Short stories; United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
And yet, on the other hand, I can see how some sort of a case can be
made out for this book of mine. I suppose I am wrong-I generally am in
regard to everything--but it seems to me that quite a large part of the
population of this country must be grown-up people. If I am right
in this contention, then this large part of the population is being
unjustly discriminated against. I believe in doing a reasonable amount
for the aid and comfort of the young things that are just beginning to
turn their hair up under, or who rub a stealthy forefinger over their
upper lips to feel the pleasant rasp, but I don't believe in their
monopolizing everything. I don't think it 's fair. All the books
printed--except, of course, those containing valuable information; we
don't buy those books, but go to the public library for them--all the
books printed are concerned with the problem of How She can get Him, and
He can get Her.
Well, now. It was either yesterday morning or the day before that you
looked in the glass and beheld there The First Gray Hair. You smiled a
smile that was not all pure pleasure, a smile that petered out into a
sigh, but nevertheless a smile, I will contend. What do you think
about it? You're still on earth, aren't you? You'll last the month out,
anyhow, won't you? Not at all ready to be laid on the shelf? What do you
think of the relative importance of Love, Courtship, and Marriage? One
or two other things in life just about as interesting, aren't there?
Take getting a living, for instance. That 's worthy of one's attention,
to a certain extent. When our young ones ask us: “Pop, what did you say
to Mom when you courted her?” they feel provoked at us for taking it so
lightly and so frivolously. It vexes them for us to reply: “Law, child!
I don't remember. Why, I says to her: 'Will you have me?' And she says:
'Why, yes, and jump at the chance.' What difference does it make what
we said, or whether we said anything at all? Why should we charge our
memories with the recollections of those few and foolish months of mere
instinctive sex-attraction when all that really counts came after,
the years wherein low passion blossomed into lofty Love, the dear
companionship in joy and sorrow, and in that which is more, far more
than either joy or sorrow, 'the daily round, the common task?'” All that
is wonderful to think of in our courtship is the marvel, for which
we should never cease to thank the Almighty God, that with so little
judgment at our disposal we should have chosen so wisely.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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