The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-10-21
Tho Age Of Women.

men than the momentous one of,
when they will lose the power to
chsrm? And it is beyond doubt that
a dread of the advancing years is
much more rooted in the minds of
gentler than of the sterner sex, op-
pressing them, indeed, often at an
absurdly early age. Only the other
day we heard a blooming maiden la.
menting the approach of her seven
teenth birthday, saying with a mel
ancholy shake of her pretty head, 81
am growing so horribly old"
In contrast to this was the remark
of a gentlemen, who, being asked his
age, replied, frankly, II am twenty
seven; not that it matters much, for
it has always seemed to me that a
mans age was of the least conse-
quence between twenty-five and forty.
| should not like to be less than twen-
ty nor more than forty; between these
periods I am Indifferent to the pro-
gress of time"
It would be difficult, if not impos-
sible, to find a woman equally philo-
sophical in her estimate of the fight
of the years, an exaggerated import
ance being usually attributed to the
disturbances of "youngness." And
yet, despite all that has been said
and sung Of the loneliness of imma-
turity, we doubt if any woman ofreal
attractions ever comes into the full
glories of her kingdom until she has
nearly reached that very age which
seems to school girls the ultima thul
of youth.
It is difficult, perhaps to realize
this, because so many of our theories
and fancies are founded rather on the
superstitions of the past than on the
actualities of life. In former periods
a maiden must be welded as soon as
she reaches the age of womanhood;
and as marriage implied complete
subordination and seclusion, the hey
day of life lay in the very brief Pc
riod between childhood and the ear
ly bridal, and as a consequence an ex-
aggerated estimate of the attractions
of girlhood pervades all literature.
But, on the other hand, if We turn
to the pages of history, we find them
full Of the stories of the destinations
Of women who were no longer young.
Helen of Troy had been some years
married when she perpetrated the
most famous elopement on record;
and, as the seiges of Troy lasted q
decade, could not have been very ju.
venile when the fortunes of war res
tored her husband, who appears to
have received her with unqucstion-
ing ardor and delight.
Aspasia was considerably past thir.
ty when she welded Poricles, and she
welded an undiminished influence
for twenty years or more. Cleopatra
was about thirty when Anthony fell
under her spell, which never lessen
ed in power to the day of her death,
nearly ten years later. Livia was
thirty when she won the hand
of Augustus, over whom she main
tanned her ascendancy to the last.
But turning to more modern histo
nv, where it is possible to verify the
dates more accurately, we have the
extraordinary account of Dame de
Poictiers, who was thirty-six when
Henry II, then the duke of Orleans,
and just half her age, became attach
ed to her, and she was held as the
first lady, and most beautiful woman
at court, up to the period Of the
death, twenty-four years after
Anne Of Austria was thirty-eight
when she was described as the hand
soonest queen in Europe. Ninon de
l'Enclos, the most celebrated wit and
of her day, was the adored Of
three generations of cher golden
of France, and presents the
most remarkable story in history Of
the duration Of the powers of fascina-
tion. In the instance of this lady, a
rare combination Of culture, talents
and personal attractions endowed
their possessor seemingly with the
gifts of eternal youth.
Blanca Capello was IS when the
Duke Francisco, of Florence,
fell captive to her charms, and made
her his wife, though he was five years
her junior. Catharine II was thirty
three when she seized the Empire Of
Russia, and captivated the dashing
young Gen. Gregory Oriof: Her ad-
vantages of person and mind made
l