Year: 1867

Faith" in the IAdspendent, discours-
es thus of Weddings"


did any of you ever think for an
instant what reason prompts nine
tenths of the girls to marry, anywhere
from eighteen to twenty-five? Is it be-
cause they are dead in love" with the
object of their choicei Nothing of
the sort ;" rather from the truth-that
they would "die before they'd be old
maids" Then, too, it's grand, nice
thing to have an elegant new wardrobe,
not to mention the sensation they
make when they are married. Shame
colors my cheek at the remembrance
that my own sex are not truer 10 their
higher principles in this matter. And,
much as | dislike to say it, will in
Justice affirm that more men marry for
love than women. The grand mistake
of both parties is this: They marry for
halcyon days alone; they think of
naught but the Iuby-hued joys they
may quaff while the sun shines. The
evil days-when the bright cheeks are
pale, the teeth gone, hair thin and
gray-are not reckoned as part of their
lot. They query not of their own
hearts. Is your love and deYotion wide
and strong enough to endure to the
end? No; it's not these thoughts that
fill their minds. It's our house, our
carriage, our servants we will keep
now, or some time, when the pspas die
and leave the pockets. Isn't it 50,
girls and boys?


The woman rarely hears the 'still
small voice" that asks, should your
husband prove unsuccessful in his
future business career, could you, with
bonny sweet smile, say, Never mind;
we'll climb the hill togetherw % and
doing your part well, make life bless
ing to both? No; she doesn't entertain
that, or the still more important query,
eff temptation assail the partner of
your joys and sorroWs, and he, proving
weak, fall into error, is there love and
devotion enough to sustain you with
out hinching, till y0u win him back
from sin and dissipation ?" The conflict
will be fearful and long; hence. be
prepared, my sisters, to conquer in
these struggles, if they are sent upon
you, ere you promise to Glove, honor
and obey" And the husbands he
quite sure that. if the wife fades early
and loses much of her girlish beauty,
or if the hand Of disease is laid heavily
upon her. and she becomes a lifelong
invalid-is this man sure that he can
resist the temper and reman devoted
to his early love? appear answer,
man and wife" We young folks are
not wholly to blime-nay, indeed, Our
fathers and mothers are greatly at
fault. They bring US girls up to sup
pose that we must marry and start in
life just where they are ending it; and
it would be positive abuse to permit US
10 wed q man who would allow US to
keep house in anything less than two
stories, with the same number of hand
maidens.


Well, there sre not many of US who
could do with less; for the pro-
portion is small of those who know how
to perform well the slightest household
duty. Save your hands, girls; always
dress up early IN the morning, and
keep so all day, lest you fail to marry
fortune. The boys are no better off
A family is deeply afflicted if their
promising son-thsir hope, joy and
pride-casts an admiring glance even
to an honest girl who sustains herself.
No style, no fortune, mo nothing"
Spare us this disgrace, my son~ And
he generally complies, and marries
Flora, the dear girl who has nothing
to wear" No matter if the pas and
mas did need 10 work; that's by-gone
so let it remain. Oh, indeed, there's
so much to say that one needs q huge
book wherein to place it all. and |
tremble lest I'Ve already wesried you
with that which 1 assure you is meant
only in kindness. But l leave you
now to your own reflections. hoping
some grains Of good may fall in rich
soil, and bring forth some tempting
fruit.