Page:Love and its hidden history.djvu/146

 I love a pretty woman — (bless her soul!)

Hor shapely form, sweet face, and gentle carriage;

Her pleasant language; and, upon the whole,

A maiden, less than one who lives in marriage;

For maids, though they be beautiful as elves,

Fail, when with gentlemen, to "act themselves."

I love a married woman, for she knows,

By deep experience in life's joys and woes,

That men have honor and trustworthiness;

And meets me with free speech and open face.

I know the homes of many such, and when

Their happy mistresses invite me thither,

I call upon the prettiest one, and then —

I sit right down and spend the evening with hor! If the world knew the real value of human love, and had less gab and pruriency, it would be the better for it, and the mothers would bring forth men and heroes, instead of half made-up specimens of diseased humanity — as now. As for me I pray for woman, and labor for her cause in order that we may have what the world most needs — men:—

God give us men! A time like this demands

Strong minds, great hearts, true faith, and ready hands;

Men whom the lust of office does not kill;

Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy ;

Men who possess opinion and a will;

Men who have honor — men who will not lie;

Men who can stand before a demagogue,

And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking;

Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog,

In public duty, and in private thinking.

For while the rabble, with their thumb screw creeds,

Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps,

Wrong rules the land, and waiting justice sleeps. All this is as true as that God lives. We shall see a better state of things when marriages are happy, and wives bring forth in hope and love, and holy trust, and not in anger, fear and hatred, as is, alas! too often the case in the times we live in. It would puzzle our arithmetic to count the cases within the bounds of Christendom, parallel with that of the ruler of Persia. Perhaps you, reader, have not heard the story ; if you have not, here it is, prettily and fairly told : —