfactory to those
who make them, but to say the
least they are not cheering to the poor
girl who has to listen to them again
and again till she begins to wonder
why people are so afraid that any one
will be too happy in world which so
many do their best TO make veritable
"vale of tears" Perhaps her engage
ment is of necessity long one, then
she has the pleasure Of being constant
ly reminded of the fact by exclama-
tions like this: "What not married
yetp Why, you were engaged year
agor' Or, still worse, she must listen
to long TRADES on the undesirability
of long engagements in general, whose
application is plainly meant for hel
particular case. But these little trials
although real enough at the time, are
nothing compared with the greater
ones she may have to bear In the shape
of cold critical looks from her tiance''
family and friends, who probably
think him 'far too good for her" and
are apt to look upon her as an intru ler
at least, at first, and who take care
that she shall in some way have s
pretty good idea as to their opinions
All these external trials, perhap
slightly different in different cases
could be cheerfully borne by the chap
py girl" If it were not for the unseel
ones she can not speak of; her doubts
her fears, her hopes, so apt to be dis
appointed, the feeling that is insepara
Bile from any transition state of unset
tledness and anxiety. All these woul,
fill volumes, which, however, woul
not be so interesting to the reader a
the writer, which we are happy t
think no one has yet undertaken
Enough has been said to show tia
sometimes an engaged girls "lot /
not happy one," no matter HOY
much she is envied by her younI
friends. But II she has true love an,
respect for the man into whose hand
she has given her happiness she vii
be able to bear the trial and be all thu
b ,tter for the probation of ian en-
gagement" before entering on the
greater happiness of married lifc.-
| nor Non IrenI Witness