, 1879-08-24

stare Of the passers-by beauties of twenty
five, rich in color, mature in form, and
schooled to the finish in all the arts which
20 to make up the sum Of female accomp1ieh
ments. These latter, be they mar. ed ~,
single, quail not under the gaze Of arr7an.
admiration, but toss their heads, prond}v
conscious of their own loveliness, But On
the boulevard, as in the drswing-room. thera
! is Quean, and she is widow! Thsra in
that plain, substantial family carriage. :sde
her! ALI eyes seek her as she passes. Sbe
| is thirty-eight if she is a day, but she looka
to- be on the sunny side Of thirty
She is a superb figure; large, almost
stout, but straight as an arrow, and AZ
trim and supple as girl of twenty. She IS
brunette, with 1ustrous, laughing, tawn7
brown eyes, the mouth of HEBs, teeth ~
pearl, and magnificent suit Of chestnut hal,
as glossy as the braided tr6sses Of 3 child
She is the mother Of sons grown to nans
estate, but her complexion rivals that Of tia
peach ripened in the alternating lights and
shadows of the orchard. Her smile IL
seraphic, aud her fair face is never disfpnrad
by frown. Conscious of her unchalleuged
empire over the hearts of men, she bows with
the imperious grace Of Duchess.
It cannot be doubted that the mere stata
Of widowhood contributes powerfully to the
charms Of woman. How is the admitted
fact to be accounted for? Is she refined and
rendered more attractive through her int,
mate association, in tbs holy bonds Of we'd
lock, with the tyrant man? Men might as.
sent to this proposltion-women, never!
Nor, indeed, does this theory sasm plausible:
for the woman widowed at the end OF a brief
week of married life is not less charming
than her sister whose husband fingered ten
or q dozen years-sometimes more so. It is
plain that the widows charms are not derived
from her weeds, for they outlast them; in-
deed, otherwise they would be very aeetin2:
How is it that society detects at glance
the widowho@d Of a woman who enters. the
drawing-room beaming with the brightness
of youth and respondent in toilet Of the
EXTREMIST fashion? There is subtitle essence
in widowhood whose delicate aroma SUI.
AOAIA9 a44A 1ThAA$ . tAV poAoou ~ kH6 WIDOW
rendering her the object of masculine at: |
traction as she is the subject Of feminine
suspicion and envy. Neither maid nor wife
she combines the mesmeric influence Of both
estates, while she is free from the restraint
of the conventionalities by which each il
hodged about.
Why does the widow ever surrender this
high vantage ground by consenting again to
the yoke of metrimony2 The Widow Htcxg
was an American Queen in London society,
She waa ravishingly beautiful. She cast a
spell of enchantment ovsr circle only
step beneath Royalty. Her entertainments
were magnificent, and Prime Ministers were
proud to kiss her hand. Suddenly she closed
her mansion, recrossed the Atlantic, and
threw herself in the path Of plain llr.
LORD, gentleman of fourscore years who
fortune Of SONS millions. To
ook upon Mrs. H1cKs was to love her. A1r.
LORD dreamed that he had taken draugAtof
he elixir Of life. His heart was fred anew
With the restless emotions and feverish pas-
hons Of youth He fell at the feet ofEths
Widow H1cKs, offered her his palsied hand,
md threw his fortune into her iapl No
maiden, no wills. only a woman in the pride
# the invincible power of widowhood,
ould have wrought this transformation.
There Is vulgar impression that the Widow
tICKs married Mr.. LORD for his money! l.: Il
not far more probable that her unsurpassed
ttractions, the indednable charm Of Eher
7idowhood, inspired reflex passion in the
cart Of tho venerable old lover which ran
cred his wooing irresistible2
Although We by no means agree with Ar:,
Vtlle7 the elder in his general estimate Of the
haracter Of widows, We cannot forbear quot
1g his opinion as to their superiority over
laids aud wives. " "Widders, Sammy" said
r.. Weller, slightly changing color, "vidders
"a captions to ev'ry rule. IAavs heerd
ow many ordinary women one wild lar's
3ual to in pint o comm over you. think
3 ive-and-twenty, but T don't nightly
now vether it amt more" Nr.
PelzeTs conception of the increased in
uenca Of woman over man by reason
her widowhood was very just. But bis
ereotyped Injunction to his son Sam, to
Beware Of viddars," and his cautionary re-
ark as to property interests" Mind,
at no widder gets inkIn' o your FORUM
you're done,"-these sneer5 show praju-
ce, and warrant us IN declining to consider
q otherwise excellent and learned old gen..
'man as an authority in aphilosophicalinvas-
CATION Of this character. Dissmissing the
SO Of -Nr. 1Vel1er as one Of prejudice, and
complicated by Stggins aud the red~nossd
IN, aud regarding the case Of 4nr. Pittw;eE
imposslble,-a mere fiction of DICKENS
conclude that wars ara q
ercifu1 dispensaion Of Providence devised
supply society with widows.
We frankly admit that, in entering upon
q discussion Of this subject, we thought to-
aulge in pleasantly at the expense Of the;
at fraternity Of widows. But as We pro-;
eded we became impressed with its gravity;
its pathos, and wa conclude with feel
OF enthusiasm beyond the power OF
lguase to express.
The general meeting Of the American Social