Alexandria Gazette

MARRIAGE LETTER.

The following letter was written many years ago, by a lady of great literary distinction, to her cousin, who at the time graced one of the most honorable official stations in the Empire State, on the event of his marriage, and was accompanied by a pair of blue mixed stockings, knit by herself, as a present:

Dear Cousin: Herewith you will receive a present of a pair of woolen stockings knit by my own hands, and be assured, dear coz., that my friendship for you is as warm as the material, active as the finger work and generous as the donation. But I consider this present as peculiarly appropriate on the occasion of your marriage.

You will remark in the first place that there are two individuals united in one pair, who are to walk side by side, guarding against coldness and giving comfort so long as they last. The threads of their texture is mixed, and so also is the thread of life. In these, however, the white predominates, expressing my desire and confidence that thus it will be with the color of your existence. No black is used, for I believe your lives will be wholly free from black passions of wrath and jealousy. The darkest color here is blue, which is excellent, when we do not make it too blue. Other appropriate thoughts rise to my mind in regard ing these stockings. The most indifferent subjects, when viewed by the mind in suitable frame, may furnish instructive inferences, as saith the poet:

"The iron doge, the fuel and tongs,
The bellows that have leather lungs,
The fire-wood ashes and the smoke
Do all to righteousness provoke."

But to the subject. You will perceive that the tops of these stockings (by which I suppose courtship to be represented) are seamed, and by means of seaming are drawn into a snarl, but afterwards comes a time when the whole is made plain, and continues so to the end and final toeing off.

By this I wish to congratulate yourself that you are now through with seaming, and have come to plain reality. Again, as the whole of the comely stockings was not made at once, but by the addition of one little stitch after another, put in with skill and discretion, until the whole presents the fair, equal piece of work which you see; so life does not consist of one great action, but millions of little ones combined: and so may it be with you. No stitch dropped when duties are to be performed—no widening made where bad principles are to be reproved, or economy is to be preserved—neither seaming nor narrowing where truth and generosity are in question. Thus every stitch of life made right and set in the right place, done neither too large or too small, too tight or too loose; thus may you keep up your smooth and even course, making existence one fair and consistent piece—until together having passed the heel, you come to the very toe of life; and here in the final narrowing off, and dropping the coil of this emblematical pair of companions and comforting associates, nothing remains but white, the token of innocence and peace, of purity and light—may you, like these stockings, the final stitch being dropped, and the work being completed, go together from the place where you were formed, to a happier state of existence, a present from earth to Heaven.

Hoping that these stockings and admonitions may meet a cordial reception, I remain in the true blue friendship, seemly yet without seaming,

Yours from top to toe.