DON’T BE A BACHELOR
Nov. 29, 1867
Young man—–don’t live as a crusty bachelor. It is not good for you. It will neither improve your morals, your health, nor your beauty. Marry as you can, make it convenient, and you can shape your affairs to support a wife.
But when you marry, don’t fall in love with a face instead of a woman. Remember that common sense is a rare virtue, much better than silver and gold and fashion. Don’t court and marry crinoline and money bags, simply because it is crinoline or gold in plenty; but look for sound practical sense in a woman first; that is the touch-stone to try her qualities by.
When you have all that, all else comes. Your wife that is to be, if she be full of common sense, will grow to your way of thinking and make you grow to hers. A woman who has womanly love in her heart will find ways to make your love turn to wards her grow as the years go over you both. And another thing needs to be heeded, and that is—– a common sense woman is not to be found where fashion insists upon dragging young females into a whirl, where there is simply idle gossip and little brain.
Young man! Don’t stand looking after that young woman who has the distinguished air, the reputation of a flirt and belle, and whose father has heaps of cash; for it is possible that while you are looking and straining your eyes in that direction, you may be turning your back upon some unobtrusive little damsel, whom nature has cut out for your other half, and who may be just that pleasant-faced, placid tempered, lovely, little creature who will think enough of you to go with you to the end of the world, and stay by and comfort you when you get grey-haired and fidgety.
Marry—young gentlemen—and keep yourselves out of scrapes. Have something to live for. A man alone in the world isn’t more than half a man, and the world wants entire men. So mend yourself and be happy. And you shall have reason to say it was a good thing you resolved to marry and refused to be a solitary, beer-drinking, pipe-smoking bachelor—–if you succeed as well in your effort as he who, once a man-like you, is now simply the old, contented, and comfortable.
The Orillia Times
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