Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-08-06
THE GRANDMOTHER.

but q well-behaved grand-
mother is living protest against the
absorption Of the present; she 10 the
past crystallized. She lives ever the
old days, and they have lost hone Of
their glamour aud their gladness.
Happy is it that the psst hss beauty
simply from being far; what was
coarse or discordsnt or Distressing
fades away, aud only what wss true
and beautiful remains. This is,rthe
essential quality of romance, and the
grandmother has it to perfection.
To those of us who. are doing eur
best to enjoy summer in the city.
come many enticing invitations from
Grab Orchard and Mount Eagle, from
Block Island and SarstOgs, from New
port and White Sulphur We think Of
the gay crowd there, Of the Waltziug
and the flirting, Of the music aud the
melody, the fair women aud the spirit
of rest and pleasure thai pervades it
all, aud we wonder il the world was
ever quite 80 bright aud beautiful -
it is this year at the summer resorts.
Ask the grandmother, and you will
know that we have waited eur pity
on the generations which have pre-
ceded us. We have become moro
civilized, iu one sense; We are moro
luxurious aud rather more Indifferent
aud affected, but It is certain our
hearts beat no faster or truer, tho
waltz has gained nothing in power to
fasciuate, the German is not so win
ming as the cotillon or the reel. Har.
rodsburg aud Estill, Blue Lick and
franklin gathered two generations
ago q crowd as attractive and ~
bewildering as any Grab Orchard
knows now. Them there was the
journey to Saratoga, Au.. event 70 be.
remembered aud to be enjoyed than
the cup of pleasure was full to the
brim. Saratoga has changed-im.
proved they ssy-but the grsndmoth-
er is incredulous, for she remembers
1t as it used TO be !; her mind is.busy
with the recollections Of q bali there
when she was the belle Of IL. Music
was never. so sWeetp the lights were
never 50 brilliant, ,ths stars hays usyaf
since had just the came luster. Money
was not the chief attraction then;
youth and beauty and wit and court.
esy distinguished the crowd. Possi.
bly, the manners were somoW hat
formal, stately ssy,i but that isi far
better than the easy vulgarlty 81
these days. A woman than WAs Q
queen she had to be w0ed 10 be Won,
and was not had for tho asking. KSs,
there was rather more restraint, hit
restraint is virtue which would add
much to the tone Of societY Id ghS60'
degenerate days, thinks tAt' oldslady y
The gentlemen are not 90 deferonual
now rs then they take TOO masA for
granted. and ponb Of them 0re,io 80.
nest. She remembees the bold, man.
ly, earnest lover who was 90 near bo.
ing your grandfather. but w. not
she sees now nope Of that defsrenes,
that courtesy, that c6urtly air of con.
mand now she overheers enc Lover
quote line from 9Hinburpe pes-,
mold, but then the knights did not
stop with line ~ two, hnt rspeatod
on the viue-cled pqEtico. just peypnd
the glare Of the ballroom lamp, Q
poem OF Waller or OF Herbert or of
Herrick.. 30 allfthe past 10 beaasieul
to her the men were oil kuighta and
the women all worthy or that kHieht-
ly love aud service. We haon1 iho
sun and stare shinel % bright rnev -
then we know the women Arp Inst
GO OS"uGAuA ouu -Juot ~ tEO0 oo0e
ners only have changed, not men aad
women, not love and honor and duty.
But ii is romance that besutided the
ipast II is always 'elsew here both IN
time aud place. What sWe aofodally
now will hereafter be nlothod With
something of this same .beWitchiug
grace anu beauty. We too viii 30
old and elder il we are especially
blessed we too viii tell our grand.
children how much more wise and
good and honest aud romantic sud
real and genuine the world vs. In
1881 than it is in 1900 or 1910; Ne are
living romances to-day without sus.
pecing 1t, but time will chow It.
So let us make the most, OF. our
grandmothers While We have them.
They do come to ne crowned With
good deeds, and they should bo.6oli
coined as messengers from ehs past
and prophets Of the future. In our
passion for old furniture We must not
forget the grandmother. With TIE
andirons and the back .loge, With the
brass tenders aud high mantsls, With
the candle-sticks aud che sptaafRh
wheel, let US bring in the otd laaaS6
who gave the charm to thsea ttlAas
10 the past. Dust the old arm. chair
aud rocker; make place for it ID the
most comfortable corner, where to
breeze comes In the summer time.
aud the sun shiiieSin winter, vhtM it
shines at all deck the old lady ID het
caps and rufi1es and her gold QaeeA.
cles; talk TO her Sf the oldNn lima.
until gentle light nils her dear old
eyes, aud smiles ~ sweet 1sfta16t 0f
childhood make her face bright, and
you have the fafreSt legacy y6u can
bring down from'shs psSt. S'rE ilssnil
With money you can buy ibsiS-os
brac and old pictares; II yQV asA rich
enough you can even p1rohSse q tees.
q tete set once usSd by MadaMe Pen
padour, but nmortey will not 10y l
picturesque old grandmother. Not
every family in America cares 70 ia.
vestigate ancient history, uutilas IN.
covers grandmother. 90 with - ai,s
is really Q patent of nobility. and hse
presence is q perpetual bOnDd dIetion.
With the children the grSmdmGth thor
is something morethsu ID ornpl1eut.
al article;she 10 sansspeciaf fprovfdsnoe.
OF course she pets them sad sp0fls
them. taking plsasure In doin9 is.
She trsmples under foot oil her Nne-
honored theories about the best way
TO- govern children, since 't6Sofics
seldom last through Que gSnetasion.
ihe children are the happier, ff uoS
the better. and the world into which
they have been brought without their
consent is brighter than It would b
without grandmother's iudulgenoe.
SO we need not wait till the close
OF life for our romance. II W wish
it. We can have 1t Whenever we wish
1t. All We need is little mere dujst
aud rest. We are too eager, aud 10
soon grow tired. aud then tirespms
In the pursuit of happiuess. It SCENE
to be where We Journey, where We
have been.' not here, not nov. Tns
grandmother has pasted through ell
these experiences. When young she
looked forward, now backward, 20
the golden age. Ii We will matte the
most of her, il we will learn OF her,
we may have to-day some OF the ro-
nance which so chngs to the past.
The golden year 10 ever as eur doors.
and IT is only those who fail, 70 70.
cognize this who IN after years will
| say: ~ .f. s,..tt- - =
MY eyes are full OF childish tesrs. .,..,.
MY heart 10 idly stirred,