Page:Peterson's Magazine 1842, Volume I.pdf/66

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WORLD OF FASHION.
55


To you, patriot fathers, and these nursing mothers of our country, I present the one thousand dollars. It is just one hundred dollars to each soldier, and soldier's widow. It is a mere trifle. No thanks my friends. You, Mr. Niles, are my father in the Lord. Under your preaching I first became convinced of sin, and it was your voice that brought me the words of salvation. You will remain in my house. I have a room prepared for you, and a pious servant to attend you. It is time you were at peace, and your excellent lady relieved of her heavy burden." The crippled preacher fell prostrate on the carpet, and poured out such thanksgiving and prayer, as found way to the heart of Mrs. N , who ultimately became a meek and pious woman, a fit help mate for a devoted gospel minister.

THE MERMAN . BY ALFRED TENNYSON. WHO would be A merman bold, Sitting alone, Singing alone Under the sea, With a crown of gold, I would be a merman bold ; I would sit and sing the whole of the day ; I would fill the sea-halls with a voice of power; But at night I would roam abroad and play With the mermaids in and out of the rocks, Dressing their hair with the white sea-flower, And, holding them back by their flowing locks, I would kiss them often under the sea, And kiss them again till they kissed me Laughingly, laughingly ; And then we would wander away, away, To the pale green sea-groves straight and high Chasing each other merrily.

There would be neither moon nor star; But the wave would make music above us far; Low thunder and light in the magic night,Neither moon nor star. We would call aloud in the dreamy dells, Call to each other, and whoop and cry All night merrily, merrily ; They would pelt me with starry spangles and shells, Laughing and clapping their hands between, All night, merrily, merrily ;

But I would throw to them back in mine Tuskis, and agate, and almondine ; Then, leaping out upon them unseen, I would kiss them often under the sea, And kiss them again till they kissed me Laughingly, laughingly. Oh! what a happy life were mine Under the hollow-hung ocean green ! Soft are the moss-beds under the sea ; We would live merrily, merrily.


FEMALE EDUCATION . BY LOUIS FITZGERALD TASISTRO.

THE influence of the softer sex upon society is now so generally acknowledged, that any argument to prove this to be the case, would be useless and out of place. We can only confess the fact and rejoice in it! We rejoice in it, because it is, for the most part, exerted for beneficial ends. We see , that where female influence is the most freely admitted, there will be the best feelings of humanity most successfully cultivated. Now, this is tantamount to admitting that the gentle sex exercises its power wisely and beneficially, and we wish to acknowledge this ; we wish to do full justice to the admirable virtues, to the high principles of woman. Predestined from the creation of the world to be the companion and helpmate of man, through all ages, history has furnished us with abundant proofs that woman has fulfilled the intentions of the bountiful and merciful God, who gave her to man to be the guerdon of his merits, the sweetener of his toils, the joyful and sympathizing partner of his hours of gladness, the sure and certain refuge to whom he might fly, without a doubt, without a fear, for comfort and consolation, when the clouds of adversity, the frowns of a hard-hearted world should beset him. Yes ! when cold looks, indifference, and mistrust, meet him on every side, when poverty, sickness, and old age, overtake him, man still has one Ebenezer, one rock, sure and steadfast, one well of sweet water, one green oasis in the desert of life - he has the never-failing, wondrous love and tenderness, springing in perennial freshness from the heart of woman !

Now, while acknowledging to the fullest extent the generally beneficent and kindly influences of woman's love upon society, we must be careful to remember, that though the soil be fruitful , weeds may spring,-nay, will spring ; and it is a matter of universal import that the naturally glorious characters of the female sex be not lost from the want of cultivation, or destroyed by an improper and mischievous system .

The only legitimate object of education is to enable the individual properly to fulfil his or her duties. Woman by the decree and ordinance of her Maker, was intended to be a helpmate to man, and we think that we are correct in assuming that, by the term, something more is expressed than the duties of a wife. We believe that the whole human family is implied by the term man. When a young woman has so far completed her education, that it is no longer the principal business of her life, and returns to her father's house, the duties for the due performance of which, she alone is responsible, commence. She must be capable of affording her share to the agremens, comforts and pleasures of the domestic hearth. She must be ready to sympathize with the joys and sorrows of the various inmates. She must be able