The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-08-23
Ra0ies' 4egartnlellt.
SOME WORDS ABOUT THE LADIES


y
| do not mean to tell you that there
are no women in the world, vulgar, and
ill-humored, rancorous and narrow.
minded, mean schemers, hypocrites; but
I do respect, admire and almost worship
good women; and think there is very
fair number of such to be found in the
world, and have no doubt in every ed
ucated EDglishman's circle of society,
whether he finds that circle in palaces
in Belgravia and May Fair, in snug lit
tie suburban villas, IN ancient, comfort
able old Bloomsbury, or in back par
lors behind the shop. It has been my
fortune to meet with excellent ladies In
every one of those places-wives, grace
full and affectionate, matrons tender and
good, daughters happy and pure-minded,
and l urge the society of such to you,
because defy you to think evil in their
company. Walk into the drawing-room
of Lady T., that great lady look at her
charming face and her voice. She is one
of those fortunate beings on whom it has
pleased heaven to bestow all sorts of its
most precious gifts and richest worldly
favors. With what grace she receives
you; and with what frank kindness
and natural sweetness and dignity -
Her looks, her motions, her words, her
thoughts, all seem to be beautiful and
harmonious quite. See her with her chill
dren, what woman can be more simple
and loving After you have talked to
her for while, you very likely find that
she is ten times as well read as you are,
she has hundred accomplishments
which she is not in the least anxious to
show, of, and makes not more account Of
them than of her diamonds, or Of the
splendor round about her-to oil OF
which she is born, and has a happy, ad-
miFable claim of nature and possession
admirable and happy for her, and for
us too; for is it not happiness for US
to admire her |? -
Now transport yourself In spirit, my
good Bob, into another drawing-room.
There sits an old ladygof more than four
score years, serene, kind, and as beauti-
fulin her age now, as in her youth, when
History toasted, I, What has she not
seen, and is she not ready to tell All
the fame and wit, all the rank and beau
ty of more than, half a century, has pass
ed through those rooms where you now
have the honor Of making your best bow:
She is as simple now as if she never had
any fattery to dazzle her; she is never
tired of being pleased and being kind. Can
that have been anything but good life
which, after eighty years oft are spent, il
so-ealm Could she look to the end Of
it so carefully, if its long course had not
been pure Respect her, say, for be-
ing. so happy, now that she is old. Wo
do not know what goodness and charity
what affections, what trials, may have
gone to make that charming sweetness
Of temper, and complete that perfect
MANNER But if wedo not admire and
reverence such an old age as that, and
get good from contemplating it, what are
we to respect and admire
Or shall we walk through the shop
and see Mrs. n playing with the child
in the back parlor until N. shall come
to tea ? They drink tea at fveo1clock,
and are actually as well bred as those
gentle folk who dine three hours later.
Or will you please to step into Mrs Us
lodging, who is waiting, and at work,
until her husband comes home from
Chambers2 She blushes and puts away
the work on hearing the knock, but when
she sees who the visitor is, she takes it
with smile from behind the sofa c1sh-
ion, and behold it is one of J's waist
coats, on whichashe is sewing buttons--
She might have been countess blazing
in diamonds, had fate SO wilIed it, and
the higher her station the more she
would have adorned II. But she looks
as charming while plying the needle, AZ
the lady in the palace, whose equal she
is,-in beauty, in goodness, in high bred
grace and simplicity at least can't
fancy her better, or any Peeress being
more than her peer.