The Portland daily press., 1875-03-31
AhOHt Women.

have often wondered at the singular in1u-
ence possessed by some women; and l have
always found that they were women who
looked up to themselves-not necessarily bril-
liant persons not necessarily witty, but original
(of course, person is original who takes great
pains 10 form his or her own convictions); and
them as most women are very sympathetic,
this combination of originality and sympathy
max es them the most charming companions
more charming, of course, than men of the
like self-respecting nature, because such men
nav not be sympathetic, whereas the women
are nearly sure to be so. You may depend up
on it that Cleopatra not only sympathized with
Antony, but had ideas OF her own which
greatly interested and attracted him. And so
with the great ladies in France who ruled GER
tain sections of society. You may take 1T for
granted that they We're women who looked up
to themselves. We have had fewer OF such
women in Engand-that is, ostensibly; but
you will find that in most circles. even IN re-
mote country places, there are women OF the
kind mean, who have immense power IN the
form of influence. -SOcadt Pressure by Sir ar
thur Helps
During the war of 1870, the Empress Augusta
made every effort to mitigate the suferings of
the French soldiers in captivity. 'She went so
Tar as to contract personal debts in order to pro-
vide small comforts for the men, The resources
of her allowance have always been very limited
and her meagre revenue is doed out to her
every month, exactly as the ladies of the court
are paid. The king has thus found means to
economize. every year, at the expense OF his
cOnsort, enough to cast anew cannon. Those
who went to Baden, in its palmy days, relate
that her majesty, being DESTROYS one day to
give memorial of regard to Nine. Viardot,
handed to that lady her own brooch, adding in
a gentle but saddened voice, you see that
have worn it, A nature so good and generous
was fatally destined to clash with the proud,
cold and calculating character of Prince Won
Bismarck. The queen has always been in
state of antaeonsm to the chancellor, and is
said to have frequently been able to keep him
in check"
We sometimes hear of hair yard and
half long, and consider its poss3ssor exception
ally endowed. But Buffalo lady boasts of
hair of still more extraordinary dimensions. 1t
is yard and three-quarters long, of rich
black color, and of a thickness proportional to
its length. Such wealth of hair must be
possession worth having, and doubtless the la
dy is an object of envy among her less richly
endowed friends. But all treasures have their
drawbacks, and the care of such mass of hair
must be a weary task. These, therefore, who
have only a moderate portion of capillary
wealth will find a compensation in the less
amount of time required to keep it in the best
condition. Ii, however, the quantity of hair
were a matter of choice, we will venture to say
that large majority of women would take the
abundant hair and the care it involves as quick
ly as they would accept wealth and the respon-
sibility that goes with it.
The characteristics of the Russian tvno of
feminine beauty are an extreme fairness of
complexion, grayish-blue eyes, blonde or chest
nut hair, and certain eneJonpoint, arising
from the lack of exercise and the life in doors
which is compelled by winter lasting seven
or eight months. They suggest the idea of
odalisques whom the Genius of the North
keeps confined in the tropical atmosphere of
hot-house. They have compilations of cold
cream and snow, with tints of the heart of
camelia-like those over yelled women
OF the seraglio, whose skin the light has not
touched. BY this extreme fairness their deli
cate features are rendered even more delicate,
aud the softened outlines form faces of Hyper.
.boreau sweetness and Polar grace.