The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-02-12
THE LITTLE. LADY.

Prissy Prim had a rich father and 8
fashionable mother She was dressed
every day just like the little girls in the
fashion plates in fashion magazines,
and sent out to walk with her waiting.
maid. Before she started Mrs. Prim
would always say to her: 'Now,
Prissy, you are not to notice the COM
mon children that you see in the street,
for you are little lady" And the
maid would repeat the proud mother
words whenever the child showed any
disposition to romp or play, or take any
interest IN Juvenile humanity they met.
Thus the idea that she was better than
other children because she was better
dressed was dinned into the ears OF
Prissy until she really began to think
that she was made of porcelain and not
out of common dust.
Sometimes Prissy was tempted to
wish that she was not little lady. She
wanted to play in the dirt and make
mud-pies. She wanted to talk with the
barefooted and bonnetless girls that she
met. But at other times she looked
with pride upon her silk dress, and her
nice gloves from Paris, and thanked her
mamma and the dress-maker that she
was not like other children.
Mrs. Prim was right in one thing. If
Prissy was ever to be big lady she
must first be little lady. You can not
let an oak grow in your yard until it is
fifteen or twenty years old and then
change it to an apple-tree. 1t is said
that no one can ever become a skillful
musician who did not begin in early
childhood. To be a real lady is far
more difficult than to be first-class
pianist or singer, and she who aspires
to that high position can not begin too
soon. If the world is to have a gener-
alton of ladies ten or twenty wears
hence, the girls of the period must be
little ladies.
But Mrs. Prim was wrong in her
idea of a lady. She meant to make
Prissy like herself, vain and proud.
She would train her to shine IN society,
to be admired for her taste in dress and
her fashionable accomplishments. She
would not have her learn even that she
had heart, or that she was expected
to do anything in the world but enjoy
herself.
What, then, is the true idea of a
lady?
Webster, in his dictionary, tells us
that the word comes into our language
from the Saxon, and means the sloaf-
keeper" as the lady of the house
looked after the wants of her family.
She saw that the loaf was on the table
three times day. Others say that the
Saxon word means :" the loaf-giver,"
and that it was applied to those
women who were kind and charitable.
who always had loaf ready for the
poor. | think this is the true defini-
ton, for, in the olden times, the name
was not given to all housekeepers, but
to those who were in good circum-
stances, and able, at least, to give
loaves to the hungry. This being the
origin of the word, no wonder that
Webster'S second definition is, ga
woman of gentle and refined man
ners." That is what we mean now
when we say of any one: "She is a
lady," We don't mean that she is
rich, or handsome, or well dressed, or
accomplished, but that she is gentle
and refined. The gentle and refined
can not be vain and proud. They can
not be g stuck up" They do not 90
about with their noses in the air as if
they were too good to breathe the same
atmosphere with the rest of the world.
l was visiting hospital in New York
some years ago. | saw a lady sitting
by the cot of one of the patients, read
ing the Bible to her. / supposed that
she was hired Bible-reader. But the
matron said: ''That is Mrs. -"
naming one of the merchant princes of
the city. tShe comes here every day
with little delicacies for the sick and
her pocket Bible. They all think she is
an angel." / turned and studied that
face. 1t was indeed gentle and refined.
| had often heard of this noble woman.
Everybody in the city knew her. If she
attempted TO cross Broadway the hack
men and the draymen would all stop,
no matter how great the crowd, and
make way for her, and touch their hats
TO her. She had wealth and culture.
She was welcomed in the highest social
circles. But she spent the most of her
time and her money in caring for the
poor. She did not neglect her home.
1t was elegantly furnished, and in it
she was always entertaining those who
were eminent for their intelligence and
plety. She would meet returning mis-
slonarles at the dock, and take them
and their families to her hospitable
mansion. She did not neglect her
dress. She believed that Gods chill
dren have right to use and enjoy the
beautiful thing that He has made. She
was not one of the so-called "strong-
minded women" Her voice was low
and sweet; her manners gentle and
refined; her dress rich, yet plain and in
exquisite taste. In her quiet and lady
like way she was power for good in
the great city And when God took her
home thousands wept, and felt that the
nrst lady in New York had been trans