Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-17
n TRUE LADY

We once knew a "young lady" who lived
in fine style. Her parlors were elegantly
furnished, and her dress was always of the
latest fashion. She had her piano and her
teacher, and she played Italian music char
mingly. In all the exquisite graces of life
she was f~aultless. She had. a rich vein of
sentiment, too, and could talk philosophy, or
discuss the standard authors, at pleasure.
OF course she read novels in fact, a large
portion of the day was devoted to that very
fashionable class Of polite literature. She
was also somewhat industrious, for she
would occasionally work embroidery. With
an abundance of curls, that foated over
her neck in beautiful profusion, a fine form,
hands white and delicate, large powers of
conversation in the usual dr~awing-room style,
she was followed by the young men OF taste.
Yet, somehow, she necer got married.
/ The beaux" futtered around her like flies
over a pot of honey, but they were very care
full not to be eau ght as those other insects are
: apt to do. Their attentions were never so
e particular as to require some " friend of the
e family" to demand what were their intentions.
e This was no fault Of the young lady. She
was in the market as plainly as though she
e had inscribed it on her forehead: ga HUs-
e B~ASDwANTED for particulars inquire aCithan."
If But the husband never, to our knowledge,
came ; and VIC a-elive she is at this day a dis
l. consulate old mail.
What was the trouble ? Step with us in the
is kitchen. That fat woman, with a red face,
Dr. is the servant of the house. She does the
ii cooking, the washing, and the chamber-work
re From early dawn until late at night, she is a
ID slave. Well, that woman is our charming
le young lady's mother She never sees her
If, daughters callers" If by accident she
: should drop into the parlor while visitors
IS, were present, she would hasten out again
err with embarrassed manner, looking as though
st, she had committed an offence, while her own
to child's face would be sufused with bushes
le, Now take a walk with us. In that work
Dr. shop do you see that hard-working mechan
sss ic? The wrinkles are hardening upon his
INT face, and the gray hairs are thinly sprinklec
lp- over his head. He looks anxious, and az
to though his heart strings tugged some deel
The sorrow and modification. IL is the fathe
Of our beautiful young lady," and his har'
earnings, for many years, have been abso1
bed in the expensive luxuries that her admi
rable taste has crayed. He, too, is exclude
.h"o from the society of his daughter. She move
u in a circle above her parents, and in short
~ Is ashamed offhem. They live in the kitche
aoI. she in the parlor. They drudge-sh
~ reaps the fruit. She has no pulsation {
,n' gratitude for all this. She despises then
10y and, in fashionable gatherings, is the first
- " -lCI ~ GLly LIPS 9G- Ion AuSCkldIi1GSs
;no provided she can do it safely.
nid Is she a true lady !? No; ten thousan
% times No! We object not to her accomplish
ments-toh her taste in dress-to her manner
5ero We look upon and admire such, just as we {
60 a superb statue of Venus.-As a work of a
IN it is beautiful but, nevertheless it is inse
safe marble having no soul, being of no use
far practical life, and good for nothing but
80 ~ look at.
AHSj UNbo ,o-t- or4l.o .o.-l .. H. 4~,o Loo-4
and the afectionate daughter who nest
~ - herself lovingly into the heart of hearts
2 30 her parents-who makes her mother h
von companion and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES nly wor
con. with that mother, buttakes the heaviest BIT
den upon hcrscif-6he is the true lady. S
;,rbt may never have struck a note on the plan
,6ot yet her house is melodious with harmon
i such AS angels sing. Her exterior may
: oId humble, but her interior life is clothed in t
t;on vestiments of immortal beauty.
There are many young ladies" who
the whole character is on the surface. Dire
hdne manaers, accomplishments, all are extern
They have no depth of thought, no mo-
strength, no heart. They are +" outsiders
be When the scorching fires of adversely bu
- beneath the surface, there is no protest.
wall upreared within. The whole cor
ont a heap Of ashes, though it may ret
.oul5 the outward scmblance Of humanity.
r see - "ue !aoy cuitlVateS tne hiShef h''u
thy one = rti'9lous, put not lanatcai--cou
ooat. upon the arm of her heavenly Father,
fn;nn associating with unseen angelic spirits,
nan meets the storm with calmness, and acce
TL tee it as a disciplinary mercy. Her sympa
ono ever pulsates to the cry of suffering, and
lie hand is ever open to relieve. She is bca,
:, had full at the bedside of the sick, beauti
~ throuph life heautifn1 ot tho borr of hnr
upon n-uusn ~ uo'u'ilnl DIT inc nour d hef
| ear p"ltute in'o az "oFiu VI spirits' ahu IRA
80 That is the true lady.