The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-12-25

TACT AND REAUTY.
why Plain Girls arc Freferred 70 Hand
some Onee.

A lady who had seen much of the
world was asked on one occasion why
plain girls often get married sooner
than handsome ones; to which she re-
piled that it was owing mainly to the
tact OF the plain girls, and the vanity
and want of tact on the part of men.
''How do you make that out?" asked
q gentleman.
'1n this way" answered the lady.
''The plain girls fatter the men. and
so please their vanity; while the band
some ones waitto be hattered 10y the
men, who haven't the tact to do il"
There have been cases, however, in
which the situation presented here has
been reversed. and plain. even ugly,
men have succeeded in making them
selves SO agreeable to young ladies as
TO become their accepted snitors. Here
is case in point When Sheridan first
met his second wife, who was then q
Miss Ogle, years of dissipation had
sadly disfigured his once handsome
features, and only his brilliant eyes
were left TO redeem a nose and cheeks
too purple in hue for beauty. What
a hight exclaimed Miss Ogle, loud
enough for him to hear. Instead of be-
ut once engaged her in conversation,
put forth all his powers of fascination,
and resolved to make her lot only re-
verse her opinion, but actually fall in
love with him. At their second meet
ing she thought him ugly. but certain
ly fascinating. A week or two after
! wards, he had so far succeeded in his
design that she declared that she could
not live without him. Her father re-
fused his consent unless Sheridan could
settle Els, 200 upon her, and in his
usual miraculous way he found the
money.
Those who have read George Eliot $
Felix Holt will rememberhow Felix,
] though himself rough, unpublished
workman, gained the love of refined
and delicately. reared young Lady, not
by fattering, or even attempting to
please and CRAFTY her. but by Gliding.
| depreciating, aud almost despisiug her
because she read Byron, and knew
nothing of the heavy mental pahulum
on which he himself was wont to feed.
She was at first dreadfully vexed and
offended; but by-and-by she came to
believe that Felix had . grand mora
ideal. beside which her own was frivo
lous and insignificant; and striving tc
emulate his exalted motives and views
of life, she made him her beau ideal
with, of course, the usual result.
In theory or in novel this is no doub
all very fine, but in everyday life the
mode of procedure adopted by Felix
Holt would be, to say the least, de
cidedly risky. and would very probab
ly end disastrously. 1t is always ssfel
to risk little Hattery.
Happy ie the wooinE
That Is not long a-doing,
saws the oldEcouplet; but a modern
counselor thinks it necessary TO qualif'
the adage BY the advice; "Never mar
ry girl unless you have known he
three days, and at picnic" In this
as in other matters, it is always 4desira
BILE to hit the happy medium.
Marrying in haste is certainly wors
than a too protracted courtship; thougl
the latter has its dangers, too. TO
something may occur at any. time L
break of the affair altogether, an
prevent what might have been happ
union. 1t may always be concludes
there is something wrong il Matild
is obliged to say to her Theodore
Don't sit so far away from me, deaI
and turn your back on me so; peopl
will think we're married"
A friend of Robert Hall, the fsmou
English preacher, once asked him re
garding a lady of their acquaintance
..Will she raske good wife for mel?
"Well," replied Mr.. Hall, i can hard
ly say never lived with her!' Her
Mr.. Hall touched the real test Of hal
piaess in married life. 1t Is one thin
, TO see ladies on ..dress" occasions an
when every effort is being made /
please them; it is quite another thin
to see them amid the varied and ofte
conflicting circumstances of househol
life.