THE GARDEN OF MATRIMONY.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 94, 27 April 1876, Page 7

THE GARDEN OF MATRIMONY.

Knowing thou art shortly to enter a garden enclosed, and that thou art at. present a stranger to it, permit an; old friend to give thee some account of it, for I have travelled almost every path, arid know almost every productiou it can yield, and as a little, information can do thee noharmpt may some good. ThouLknbwest there is but one wav of entrance into this garden, ahd jthis in general is extremely gay, glittering, and strewed with flowers of. various kinds arid fragrance : all that art; or imagination can invent, and thou: wilt fondly hope this scene of rapture will never alter, ;as thou caristAnot "see ithe end of this path when thou enterest it. To some it proves a very short one, and to thee it may appear very different; in the retrospect. ;

I Here, my dear, let me caution thee not to dream of perfect: or permanent j bliss; if.thou dost, experience will convince thee that never exists on earth, but in vain aud visionary minds ; thou wilt meet' with many productions in this garden pleasing to the eye and ; to the taste, but they are not all so. Let me just remark that, thou are taking with, thee into this garden, one of the most delicious and delicate flowers in all nature — I. mean " Good Humor." . Do not drop it nor loose it, as many do soon after they have entered, and seldom, If ever, find it again. It is a treasure nothing can make up the value to thee. When thou gettest to the end of the first path, commonly called " honeymoon path,'' thou wilt see the garden open into a variety of views. Here, 1 must caution thee against some-produc-tions which are noxious and fatal to the unwary and. ignorant.. . There is a small plant which is to be _seen in almost every part of the garden called " Indifference," though not perceived, at the entrance; thou wilt always know, when near this plant by a certain coldness in the air which surrounds it, for, contrary to all other plants, this one iflouTJshes by: cold: arid dies by -'heat ; whenever thou perceivest this change in the atmosphere, change thy situation as soon as thou canst...

Tii the same path is often found that ugly yellow flower called v Jealousy," which. l wish, thee never to look at; ,turn from it as fast as possible, for it has the strange faculty of tinging the jey.e that beholds it with a stain which lis. never got rid- of* -As thou goest .on thou wilt meet with many .little .croaked jpaths j do not go into them, which I ■advise thee as a friend never to attempt, for though at the entrance of each is written in large letters, " To the right,"" Syet,.when thou gettest into them, thou 'wilt find the true name to be Perversenes.s—and that thou aft got in at the wrong end, tho' thou wilt not acknowledge it. This occasions endless disputes, and t sometimes firial separation* In 'the. same garden, near this /spot, thou wilt meet with a sturdy, knotty plant called "Obstinacy," " which • bears a i hard fruit that never digests ; turn from it as from the plague;" • Just opposite this grows tlie, lowly, lovely plant called «? Compliance," — which tho', nor always pleasant "to the taste,, is salutary and sweet when digested ; vyhioh it. does. easily, and produces the mqstdelicioup fruit in the garden. Never be without some of it in thy hand, it will-often be wanted as thou goest along ; thou wilt sorely rer pent the want of it. —

All over the, garden thou ma^est find that useful plant called ."^cotromyl" It is of a thrivingLqiiality j -take a" good stock of it as thou goest in, it l adorns and enriches at the same' time. AMany entirely overlook 1 ' it, 'some despisti Lit,! others. think they shall never, require it. : It is frequently forgotten. in the hurry with which people enter this, place, but tlie totaf want of it : U cbmmohly paid, for with bitter repentence' ; I must just! tell thee thafc^unless both partake of it,! it will answer little encl to either.; : yy ■' , Observe, as thou passes t, two or three j paths which run one/ in another, and] which deserye;\thy,-atjentifln>^l~meani those of regularityAexactriessi.and neat- ' ness. Do not thihk;~*as many t .do, that' whetAonce in!, tKou'inay'st' be carelessipf thy dress and thy! companion will see some^w'hb are «not! so; the difference will :o s!rike his eye j if not offend it. ; Nearthese paths is to! jbe* found that-, ipyaluable sweet Ashnib! called! "Humility,;" } this,, though* of no! worth' by 'itself, yet jwhen joined to? other good_ qualities^sjH^rth,. jh_emA,all \ pptA together JJii Is neyer s r een Twithoutj beingA admired, a'tnT is most amiable; when,mos't7yisible.p Cultivate with all 1 thy care. tKi's^ humblej)lant, as.it , is -the •besfAafrtidbteAt^ weed called—' PriHei''-.- cJ - '- : ~

Allow .inecto diopLa hint on fhesub-j ject of cultivation, -as that may be f your! eraplpynierit -s^nei^br latfer/'^Slfould^ti thou beL eritrus.tied'^ witV 7 the : A;cSro of a floweivre&etolbei^ : That it is but a flovyer^^hoy^e^er fair^A^ail: in. its i -nattu:e 7i .fading^tHeyery«bJ!S6tl^ 2nd : Xhatilk Jaffo^erJ ;twation~of which . tliou Aart^tcf beTfccountable t'o-thW tiftat Master" of {-t|e garden; it will demand all/thy care"; it ,v^ilUdrai.v*,. all attention. jjfSUoutcTst' thou bS- a witftesl 'to, a blast -on w its davvning- beauties, , otak-ho^ thy fond heart will bleecl with^t^n^erndssA "^affe^* tiqn^antir^ tnjmthyi! ;^h^ feelin^Araay be conceived—they cannot/lie deseriliied; !The ; :youngAshoqt "will fiatdraily/ami ins,ensibly .'■ entwine Aar!b\ind / thy Lirame;

Should it live spare no pains to teach the young production how to nse; weed it, water it, and prune it; it will need all thy care j without it man y baneful weeds will grow up with it, and poison the very soil on which it grows. Hemember this is-a trust, for which you' are both accountable to Him who -nves it. • n That you may be pleased with . the sweetest productions of this delightful' garden ; that they may be the delight ot your eyes arid the joy of your In-art, and that you and they when the sumjmar of life is over may be transplanted into some happier soil, and flourish together in immortal vigour and in perpetual felicity is the ardent desire of one who knows.—' Toronto tiaily Globe.'