ART OF HOME MAKING.

CHAPTER I.

Falling in Love.

HERE is an old, old fashion which has never yet

gone out of date, and which has as many followers
in this end of the century as it had in the begin-
ning; or, for that matter, as in any period since
the world began. Every generation, as it takes
its turn in this strangely mingled life of ours,
passes through certain phases, one of which, and
not the least important, is the one we call falling
in love.

One sometimes wonders why we say falling, as if there were something unexpected and precipitate about the matter; as if it were a sudden thing, against which precautions cannot well be made; as if, indeed, it were a thing connected vaguely with misfortune; but Cupid peers over our middle-aged shoulders, laughs in his sleeve, and continues to aim his little darts at young and old, and still his happy victims go on falling in love. One cannot always tell how it happens. The poet says that "in the spring a young man's fancies lightly turn to thoughts of love;" but love has all seasons for its own -spring, summer, autumn and winter alike. One of the certain things in this world of uncertainty and change is that, come what may, people will meet and be mutually attracted; will fall in love and marry.

Some of the happiest days of life are courting days. Of all futile questions, the most so is this-Why did such a man choose such a woman, or why did this gay girl select for her mate so grave and sober a man? People are apt to like their opposites. The tall, strong man prefers to tuck under his arm the little

slender woman; the short woman does not mind looking up sometimes to quite a height; the short man chooses a young grenadier of a woman. Equally, the blonde and the brunette seek one another. The law of love seems to go by contraries. The impulsive and impetuous person likes the calm, staid and deliberate

one and vice-versa.

Very slight things are sufficient for love's beginnings. A girl puts on a pretty gown, knots a blue ribbon at her throat, sticks a flower in her belt, and goes lightly and thoughtlessly along her way, and that day a man happens to see the bright cheek and the blue ribbon, and loses his heart. We have all heard of the maiden who tied her bonnet under her chin and tied a young man's heart within, and most of us, when we remember cases of love at first sight, see that what was so apparently accidental had a good deal to do with the matter. As a rule, young people do not say to themselves, "Go to, I will seek a mate." On the contrary, they are won by some slight thing; some grace of manner, or charm of speech, a dimple, a blush, a soft word, and before they know it, all is over with them, so far as love is concerned.

"Love is strong as death," said the writer of the song of songs, and no truer word was ever said or sung. Of all forces in this world, love is the strongest, and the true love of man for woman and woman for man, abiding and constant and faithful, is the most beautiful and enduring thing in life. Let no one persuade you that there is anything foolish about love. Love is the truest wisdom. Most unhappy are young people who take to themselves the philosophy of the cynic, who are frightened at small means and fear to trust to time and the strength of one another's affection, and so live lonesome and loveless lives. Many a man loses a pearl of price because he forgets that faint heart never won fair lady, or because he is afraid that the girl he admires will not be willing to share his day of small things. Men do women small justice in this regard. The true woman

is not afraid of poverty; she desires to share the fortunes of the man she loves, and it is little to her that she will not have fine dresses or fine furniture or a wide house, if she may share the struggles and the triumphs of the one who seems to her the best of all.

Young people who have been mutually and strongly attracted to one another are a little impatient with advice from older ones, unless the advice happens to be exactly in line with their own wishes; and yet it would seem as though parents who had watched their children from the earliest days; who had taught them, worked for them, and for them endured many self-denials, might be trusted to wish the best for their children. A girl should at least take her mother into her confidence when she begins to feel that some man who has hitherto been a mere acquaintance is beginning to be to her something more. When there is a strong opposition to a match on the part of relatives on either side, young and

inexperienced girls should be very sure that they are right before they resolve to go on in the face of friendly opposition. Equally should men accept counsel in

a kind spirit. I have

known very happy mar-
riages which were
rushed into in
haste, and also
some very unhappy

ones, which might

thereto been willing to wait and accept good advice given by mature and loving friends.

For instance, a young man on a business journey was once at a certain waystation on a railroad when a beautiful girl entered the car with a package of school books in her

hand. She seated
herself quite near
him, and the man
watched with admir-
ing eyes during the
miles which stretched
between several sta-
tions the pretty turn
of her small head, the
lovely curve of her
ear, and the thick coil
of nut-brown hair low
at the back of her
head. By and by a
certain station was an-
nounced, and the
young lady alighted.
The young man also
found himself at the
end of his trip.
he stepped to the
platform a friend met

As

him and at once presented him to the maiden whom he had been watching, saying, "Let me introduce you to my sister." Within a week these young people

were engaged and in one month from that

day of their journey, they were married; and for forty years they lived together in a companionship so sweet, a comradeship so perfect, that wedded bliss in their experience made earth a heaven.