The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1891-10-22

home in social circles, there is another
custom, vaguely and also vigorously In
vogue, and nat is to solicit wedding
presents in a polite way. am not OPP
posed to wedding presents or to any
other kind of presents-but they should
come l believe as kindness comes; as
honesty comes or as sincerity comes.
The dog that is kind to you because you
have cowed him exhibits no kindness in
fact-he exhibits fear. The man who re-
spects you because he is afraid of you,
would stab you in the dark If occasion
| offered. The person who comes up to
you, freely and frankly and says, as he
clasps your hand in a strong embrace,
old fellow, l am really glad to see you,'
we'll that is honesty and it is sincerity.
But / do object, and l fought with the
| Old Woman about the habit which seems
to be growing, and to alarming proper
tions over all the world, to issuing a
hand bill which reads:
"YoUR PRESENTS RI Solicited"
Not your presence is cordially request
ed-and no "presents received"-para-
dox, maybe, but that should be the stuff.
/ attended once, professionally, a we'd
ding. Not professionally as a groom,
although I have done that-but in a re-
portorial capacity, and one man brought
a few joints of stove pipe, another
brought a sword, although this was in
times of peace; another brought a Ian
tern, and one a lamp, and one a jar of
| apple butter and then there was a cake
or two, a nickel-plated clock, "a sack Of
oats, a lap-robe and the Lord only knows
what. The groom had no horse and he
had no buggy-yet the lap-robe made an
elegant table-cloth, $50 I was informed
afterwards)-the oats were hulled and
used to help swell the coffee supply in
the larder, and the happy couple looked,
alb, too lovely fN anything! The bride,
in all that loveliness which poets paint
and artists emulate was .cross-eyed, tbs
true; she was bow-legged-cruel fact,
and the wen on,her head was large and
tempting as was also the freckle on her
nose, but l bowed to the most stern of all
now remembers:
"The marriage last evening, one of the
most brilliant social events of the season,
was a beautiful and most happy occa-
sion" [ knew that occasions were not
often beautiful-but then words are
cheap, and on a country newspaper space
is plentiful. Continuing remember that
l said, "The beautiful and accomplished
daughter Of the HON. BILL SQUINT-EYE
never looked more lovely and her charm
ing graces which have so many times en-
liyened society here, being remembered
by all present-it seemed that a rare and
radiant spirit had gone out of the. world.
And there had-out of the social world
for Mrs. SQUEDUNK, nee SQUINT-EYE,
has enlarged her sphere and is to be-
come the ruling queen of a lovely home"
| remarked casually, and | knew that
| lied, that COLONEL SQUEDUNK, the
lucky possessor of Miss SQUINT-EYE's
fair hand, was one of the most popular
young men of the village, and that he
had a bright future before him. I say
that l knew I lied-but, then, CUSTOM
made me do it. l did not forget that he
owed several bar bills; that he played
billiards and sometimes poker; that he
had the regard Of certain of the "fallen"
ones-but, then, why should I have
thought about those things when orange
blossoms and cabbage leaves were COM
ing?
All, no! Let the world learn for itself
why should betray?
1t was only a year or two until the
gallant colonel forsook his wife and
child-and perhaps in some other village
the columns of the paper groaned with
an account of another "of the fairest
bellies whose heart and hand he had duly
won"
And SO | say, that marriage should be
a sacred thing. 1t should be no street
parade-it should not enter into the
realm of sentiment, o should the occa-
sion be made one of attempted gain.
Marriage, as Col. BILL SHAKESPEARE, a
well-known literary gentleman of En-
gland, once remarked, constitutes a
worldwide bargain-it is most solemn.
Beauty fades and hearts change. The
man who takes the hand of any girl en-
tiers into a most responsible position. He
should not attempt to start off in a blaze
of glory-but should rather try to so
conduct himself that the blaze of glory
and of honor would come in after years.
We all have friends-and they want to
give us some little keep sake. This is
we'll. But these little gifts which come
from the heart and are a part and parcel
of the donor should be held in sacred
keeping. No n who gives and gives
from the heart ever lacks resnect for