Year: 1874

The following letter was written many years
ago, by a lady Of great literary distinction, to
her cousin, who at the time graced one Of the
most honorable official stations in the Empire
State, on the event Of bis marriage, and va:
accom- panied by pair of blue mixed stockings,
knit by herself, as present:


DEAR Cousin: Herewith you will receive a
present of pair Of woolen stockings knit by
my Own hands. and be assured, dear Coz, that
MY friendship for you is as warm as the mater
ial, active as the fnger work and generous as
the donation. But | consider this present as
peculiarly appropriate on the occasion OF your
marriage


You will remark in the first place that there
are two individuals united in one pair, who
are to walk side by side, guarding against cold
pess aud giving comfort so long as they last,
The threads of their texture is mixed, and 80
also is the thread of life. 10 these, however,
the white predominates, expressing my desire
and confidence that thus it will be with the
color of yonr existence. No black is used, for
believe your lives will be wholly free from
black passions of wrath and jealousy. The
darkest color here is blue, which is excellent,
when We do not make it too blue. Other ap-
propriate thoughts rise to my mind in regard
ing these stockings The most indifferent cub
jec,s, when viewed by the mind in suitable
frame, may furnish instructive inferences, as
saith the poet:


"The iron dogs, the fuel and tongs,


The bellows that have leather lungs,


The 6re-wood ashes and the smoke


Do all to righteousness provoke"


But to the subject You will perceive that
the tops of these stockings (by which suppose
courtsbip to be represeutodl are scanned, and
By means Of scanning are drawn iuto a snarl,
but afterwards comes a time when the whole
is made plain, and continues so to the end and
fual toeing of.


By this wish to congratulate yourself that
you are now through with scanning, and have
come to plain reality. Again, as the whole of
the comely stockings was not made at once,
but by the addition of one little stitch after an
other, put in with skill and discretion, until
the whole presents the fair, equal piece of work
which you see; so life does pot consist OF one
great action, but millions oflittle ones combined:
and 50 may it be with you. No stitcn dropped
when duties are to be performed-no widening
made where bad principles are to be reproved,
or economy is to be preserved-neither seam
Ing nor narrowing where truth and generosity
are iu question. Thus every stitch of life
made right and set in the right place, none
either too large or too small, too tight or too
loose; thus may You keep oD your smooth and
even course, making existence one fair and con-
siseut piece-uutil together having passed the
heel you come to the very toe of life; aud here
in the fual narrowing of, and dropping the coil
OF this embleuatical pair Of companions and
comforting associates, nothing remains but
white, the token of innocence and peace, of
purity and ght-may you, like these stock
iDgs, the fina stitch being dropped, and the
work being completed, 20 together from the
place where you were formed, to a happier
state of existence, present from earth to
Heaven.


Hoping that these stockings and admonitions
may meet cordial reception, remain in the
true blue friendship, seemly yet without seam
ing, Yours from top to toe.