Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-30
MASKED FACES.
by FOrIOrn Hope.

Notof those that, on Shrove Tuesday, met
our gaze on every side, under all forms,
shapes and sizes; when pleasant, kindly
natures sought disguise beneath the sa-
BILE wings of the repulslve bat; when soft,
silken masks, that suggested youth and
beauty, served only to conceal great
bearded faces; when tawny skins reyelcd
for awhile in fair presentments of the hui
man face divine, or with cb0n masks
sought in vain to convey the impression
that features of Caucasian mould were
thus concealed; nor yet, the Mystick
Krewe of Comus, hid beneath the marble
effigies of warrior, statesman, priest or no
bic, would here discuss, but rather OF
those impenetrable masks that remain
when these, at best, poor, flimsy and
transparent DISCUSSES, are laid aside.
l believe it was Talleyrand, the willy
diplomatist, who, no doubt, acted accord
ingly, who declared that the tongue had
been given toman to concealhis thoughts.
Proportionately TO its ability to convey
meaning, the same may be said of every
lineament of the face, when taught and
schooled to the task.
Concealment, or, as it is termed, a
proper control of the emotions, is one OF
the first lessons instilled into the young
mind. Soon social etiquette, pride, self
interest, come one by one TO strengthen
the impression, until, at last, beneath the
iron power of viii, the face becomes an
inscrutable, undecipherable enigma, and,
like the young Spartan, man learns to
smile, though tortures infinite may rack
soul and body.
See there, moving along the street. That
man mods, smiles, shakes you by the
hand, talks of the veriest trivialties, and
leaves you at last with a decided impress
sion that he must be very free from care
or trouble, and altogether is one to be
envied. Could you follow him TO the
solitude where he believes he may safely
lay aside all disguise, and behold the
metamorphosis; the eyes become dull,
the brow heavy and tightly knit; the
smiles vanish and hard lines usurp their
places, and in the pleasant face of your
street acquaintance you read of anxious
thoughts that tell of business perplexities,
or home troubles that others must never
know.
s'Tfe child is father to the man. Life
holds for him its cares, its sore troubles,
its petty annoyances none the less cruel
to him, because perchance a subject OF
laughter to wiser and older heads, and
which be feels must be perfOrce hidden
from sneering looks or rude remark. Not
such an adept at deception, the effort viii
probably be clumsily made, the DISCUS
transparent, and like the Mardi Ora
mask, ofttimes disclosing all it endeavors
70 conceal. Is not the effort transparent
when, returning home from school with
recOllections of tasks unfaithfully per,
formed, that have brought their lnerlted
punishment, even 90 corporal chastisc-
ment? What are the swagger, the threats
and the air of utter Indifference he as
sumes, but the means by which he hope:
TO prove TO his fellow sufferers in the hall;
of learning, how utterly above such thing'
he is, and with what supreme contempt
he holds books and masters; whereas
down in his heart of hearts, he feels bu
too kcenly the indignily, and sobs of re
pentanCe swell it almost To bursting Nor
is he less retcent when play usurps tn
place of graver taSks2 Have you neve
seen boy at play the recipient of blow
whose force inflicts physical pain almos
unbearable, yet have you not seem him
with stole firmness, choke back the risin
sobs, and smile, because, fors0oth, tear:
are to him the type of the years he ha
left, and manlincss their antipodesl
Nor are mamma and her little daughte
one whit behind father and brother /
their efforts at deception; nay, they &
even beyond them in the nice dlstinctio
between appearing most to conceal whe
really most revealing ana apparently mo!
TO reveal when most adroitly concealins
Women have finer instincts, are qulckc
of perception, and seize more readily IL
happy moment where a right word in Il
right place, meaning glance, oertai
expressiOn-and the looker-on is deceive,
Not that women are more nslnce
than men-let no one mistake II
meaning-but women, as a class, a
more sensitive, shrink more from crit
cism, fear censure and discussions mo
than men; therefore have they more
conceal, and far more strict, over wol
and look, must be their watch and war
Then comes society with its exactiOns,
uncompromising rules, and It's fetteI
which gall and fret, but may not
thrown off. | know it may be said, WI
should insincerity make part and parcel
the social plan. or why should you,
diyidually, make one with The comm
cause? Yankee-like, let me answer o
question by asking others. Would }
be willing, invariably, TO lay open yo
thoughts to every one yOumeet, and fall
in this, do not think that the decepti
used in keeping them TO yourself Is mt
than atOned for by the saving in the W
feelings which otherwise would be
Cenderedl For, charitably inclined
you no doubt are, can you, To- main s
Ia conscience, declare that you thi
equally well, to put it mildly, of all "
fellow mortalsi If your answer is a
suspect, then say !, you wear this cow
tional mask quite as effectually as ]
next door neighbor.
IL L. 1T -