The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-16
REscu1Ne THE UNFORTUNATE GIRL.
Dangerous Girls

A writer in Lippincotts Magazine says
nothing at first sight seems more dangerous
than the young lady whose attire is always
faultiess, who adopts the latest and most
extreme styles Tin thorough good taste) and
is always in the most elegant costume with
beguiling dresses, gloves and shoes Every
thing in this young lady, from the crimps
on her forehead to the buckles on her slip
pers, IS perfect; it need not necessarily be
costly, but it is correct and natty. The
ruffles, the laces the bangles, the earrings
the necklace, the buckles, the belts-each
one of those trivial details seems snare and
fetter to catch and hold the heart. Still
this young lady is not very dangerous. She
Is picturesque and pleasing object of study;
her toilet is always something to look
forward to. But as compan
ION for life one wants a woman
whose soul is not wholly in her bureau
drawers. Another young lady who has look
of being dangerous is the ball room belle.
She ains at larger effects than her sister Just
mentioned. The latter was neat, piquant,
rather bewitching; this one is something
bewlldering to behold. She seems born for
full costume, and has the air of a queen on
entering a room. She dances we'll, talks
well, is impressive no matter what she does,
and every one sees at glance that she was
born to take splendid position. 1t is mel
ancholy fact, however, that there are more
thrones to be filled. The worship of such
girl may be part of many young mans
experience, but although he is in love with
her, he considers her we'll out of his reach, and
does not suffer severely if he can not enshrlne
her in his narrow boarding house quarters
and ask her to share his s., 900 year. She
may have looked very dangerous, but whose
peace has she endangered? Where are her
victories? l saw such woman the other
night. 1t was about her fifteenth season, yet
she looked fresh and young, and divinely
beautiful. One would hardly have thought
that the history of those IA years since she
came OUT was one of disappointment, fall
ure and bitterness. These ballroom bellies
are not always dangerous. A mans heart
hardens il ever so little against those splen.
did women born with the fatal prerogative
OF strength and power. Another type of
dangerous young lady is the talking
girl" She is clever, she is sharp, and
she constantly enjoys the advantage of an
aptitude at expression beyond others of
her sex. Whether she is pretty or not, she
can amuse men, stimulate them, free them
of their dizziness, and make them a charming
companion. She is never at loss; she reads
everything, knows everything, Is brilliant,
versatile and witty. She sends little quiv-
ering arrows here and there, singing those
whom she does not love. feeling secure in
her friends and in no fear of her enemies.
All the men quote her clever speeches. She
is admired, but she is feared; after a time she
is misunderstood, and she is made unhsppy,
and unhappiness mixes q little gall with the
acid of her wit, and everybody becomes
afraid of her. The discernment of very bril-
liant people is generally moderate, and she
does not realize that though she may please
those who come to be amused, it is not the
clever women of the world who
win love, but the sweet, more
simple women, and that she can not work
a miracle in her own faver by drawing hearts
when she has only made an effort to humor
the fancy and the intellect of men. The
talking girl' is rarely dangerous" The
oil ~ 10 sha rhr nv
some fine fitness to walk into the empty
room in a mans heart which has never been
opened to another woman, and to take up
her abode there. She may not be pretty,
she need not be clever; she may be both of
these things In remarkable degree, and
ballroom belle besides, and chef d'eeuvre
of milliners art into the bargain. But she
has the gift over and beyond all those which
renders all others subordinate. She has
way of listening which makes the most re-
served man eloquent, and her little speeches.
never audacious and rarely brilliant, have
yet something tenacious about them, and
cling to his memory when he sits over his
| fire by night, or goes about his daily work.
Then her face, her distinct and vivid per
sonality, pursues him; it is the girl herself,
not her bangles nor her founces, that he
remembers. He may have admired pretty
| girl with her furbelows and founces. and
! her nice perception of the most becoming;
/ he may have been q little heavy hearted
over the sumptuous beauty of the belle,
and have enjoyed the society of the clever
girl who saved him the trouble OF doing all
| the talking. But this hankering after pri-
vate felicity, the fervid belief in attainabie
happiness, this large faith in the future
which marriage may assure to him, only
followed his acquaintance with the danger
Gus girl'' who upset his boosted ideas of indie
pendent enjoyment. overturned all his
| preconceived notions of bachelorhood, and
set him longing to be engaged.