Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1863-11-26
IMPERISHABLE BEAUTY.


wandered away to the countenance OF
another nader, whose beauty ravished
the eyes of every beholder; as gazed
with feeling of delight its transcending
loveliness, an impulse of thankfulness to
the Creator of beauty. The first maid
en- sat alone around the other stood
group of admirers. So marked con-
trast between the two, as we'll in fea-
lures as in the impression made thereby
excited first something like pity TOR
whom nature had endowed so poorly !;
and I turned to look at her again with
kinder feeling in my heart.
There she sat all alone. Yes, her
face was very plain but it did not strike
me as rcpulsive. The mouth, which had
nothing of the ripe fullness that gave
such an enamoring grace to the other
maiden, was placid and though not en-
circlcd by perpetual wreath of smiles.
Her ewes were small, the lashes thin,
and the arch above them family visible.
Arch 7 can scarcely give it that grace
cul designation. I had not yet seen the
expression Of those eyes. AS looked
toward her, with that strange uncon-
sciousness of observation which all have
remarked, but which few can explain,
she turned her eyes from another part
of the room and looked at me, at the
first glance, as having in them anything
peculiar. They were the common eyes
we met at every turn-no soul in them.
I give my first impression. My second
was different I had turned my eyes a.
way; but something I had seen caused
them almost involuntarily to wander
back to the maideu's face. A friend
whom I highly regarded-a young man
Of more than common orth-had cros-
sed the room and was standing before
her. She had lifted her eyes to his face,
and there was a new light in them-not
a dazzling, but soft winning light that
purity and love made almost beautiful.
They were conversing. and | watched
for sometime the play of that unattract-
i've countcnance, unattractive no longer.
'Ahv said I, there is q beautiful
sound within that casket.'
And as I spoke thus in the silence of
my own thoughts. I looked toward the
other maiden, who was still surrounded
by crowd Of admirers.
Her beauty is wonderful y l could
not help the utterance of this tribute to
her charms. Yet scarcely had | spoken
the words, when she turned to one of
the group which had gathered about her,
a slight curl of unlovely scorn upon her
lips, and threw at him an arrowy word
that wounded as it struck. She saw
that it hurt, and a CLEAN of pleasure
went forth from her brilliant eyes.
A flmy veil came between my eyes
and that countenance, which little
while before had shone upon me with
lovelncss that was absolutely enchant-
ing. | turned again to the other maiden.
NV friend still stood before her, and her
ewes were lifted to his face. She was
utteripg some sentiments what, | did
not hear-but they must have been good
and beautiful in conception, to have tll-
ed every lineamcnt with such winning
grace.
sAh = said |, the real truth dawning
upon my mind, here is the inner, i'm
perishable beauty. The beauty which,
instead of losing its springtime freshness,
forever advances toward eternal youth.
A few weeks later and my friend COM
muntcated to me that his heart had been
won by the charms Of this unattractive
maiden. Once he had been worship
per at the other shrinc-the shrine of
beauty-and knew that, only few
months before, heart and hand were
ready to be offered. Accepted they
would have been, for he had personal
beauty, attractive manners, wealth, and
above all, an honorable spirit.
You knew her well, | hopo. ! could
not help the utterance Of this caution.
She is not thought beautiful, he re-
piled, seemingly to perceive my tho'ts;
indeed, as to features, she is plain; yet
in person she is tall, graceful, dignified,
with carriage that queen might envy
This was true to the letter. l had not
thought of it before. Nature had given
at least this compensation.
But the higher beauty, he added, lis
of the soul. All else is soon diminished.
Scarcely has the opening door of wo-
ere we see the lustre of her
cheek beginning to tarnish
in the social atmosphere or to pale from
b;dooua d;sease. But the souls beauty