Marion Marlowe's True Heart, or, How a Daughter Forgave — page 31: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

heart and never refuse her assistance or sympathy. My dear Miss Shirley, will you please answer this question? I would not dream of asking it if jt was not sucha serious matter. Is there any subject relating to matrimony and married life thatis too indelicate for my fiance and myself to discuss before marriage? There are one or two things that I wish to settle, and my mother says Iwould be unmaidenly to even whisper them. Please give me your candid opinion on the sub- ject. Lena W.”’ Absolute confidence between engaged people anda perfect understanding of each other’s wishes and temperaments is the surest possible founda- tion for a successful marriage. The ignorance whichis taken to the altardoes not affect two “many generations, and is always accompanied with misunderstanding and misery. It is a mother’s part to look into such questions as have embarrassed my correspondent. Some moth- ers are sadly negligent in their duty towards heir children. A little plain speech would have ‘saved much suffering. All subjects are holy that have to do with the solemn obligations of matri- _ mony. — TY have been engaged for three years and ex- _ pect to be married next spring. Nowthat I am ~ almost face to face with this change in my life _ that I have anticipated with so much pleasure, I ~~ am ashamed to confess that I almost dreadit. I _ love my betrothed dearly, but I am so afraid that I shall not be happy when my whole exist- +~+eneeis wrapped upin him and his affairs. All the time that we have been engaged I have seen other friends, and we have both gone outa great deal. When I become a married woman I am _ __ afraid thatI shall find the monotony unbearable. Do you think that I am very wicked to*feel so, and had I better postpone my marriage for a _ time? ALICE D. K.”’ Your difidence is not an unusual feeling, nor one of which to be ashamed. No woman of deli- cate sensibilities can face so radical a change in her whole existence without nervousness. _ Those who take such a matter calmly are thick- _ erskinned than their sisters. There is no reason __-why the ‘‘monotony”’ should be unbearable. .You and your husband can still enjoy the pleasures _ Novre.—This department will be made a special feature of this publication. whose remarkable ability to answer all questions, no nfatter how delicate the import, will be much appreciated, we feel ‘sure, by all our readers, who need not hesitate to write her on any subject. Miss Shirley will have their interests at people alone, but is perpetuated frequently for | the best possible proof of his integrity. ' YS = | S ———_—_— wf. It will be conducted by Miss Shirley, The following letters are a few which we have received*from time to time, addressed to the editors of our different - publications, the answers to which will be found interesting. ». F STREET & SMITH. of society, but enjoy them together, and there is nothing more pleasant in life than the chat to- gether after the ball or. party or theatre. When you have both devoted yourselves to entertain- ing others for an evening you will be glad indeed to have your husband get your wrapper and slip- pers for you and to cuddle up on a cozy armchair and talk the evening’s events over with him be- fore you sleep. “Tam in deep trouble and know of noone to turn to but you, dear Miss Shirley. I have been engaged to a young man for overa year, and we expected to be married this winter. Last night he told me that he did not want to marry me unless I knew everything about him, and then he told me that he had once stolena large sum of money from his employer, and that he had been arrest- ed, but his father paid the money back and he was released. Since then he has paid his father back and has been upright and made his way in the world; but it seems awful to me to marry a man with almost the shadow of a crime hanging over him. Won’t you tell me what you think about it? MINNIE A.”? The poet says: “T hold it truth with him who.sings— That men may rise on stepping stones Of their dead selves to higher things.” That aman has stepped aside and repented is If you cannot value a lover whois honest enough to want to come to you with his whole life open as a book for you to read, you cannot have much appreciation of true manliness. The man who can live down a thing like that and make his way in the world afterward is a man to be proud of, and we judge that he is well worthy of any girl’s true affection. If you loved him you would not hesi- tate a moment, but would help him to forget the past and to ‘‘go forward to meet the shadowy future without fear and with a manly heart.” We wish that we knew the young man person- ally so that we could clasp his hand in friendship and tell him that we would stand by him in his earnest endeavor. CORmMiclboo! mn SH (CO)