Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-08-02
AUGUST &.
EaOits' Department.
~C0UsINsl
or TRUE AND FALSE BEAUTY.
nr ms. P. ". LArHAH.

Such was Ida Irving, or, as VIC always
called her, the Tdlip, for that was her IA
vorite flower. OF her manners, of her car
riarc, or whatever you please % callit, tosay
she was graceful would convey not just the
right idea; for you would rather say she
was one Of the Graccs. And she had such
n foudness for gorgeous c%olors, such an adj
miration for that Oriental magniicence of
which she had read and dreamed SO much;
and they became her so well, admirably
harmonizing with her peculiar style ofbeau-
~, for there was something almost regal
in her tall form, her flashing dark eye, and
the heavy, shining braids of silky hair that
vreatkea her finely formed head like a
diadem. She knew what style Of dress be-
came her; she had been educated to it, and
If she took pleasure in exhibiting her beau
ty, whose fault was it! Her whole teach
ing from the cradle might be summed up
in one little word-Display. That was
the goal Of her mothers aspirations, the
o66srl6st, -as;ohIyIs utn 'm1dIes can plan aud
toll, day and night, The spirit they wor-
ship is Display. From Ida's earliest recol-
l%ections, all her teaching, all her aims and
purposes were to appear WE'LL She sung,
played, danced because she was admired.
She was sent 10 celebrated school, because
it was the fashion She was taught to
avoid the sunshine and the free breath Of
heaven as if they were contagion, for fear
her pure complexion should be furnished.
She raust not run, or walk, or sit as comfort
dictated, for the sake of appearance f; and
she dreaded q torn or soiled garment as the
ultimatum Of human transgression. 1t was
no wonder, then, if after all this toll for
display, the better qualities of mind and
heart were neglected or if in all the pains
to attract admiration, she was graceful as
the flower which was her ~favorite symbol.
Not that her heart was bad, or her mind
disqualified by nature for the hottest, lofti-
est purposes it was only like the leaves Of
her costly album, filed with snowy and
highly colorcd pictures; but the fine senti-
ment, the bright scintillations of genius,
the excellent maxims, the outpouring of
generous affection, the glittering gems Of
Thought, were all left out.
II has very often been remarked, that
beautiful women are rarely intellectual
and this to some extent may be true, for
how can she who from the cradle has been
petted and hattered, whose wants are an
ticipatod before they are felt; who sees her
self, from childhood to w~omanhood, the OBJ
ject Of unwearied solicitude and care who
finds every silly observation listened to and
admired-how can she escape from the
enchanted ground, or find out before her
beauty wanos, and she is surrounded with
cares for which she is wholly untitled, thai
the only lasting attraction, a cultivated
understanding, has never been hersP AnC
husbands who have been blinded by mere
external grace, who have worshiped tn,
sbR6 perceive that, when the smooth
skin becomes furrowed and the rounded
forms begins to lose its symmetry, that tn
beauty they adored has departed, Leaving
nothing but deformity.
Happy is that wife or maiden who j
arrested before it be too late, and made t
with her inner self, to store he
mind with wholesome aliment, and to Gu
tivate those graces of character which al
her only passport to lasting favor. Sue
were the UNDECIDED teachings of cousin Ha,
riet Hartley-dear, good, loving Cousi
Harriet and yet she was neither very oil
nor very plain. She was always a ridd
to the Tulip so wise, so amiable, so ur
selfish, so capable of pleasing, and yet ca
ing so little for admiration, so fond Of d,
nestle enjoyment, and yet avoiding we,
lock. All, Miss Tulip had Cousin Ha
riet talked half so much of herself or of h
own affairs as some you know Of, you wou
have known ere this she had learned wi
dom of a stern but truthful teacher-afHi
ton that she had sacred and treasur,
memories that she had her hopes and a
ticipations Of q reunion with the loved al
lost which were not of this world.
But to return to Ida. Her mother d
termined that none should outshine herid
at the approaching festival; and the decor
tons prepared for the occasion were of t
most elaborate and costly description. S
was attired as a %sultana, in a most supe
manner while a troop Of attendants, DIR,
scd in character, completed the Illusion.
A general hum Of admiring voices at th,
entrance gratiiied both mother and daug
ter. Who could look upon that bloomir
glittering, graceful creature, and not
claim-beautiful Did any Of that 9
company remember and lay to heart h
transient sthe tulips glory-how pcrfun
less and proftless is all that display
rainbow colors ? We are sure one Q
cavalier did not, who, as sultan of all Tul
dom, continually followed Ida's footste
his eye ever expressing the most profou
admiration, as ifhe believed, unlike cart
fair blossom, she would retain her freshn
and bloom forever
Sic transit whispered Cousin Harr
as she surveyed the Tulip, all arrayed
conquest mo, not SIC transit lau
ingly replied the happy girl; gloria NJ
al, write for me-
A few days after, Ida was seized will
sudden faintness, not peculiarly alarming
FIRST, but followed by violent fever. A D
stefan was sent for, who shook his head n
teriously and after recommending seclus
and quiet, intimated that n few hours wo
probably develop more clearly the nature
the disease. Alas for short-lived beauty
The next day tho nature Of the disease
too plainly apparent Ida was suffering
der the acutest form Of a loathsome and
tilent disorder. She was too full of 81
too i'll, to be aware Of her own danger ;
her mother realized the full extent of the
lamity, aud knew that even fife were spar
the glory other beauty was gone forever.
For many IN anxious day the disease
ged, and Ida lay moaning in her helplessn
until at length she was pronounced out
danger but, oh, what a wreck of lovelir
lay in that darkenod chamber The {