The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-05-01

accompany them for sail. The day
was sunny, but stiff breeze was blow
ing, and presently the boat began to
toss and roll. George" Mrs. Fair
fax called to the man in charge, "this
is an awful storm. l fear we are in
great danger; mind how you steer
remember, trust in you !" He re-
piled, "Dnna trust in me, Teddy; trust
in Almighty God" In terror the lady
exclaimed, "Dear me IS it come to
that?" To that it ought to come on
the day of marriage quite as much as
on the day of death.
sINGLENEss OR DoUBLENEss?
To be or not to be-marred2 If so
much preparation and precaution are
necessary to ensure harmless, not to
say happy marriage, is the game
worth the candle? Is it not better for
the unmarried to cultivate the con-
tented state of mind of that old Scotch
lady who said, 81 wadna gle my single
life for a the double anes | ever saw"
The controversy as to whether ceEt-
acy or wedlock be the happier state is
very old one, perhaps as old as what
may be called the previous question
whether life itself be worth living. The
more one thinks on the matter in this
spirit the more one becomes convinced
that the Scotch minister was by no
means an alarmist who thus began an
extempore marriage service: "My
friends, marriage is blessing to few,
a curse to many, and great uncer-
tainty 20 all. Do you venture?' After
pause, he repeated with great earnest
ness, 'Do you venture?" No objec-
ton being made to the venture, he then
said, "Let's proceed"
To be or not to be-married? This
is one of those questions in reference
to which the speculative reason comes
to no certain conclusion. .S0l11tur
aM6ulaNdo. 1t has nearly distracted
| some men, whose minds were sicklled
DER with the pale cast of thought. They
have almost died of indecision, like the
donkey between two exactly similar
bundles of hay. An individual Of this
description, who was we'll known to the
writer, after dropping into caterpillar
proposal to young lady, was seen a
few moments afterwards endeavoring
to extract with stick the precious
document. Failing in his attempt, the
wretched mortal walked round and
round the pillar, tortured with the re-
currence of reasons against matrimony,
which he had lately argued away. For
tunately for both parties, the lady re-
fused the tempting offer.
1t is said that years ago, in Burmah,
the ladies of court met in formal parlia-
ment to decide what should be done to
cure the increasing aversion of young
men to marry. Their decision was a
wise one. They altered, by an order
from the palace, the style of dress to
be worn by all honest women, reduced
the ornaments to be assumed by wives
to the fewest and simplest possible, and
ordained that at certain again women
should withdraw from the frivolites OF
tasion and of the fashionable world.
Success was the result, and young Bur-
nah went up in body to the altar.
"Jeanie,' said an old Cameronian to
his daughter, who was asking his per-
mission to marry-FJeanie, it IS very
solemner thing to get married"
Il ken that, father" said the sensi-
bic lasse, "but it S good deal solemner
to be singler."
Many a man has been shown the
path to Heaven by his wife's piety.
"My mercy" says Bunyan, was to
light upon wife whose father and
mother were accounted godly. This
woman and l, though we came together
as poor as poor might be (not having
so much household stuff as a dish or a
spoon betwixt us both) yet she han for
her pant The Plain Mans Pathway to
Heaven and The Practice of Piety,
which her father left her when he died"
By reading these and other good books,
helped by the kindly influence of his
wife, Bunyan was gradually reclaimed
from his evil ways and led gently into
the way of righteousness.
| There is a sort of would-be wit which
consists in jesting at the supposed
bondage of the marriage state. The
best answer to this plentiful lack of wit
is the fact that some of the best OF
men
HAVE KISSED THE SHACKLES
which wife imposes, and have either
thought or said, eff this be slavery
who'd be free?' Not long ago, when
speaking of his wife, Prince Bismarck
said, "She it is who made me what
am" And there have been English
statesmen who could say quite as much
Burke was sustained amid the aniety
and agitation Of public life by domestic
felicity. every care vanishes," he
said, 'the moment | enter under m,
own roof" OF his wife he said tina,
she was mot made to be the admira.
ton of everybody, but the happiness o.
one"
A mans wife and family often com,
pei him to do his best, and, when or
the point of despairing, they force him
to fight like hero, not for himself, but
for them. Curran confessed that when
he addressed a court for the first time.
g l,a b,J 49, 81