LADIES' COLUMN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume IV, Issue 220, 18 April 1872, Page 8

LADIES' COLUMN.

THE D7FLTJENCE OP WOMEN.

Man is the sport of circumstances*It is a fact which cannot be controverted that the character of every man to a greater or less extent will be influenced by and assume the same general features of the character of those with whom he associates, and particularly of those among them whom he loves or respects. But there is a certain class of society (I allude to- the ladies) who exert a peculiar influence over us, paramount to — yes, I venture to say, exceeding that of all others with whom we associate. In the several capacities of mother, sister, wife, or daughter, they may almost be said to hold our destinies in their hands; and much of the weal or woe we experience, and the good or evil we do, or cause to be done in life, depends greatly upon them. Independent, however, of the ties of consanguinity, affinity, or alliance, and merely considered in the abstract as ladies, how unlimited their power over us, and what a vast amount of good may they not accomplish, by encouraging every virtue, and pertinently exhibiting their disapprobation of vice and immorality in whatever garb it may be clothed, or by whomsoever it may be practised. In this way they may render themselves the happy instruments of causing " the wicked to forsake his way," and reclaiming licentious, wandering youth from the paths of ruin and disgrace. Where is the young man who has not actually become callous, and lost to every finer feeling ennobling our nature, that would dare to utter a bad word, or even entertain an evil thought, in the sooiety of virtuous and prudent young ladies? Seeing then that their influence over our sex knows no bounds, how great is their responsibility; and how many, ulus! bestow too little thought upon it, or will not think at all. Ladies, to you we look with confidence for the removal of the prevailing vice of our country. This you can do by ceasing to associate with and on every proper occasion discountenancing, the vain, the drunkard, the libertine, and profane; convince them that you disapprove of their conduct, and that, so long as they continue to be the authors thereof, they must of course expect to inciu* your decided disapprobation. Such a course, universally and strictly carried out, will effect more for the improvement of society than a public lectni'er on morality, stationed in every city, town, and village throughout the land.

A yonng man wanted to marry a girl out in Wisconsin, but her rich parents forbade the match. The young man became sick — very sick — and had terrible fainting fits. The doctors were called, and said he would soon die, and he said he wanted to. The father of the girl visited the patient, and agreed with both him and the doctors. The poor fellow said that if he could marry his Mary Ann he would die happily. His dying request certainly could not be refused, and, Mary Ann having no objections, the minister was sent for, and the solemn ordinance of marriage was performed before the most solemn messenger of death should step in to snatch away the gasping bridegroom from time to the regions of eternity. The knot being securely tied, the patient rose from the bed a well man. It was a great cure, astonishing both the cruel •' parient" and the doctors, but the bride acted as though she had expected it all the time.

The last new profession ladies have adopted across the Atlantic is shorthand reporting. A Mrs. H. A. Johnston, who is said to be one of the most rapid and accurate reporters in America, has put up for the canditature of the engrossing clerkship of the Assembly, and has a very fair chance of election.

In addition to various other manly attributes, ladies have now taken to " interviewing, " and there seems to be something very inhuman and revolting in the conduct of the female denizens of Delphi, Indiana, who, during the last two hours of a condemned murderer, poured in upon him to the number of two hundred. " Nearly everyone of these visitors," remarks the "Detroit Free Press," "gave the murderei* a farewell kiss and said they were sorry for him." It is added that this exhibition of sympathy somewhat consoled the doomed man.

Husband-selling has been man, gurated in Adair County by a Mrs Alexander, who recently offered to " swap " her better half for a sewing machine.

The young ladies of Oil City are in a sad state of despair at not being able to follow the Parisian fashion of wearing high heels to their boots. They tried it for a time, but the pavements being made of rafted lumber, and being full of peg-holes, the fair wearers frequently found themselves entrapped, and usually the pavement had to be torn up before they could resume their walk.

The reason why so few marriages are happy is because young ladies spend their time in making nets, not in mak-

ing oages. — Swift.

Imagination is to love what gas is to a balloon — that which raises it from the earth ; and matrimony is the escape-pipe, by which the balloon is brought to earth again. How is it that yonng ladies during a,' waltz never resent being troubled by their partners' whiskers?— Because they fcaow it is, duly ft hop-tickle delusion,,