Year: 1861

I have speculated great deal upon matri-


mony. | have seen young and beautiful wo.


men, the pride Of the gay circles, married-as


the world goes-well Some have moved into


costly houses and their friends have all come
and looked at their fine furniture and splendid
arrangements for happiness, and they have
gone away and committed them to their sunny
hopes cheerfuly and without fear 1t is natu-
raj to be sanguine for the young, and at such


times am carried away by similar feelings
! | love to get, unobserved, into q corner and
watch the bride in her white attire, and with
| her smiling face aud soft eyes moving before
me in the pride Of her life, weave a waking
dream of her future happiness, and persuade
myself that it will be true.


l think how they will sit upon the luxu-
RANT sofa as the twilight falls, and build gay
hopes. and murmur in low tones the now un-
! forbidden tenderness, and how thrilling the
| allowed kisses and beautiful endearments of
welded life will make even their parting JOY
ous, and how gladly they will come back from


the crowd and empty mirth, and Of the gay, to
each others quiet company. picture to my
self that young creature, who bushes even
| now at bis hesitating caresses, listing eagerly
! for his footsteps as the night steals on, and
wishing that he would come; aud when he
enters at last, and with an affection as undy-
ing as his pulse, folds her to his bosom, | can
| feel the very tide that goes flowing through
his heart, and gaze with him on her graceful
! form as she moves about him for the kind Off
ces of affection soothing all his unquiet cares
and making him forget even himself in her
young and uushadoWed beauty.


cro fOruorJ vnor. ou1 San bnr I,yuriouc
hair put soborly away from her brow, and her
girlish graces ripcning into dignity, and bright
| loveliness chastened into affection. Her hus


band looks on her with proud eye, and shows
her the same fervent love and delicate atten-
tions that first won her; and fair children have
grown up about them, and they go on full of
honor and untroubled years, and are re-
membered when they die. l say l love to
dream thus when go to give the young bride
joy. 1t is the natural tendency and feeling
touched by loVeiness that fears nothing for
itself; and if ever yield to darker feelings it
is because the light Of the picture is changed
| am not fond of dwelling upon such changes,
and | will not minutely now. | allude to it
only because trust that my simple page will
be read by some Of the young and beautiful
beings who move daily across my path; aud
| would whisper to them as they glide by joy
ously and confidently the secret of an uncloud
ed future


The picture I have drawn above is not
peculiar 1t is colored, like the fancies of the
bride; aud many, oh many an hour will she
sit, with her rich jewels lying loose in her
fingers, and dream such dreams as these She
believes them, too-aud she goes on for awhile
undeceiyed. The evenings are not too long
when they talk of plans of happiness, and the
quiet meal is still pleasant, with delightful
novelty of mutual reliance and attention.
There comes soon, however, time when per-
sonal topics become bare and weariSome, and
slight attentions will not alone keep up the
social excitement There are intervals of
silence and detected symptoms of WEAKNESS,
and the husband first, in his manhood, breaks
IN upon the hours they were to spend togeth-
er. cannot follow it tcircumStantially There
come long hours Of restlesSness, and terrible
miSgivings of each others worth and affection,
until, by and by, they can conceal their uueasi
ness no longer, aud go out separately to seek
relief, and lean upon o hollow world for sup
port, which one, who was their lover and friend
could not give them


Heed this, ye who are winning, by your in
nocent beauty, tho affections of high-minded
and thinking beings Remember that he will
give up the brother of his heart, with whom
he has had ever fellowship of mind; the soc
ETY. Of! bis cotemporary runners in the race of
fame, who have held with him a stern COM
panionship, and frequently in his passionate
love he will break away from the arena Of his
burning ambition, to come and listen to the
"voice of the charmer" 1t will bewilder him
at first but it will not long and then, think
you, that an idle Establishment will claim the
mind that has been uSed for years to an equal
communion Think you that he will give up
for weak dalance the animating themes of
men and the search into the mysteries of know
ledge? Oh, no. lady believe me-nol Trust
not your influence to snch light fetters =
Credit not the old.faShioned absurdity that
womanS is a secondary administering to the
necessities of her lord and master 1t is a
higher destiny l would award you. If your
immortality is as complete and your gift OF
mind is as capable as ours, would charge
you to water the undying bud, and give your
self healthy culture, and open its beauty to
the sun, and then you may hope that when
your life is bound with another, you may go
on equally and with a fellowship that shall
pervade every earthly interest Washington
Lrring.


LOGICAL DEDUCTIoN-At a protracted meet