The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-09-30
Miscellany.
Nyln phs.

% From the Saturday Review
Between the time o. the raw schoolgirl
and that OF the finished young lady is the
short Sc son OF the nymph, when the ph, ST.
cal enjoyment OF life is perhaps at its keenest
and girl is OF afraid to use her limbs as
Nature meant her to use them, nor ashamed
to take pleasure in her Youth and STRENGTH
ThiS is The time when sharp run down a
steep hill, with the chal ce OF a tumble mid
way, is an exercise by no means objected to
when clarabering over gates, stiles, and even
grabbed stone walls is not refused because OF
the undignIfed display oil ankle which the
adventure involves; when eaplng ditch
comes i'm as one OF the ordinary accidents of
a marshland walk; and when the run of rid
ing is infinitely enhanced il the horse is Oily
half broken, or bare-backed. The nymph, an
out-of-dooi, breezy, healthy girl, more after
the pattern Of the Greek Dread than tue
Amazon, is found only in. the country and
for the most part only In the remoter districts
of the country. In the town she uegenerates
into tastness according to the law which
makes evil merely the instruction OF force.
There is no prettier sight among girls than
the nymph when thoroughly at her ease, and
enjoying herself in her',wn peculiar way
That wonderful grace OF unconsciousness
which belongs to savages and animals belongs
to her also, and shemoyes with a supple Tree
dom which atlectation or shyness would
equally DESTROY TO see her running do n
green field, with the sunlight falling on her,
her light dress blown into colored clouds by
the wind, her step little too long for the
correct town walk, but so firmly planted and
yet so light, so swift aud SO even, her cheeks
freshly fiusf ed by exercise, her eyes bright
and fearless, her teeth just shown below her
lip as she comes forward with ringing laugh,
carrying a young bird which she has just
caught, or sheaf of wild flowers for which
she has been periling her neck, is to see a
beautiful and gracious picture which one re-
members with pleasure all ones lie alter
Or you meet her quite alone on wide bleak
moor, with her hat in her hand and her hair
blowing across her face, looking for ploveIs' |
eggs, or terms and orchids down in the damp
holiows. She is by no means dressed accord !
ing to the canOns or La FOHet, and vet she |
always manages to have something pictures
que about her-something that W ould delight |
an artists TASTE, and that is in perfect harmo-
ny with herself and her surroundings, which
she wears with profound ignorance as to
how well it suits her, or at least with only an
instructive knowledge that it is the right
thing for her. She may be Shy as she meets
you; il she is passing out OF the nymph state
INTO that OF conscious woman-hood, she will |
be shy; but ii still nymph with no disturb
ing II fuences at work, she will probably look |
at you with liked, pei picking, half provok- |
ing look OF frank curiosity, which you can
neither notice nor take advantage of; the |
trammels of conventional lite lettering one
side heavily, if not the other. .-
Shocking as it is to say, the nymph may |
sometimes be met on the top of hay cart,
and certainly in the hay field, where she is
engaged in scattering the "cocks," if not IN
raising them, and where even the haymak-
ers themselves-and they are not notable
romantic race-do not grumble at the extra
trouble she gives them, because of her evil
dent delight in her misdeeds. Besides, she
las bright word for them as she passes; for
the nymph has democratic tendencies, and is
frank and affableD to all classes alike She
needs to be a little looked after in this dlec-
ton. not tor mischief but for manners; for, if
not judiciously checked, she may become in
time coarse There are seamy sides to every
thing. and this nymph does not escape the
general law.