The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1859-09-21
A Charming Portrait

In glancing over Mr.. Milburn's Ten
Years Of Prcacher-Life," we fell on a
charming picture Of one Of our Southern
women Mobilian, we believe. Let the
reader see if he cannot recognize the por-
trait. II is charming, but not for the ap-
probation Of the coarse or the merely
fashionable:
I may be allowed to sketch another
Southern woman. the wife, not Of a plan
ter. but Of a professional man. She is a
person with the fine Grecian contour OF
whose head and face, and with whose
stately figure you never associate the idea
Of age, but she must be approaching the
iOrties. Her cOuntenance, | should saw
had never been beautiful, but it is more,
for there reigns in il the expression Of
calm, benignant wisdom. There is moth
ing of studied elegance in her mein or of
s,afgcSY,e haft0U which often passes for re-
pose OF manner, but an indefnable blend
ing Of gracious kindness and simple dig
nifty, which at once insures your conf
dence and awakens your reverence. She
does not overcome you by her learning,
although she has enough to qualify her
for a professors chair. not fascinate YOU
by her conversation. albeit few people talk
as well she is a finished woman of the
world, and yet lives in region high above
the articles of mere conventional life. In
the longest acquaintance with her. yOu
never hear her tongue debased to scandal
or gossip. Of which the well-bred are often
a. fond as the vulgar yet is she mistress
of all the lighter parts of conversation a.
well as of the graver. She never tiatters
you save with that most subtle and ex.
| duisite of all compliments, the interested
| and appreciative listening to your dis.
| course, which inspires you to talk better
with her than anywhere else. Servants
| children and all simple folk revere and
/ delight in her, while the wise and great
/ find in her a companion fit for the fellow
| shin Of their selectest hours yet she Il,
| not what is styled universally popular, for
/ she has no magnetism with which to at
/ tract the frivolous, false, and foolish. She
/ il not a blue stocking, for there lives not
/ a more thorough house-keeper or a more
/ admirable cook. Her taste in dress i,
| faultless, and she possesses an artists eve
| for the harmony Of colors. Plato, Bacon
and Shakespeare are her handbOoks, hui
| she il not above darning stockings, teach
/ ing her negroes 10 read and write, and IL
an intimacy Of years, | never saw her il
/ other than an immaculate costume. Will
her began the reading Of Grote's IS His
tory Of Greece" As the successive volumes
made their appearance in England, and
an, srre that Mr.. GrOte has never had
more appreciative reader on either side o
| the Atlantic. Il was she that introduce,
me 40 Comics Positive Philosophy,
while AS vet almost unknown either II
| Great Britain or America "a capital pre-
scription by the way for my then trans
cendental tendencies.l Her reading ha
been wide, but more select than various
and abe has studied more than read
with an intellect in which creative an,
reflective powers are singularly united t
adn,inistrative faculty. her highest prais'
4 that she is every inch woman. ID
occasion. she could sail a ship, handle al
.r,,, or administer the affairs Of the stat
or treasury departments yet she Is th
ideal of a wife, mistress and iriend. On
,yill probably 90 down 10 the grave know
only 10 that private circle, the measure o
,ybosc reyerent love for her IS guaged b.
re- Lpoyyledge Of her character and thei
own capacity 10 esteem the highest WORT
and loyeliness but II the Juncturc de
handed. no woman Of whom history ten
nd has PLAYED nobler part than she
competent 10 do.
A correspondent Of the Mobile lriouh
saws. the lady Of Hon. PERcr WALKER'
sketched in the above portrait.