The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-04-27
eRoxEN ENGAGEMENTS.
The Nonchaiancs Displayed Nowadays I'm
Affairs OF the Heart.

Aue Noncuhlance Dtspiayed Nowadays In
Affairs OF the Heart.
1t Is often somewhat shocking to
people of middle age. or past that
period, to observe the nonchalance
with which far too many of the young
ladies OF the present day speak of their
engagements of marriage. that Is. with
no shrinking or hesitation, or reserve,
and, as it would appear to the OBJ
server, with no delicacy. And not
only is it the want of delicacy that
strikes one. but a want of respect
toward the engagement. a treatment
of it as If were the lightest of affairs,
without especial significance unless
one pleased, an arrangement for
lunch, a rendezvous at a reception,
not nearly so serious, indeed, as a
dinner eig Igement, which is some
thing that mist be kept, but a part OF
the frivolities of life. not to be looked
at intently or spoken of gravely, but
entered into half in prank and froIic,
continued rs long as agreeable, and
broken as lightly as bubble a child
blows from pipe.
The manner. too. in which these en-
61SChbtHlo diE II u source OF
surprise and shock. again. to the re-
putable middle-aged woman. who is
convinced that things were not done
so in her young days--the total levity
and want of sentiment. the young
mans purse and general ability to pro-
vide a fine menage and equipage hay-
ing more to do with the solidarity of
the enterprise than virtue or personal
charm; genial manners. good dancing
and pleasant temper being enough for
the temporary arrangement. and the
temporary arrangement being toIera-
bly, well understood to be only for the
season. terminate like various other
copartner-ships at the will of either
party.
But equally is ii matter or pain and
trouble to the astonished observer to
notice the manner in which the en-
gagements are broken. letters re-
turned. all but 6 tel.-tale few, some
gifts returned and some retained;
little romance, little sentiment, as
Just for the plays sake. few tears,
under which the laugh comes spark
ling presently, and the way is clear
for the next aspirant And then the
affair is spoken of as cody and openly
as any event of yesterdays dinner or
oflast nights ball-such and such
thing happened when this young per-
son was engaged to So-and-so. or no.
was it then. or when she and young
This-and-that were so epris with each
atber? The whole affair of the engage
a flower that has sffad faadi, hes been dropped.
told. In this good. middle-ageo ilat iaar,s
uay' when young lady broke her en- |
gagement. or had it broken for her
she went into retirement for n season
IKE young widow. and did not brazep
I out as if she had done no more thar
promise to go to picnic and had
hen thought better of it.
1here seems to the quiet il critical
single profanity about the
business, and she feels this the most in
emarking the careless way in which
9e engagement is formed. as If one
rehed into the Holy of HOLES. and
removing the shoes from ones
ee' Better an affinity of times. she
;ohIeses, are all the broken enpaoe.
hents the world beforehand than !,
oxen marriage and divorce after
Ilu- Eg,t in her code of morals there I,
3ld be neither. The rery idea ~ !.
n,nsge image Should be approached with as =
,,,,.,s reverence rs an altar. In som. :,
r. aT;f the country she knows the T
aa@aoo ~ SO modestly conducted that an !,
,,,e"arsnt ssnt is never spoken of till :
aina Il Us are making for the wed. :
sar's str;IIe IIe this is beyond the CEN = :
:. l;t,ia idea she would vet have y
aha,,. % .hs he church-going feeling =
49, 49, iarnr ~ lens heart in acceptins : :
fa;r tatan sSshe would have the af- =;
would be yrlously that no lover f..
conyenience ., as such just for the n
and attendance Soh pressure ia
proach from vanE 70 mt the re- by
so had a lover, bur because oo-and- oil
he had come to sta Gu oIiy when m
so worthy that the Mhere ne was wi
keep him. Harper heioh was to 40
-- an