The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1867-02-14

A TRIE LADY.

"A TRUE LADY.
The true lady is unmistakably
recognized, though not so easily
described. She shows in her eve
ry act dignity, grace, a purity
which vulgarity cannOt hope to
counterfeit, nor the most irrever-
ent fail to admire. Whether she
be found in a hovel or on a throne,
there is that in her character which
will inspire respect, and render her
position unassailable. Cassander
finding Olympias, the mother of
Alexander, an obstacle in his ap-
proach to the throne of Macedon,
which his ambition coveted, sent a
band of assassins to put her to
death. But when these hardened
wretches found themselves in the
presence of this daughter, wife and
mother of kings, such was the lof-
ty majesty of her mien that they
could not ralse the arm to strike
the fatal blow. With such de
fense every lady is supplied. Vii
lains who have long revelled in
crime as if it were pastlme, will
stand abashed in her presence
Like the tabled Una, she will move
in her armor, purity, unharmed,
amid all that could contaminate
and all that could imperil.
We may not, as we have said,
describe true lady; but we may
name few Of the characteristics
by which she is most prominently
distinguished. First among these
is genuine refinement, both of sem
timent end manners. This will dis
play itself in the tidiness of her
household arrangements, in the
neatress Of her dress, and in The
elegance OF her language. Many
a shrew, indeed, keeps a house
with scrupulouS nicely; many a
woman, without one attribute of
the lady, dresses with brilliant
splendor and boundless extrava-
gance; many a vlrago uses Ian
guage so utterly refined that she
will employ the most heightened
periphrases to avoid a vulgar eX-
preston. But in all these instance
es there is little danger of a mis-
take. We can tell the home of a
lady, almost as soon as we have
put foot on the threshold. A wo-
man Of truly refined tastes will
make herself known as such even
to casual observer. She will i'm
part to the simplest details of her
household arrangements touches
that will proclaim her appreciation
of the beautiful. All things will
bespeak neatness and comfort, but,
in nothing will there be seen ef-
fort at display. Her dress will al
ways be so appropriate to the oc-
caslon, or so becoming to her sta
ton, that it will appear well, ,wheth.
er it be of calico or silk. Her con-
versation will be chaste, but not
falsely modest. She will never
shrink from speaking right out in
good plain English anything that
ought to be spoken at all. She
will never think of saying very
wicked things in French or Italian
and never think their unbecoming
ness lessened by this use of anoth-
er tongue.
The lady is always unostenta-
tious in her manners, avoiding rath-
er than counting public observa-
tion. She is polite to all; not that
stiff, cold politeness which makes
its object feel quite as unpleasant
as rudeness would do, but that gen.
uine pOliteness which springs from
a benefcent heart. There is IN
her none of that supercillious pride
which causes some to treat with
disdain those who are more plainly
dressed or less highly educated
than themselves. On The contrary
her department toward those who
are inferior to her in wealth or po-
sition is especially kind, without
being oppressively patronizing. 1t
is her first aim to render all who
come under her influence pleased
with themselves. This tact will
enable her to do without either