The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-08-29

capital. | have
more than that now in cash. but |
don't feel as rich as ! did then.
nor was in realty. That is a good
enough foundation for any youngster
to begin married life with, provided,
of course, the girl in the case is COLI
tented 10 start with that and be salts
fed with what he can provide for her
withlut overstepping his income So
say that il William is as well fixed as
[ was l shall have no objection to him
ON the financial score But it is mighty
important that he have this start It's
mighty embarrassing to Il bride to find
the tailor's Intercepted bill in the in
side pocket of her hubby's wedding
coat, and if you discover that William
is little backward in money matters
you'd better postpone the joyous cere-
mony until he can get move on him
self and get ahead of the pay wagon.
On the other hand. my dear, if he has
roll as big as a telegraph pole
wouldn't consider it an insurmOunta-
BILE obstacle. Money is a mighty good
thing to have lying around, and l don't
know that | would consider it advisa-
Bile to put limit on the amount, pro-
vided it doesn't pile up around mans
legs SO that he can't work. l have TAX
en- 1t for granted, little girl, that you
love each other. | don't know why /
should, for | am well aware that love
Is getting to be questionable, but I
am one of those old fashioned fellows
who believe that love is quite essential
to happiness in married life and have
no patience with those people who hold
that mutual esteem is a satisfying sub
stitute. There are lots Of men and
lots of women that highly esteem, but
contract to live with any one of them
indefinitely. Love Is an entirely differ
ent proposition. 1t comes to the nor
| NAL man or woman but Once-once at
a time, at any rate-and it's the feel
ing which the good Lord meant should
be q prelude to and a necessary &C.
compartment of the relations between
! man and wife. It's the real divine fire,
little girl, and there are no substitutes
that are of as much value as a cookie
bur in a sack of oats by comparison.
y
ell in the feeling.
The Genuine Article.
Do you remember how you broke out
with the hives at the same time Mamie
| Jones was down with the smallpox
| over in the next block and how des-
perately scared your poor mother was?
Lots Of people make the same mistake
| about love. They think they have 4
| very serious attack of the real thing
| when it's only case Of hives, figura
! lively speaking. l hope you and Will
| liam have caught the genuine article.
| None but the genuine will last; none
| but the genuine will carry you through
| the storms and land you safely in the
| blessed haven. Your mother and /
| have passed forty happy years togeth-
| er. There have been trials and trOu-
bles a-many, God knows, but we BRAY
ed and breasted and surmounted them
| together upheld by love. That's the
main thing, honey. Do you love him,
really love him? Does he love you?
| Money and position and brains are of
| small Importance when compared with
| love. 1t doesn't insure happiness.
| There are circumstances under which
love is unhappy, miserably unhappy
sometimes, but you certainly can't be
| happy long without it.
Yes, my little girl, you have my con-
| sent full and free. l wish / had more
| light. I wish that my judgment could
be based more upon personal observa-
| ton than in my confidence in your
| -t,.o hat iJ
| and in your own we'll tried discretion.
l would like much to see and know the
| man of your choice before | handed
you over to his keeping, but l am SO
| situated that l cannot do as l wish. l
must go it blind, my dear, and perhaps
| it is just as we'll If l were at home I
would doubtless do just as your moth
| er and yourself desired me to do, and
| whether we know or whether we don't
| we must still to a certain extent go it
| blind in this matter of matrimony. We
have to take good deal on trust any
how, and we can only hope and pray
that your married life may be as hap
| by, as free from care. as your mother
| and | have tried to make your child
hood days; that your husband may be-
and always be. all that You now believe
him to be, and that as wife and mother
| you may reach as near to perfection as
the dear one who gave you birth.
And now, little one, as to your wed
ding. | don't believe in long engage
ments, but don't be in a hurry. The
engagement is period of trial that is
a mighty valuable preliminary to mar
riage. 1t gives you a chance to get
better acquainted with one another. to
get closer view of the others quail
ties. to find out whether you are really
fitted for life together. There's no
rush about it, The parson isn't 60
Ing TO leave town. And whatever
you do. honey. don't sneak out the
back door and get married by justice
Of the peace with deputy constable
as the witness. That isn't a real mar
rage. It's just a going through some
legal forms that enable you to live to-
gether without being interfered with
by the sheriff. Her wedding should be
the greatest event of girls life
something that will be full Of pleasant
memories for her in after years; a
memory of pretty dresses ana a prettier
bride. memory of joyous music and
glorious flowers. with the odor of or
ange blossoms lowering over all and
seeming the years like a breath from
the blessed land, and, above all, a
memory of solemn ceremony and of
holy vows so impressed upon young
hearts by the beauty and sublimity Of
the surroundings and the service that
time cannot efface them.
You Are Worth Waiting For.
You cant afford to miss the material
pleasures of the preparation; the hours
of shopping with your mother, the
making of plans and specifications for
the bridal gown, the building Of weird
and wonderful garments immersed in