The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-09-08

AUNT MADELINE.

AUNT MADELINE.
Preserving a Sweet Disposition
Through Life's Adyersities.
"Gad! she's the only really beautiful
old woman + ever saw"
The speaker was one Of a group Of
men who stood on the steps of church
one Sunday morning a few years ago In
. fair city OF which we all know.
The group had apparently been dis
cussing the woman whose appearance
called forth the exclamation. followed
the direction OF thei. looks and found
ample warrant for the emphatic utterance
which 1 had overheard. sssss-
The association Of old age with un-
common womanly beauty in one person
is rare enough to excuse the curiosity
that inpelled me to learn this woman's
history. / will not, therefore. offer any
apology for what the reader, and possi-
bly, the lady herself, NAV regard as an
|impertinence. Iii is fact that l did
learn the story of her life, stranger
though I am IN the city that is her home.
1t is not thrilling tale. There is in it
not one essentially dramatic incident.
Yet it moves me to deeper emotion and
stirs within me q loftier admiration than
the story OF many life that gerias has
snatched out Of the common for immor.
tslity. s
Aust Madeline flor SO she is called
by those who love her) would smile iu
mild reproof if any cne we're to say to
her, "You are besuiiiul"-so many years
have come and gone since she gave much
thought for herself Hers is two-feld
beauty, being made up Of those singular
graces OF person which attracted the no.
tics OF the group at church ON that Sun.
dav morning and the higher graces OF 9
! fe that is consecrated to others without
flourish or 'pretense OF self abneg gation.
I shall fret try to tell how she appear
ed from my own point Of view. Tht
narrative proper shall be in the words o.
the pastor, to whom am bound for 1t
as nearly as csn set them down.
The figure Is tall and the carriage
graceful. She walks like one accustomed
to free exercise. Her attire is undeni
ably elegant. The least practical OBJ
server If such things may see at glanc'
that it came from the hands Of fash
ionahle maker. l determine therefore
that she i, not too poor to crafty he
natural woman's taste for dainiuess O
dress. Her face quite baff1 ,s my pow
ers OF description. 1t is the face o
sixty years. That I have learned; bu
when looking into it one does not thinl
IGf its years. can not say that it con
forms to any established standard O
beauty, having neither a "pretty" Chi
nor the .souliul eyes" Of which We hea
SO much in verbal portraits of besu'ifu
women. Nevertheless l am really I,
stake my judgment on the general prop
osition that It is one of the lovelies
faces that was ever seen out OF dreams
The nose. must say, is Of perfect mold
the hair is pure white mass arrange
in Grecian coil at the back, parted i
the middle and falling in feecy wave
over the temples, half covering the ear
and forming truly artistic frame for tn
never-to be-foIgotten face.
I She speaks to young girl at her sid'
and her smile discloses a mouth full q
natural teeth, whose whiteness time hs
not touched and whose perfect symme
try is unbroken.
Her skin is clear and fresh-an elo
qnent tribute to right living and sig
Of freedom from those vanities OF wome
on which the fortunes of nostrum N,
kers are built.
Ole can not doubt that she is an oil
woman but her years are years Of pesct
i, Of purity, of sweet piety, of wholeaom
restraints. lido not marvel that her fac
Is glorified.
So =
"Aunt Madeline was one of two si.
ters," said my friend, the pastor, in b.
ginning the recital which am to repro
duce. "Her father was politician, an
an honest man. He loved truth for i
, own sake, aud though he filed man
. offices he died poor, leaving his mother
les. daughter nothing in the way of foI
, tune except the modest home in whIc
they we're born and reared Madelin
was twenty and E bel, her sister, fifteeI
! when they we're called to face the worlt
, A livelihood must be made for both, an
int was clear enough that one OF tibet
. could undertake the dubious task. Th
Child Ethel assuredly was not equippe
fr it. Medeline alone must roll th
heavv stone up the bill.
"With What resolute courage and sin
pie faith in herself she ST to work. W
who have ALWAYS known her best undel
stood. She made no feeble appeals 70
help. A few OF US gave her counst
from time to time, when she asked i
hut that was all. She ceased to as
even so much long years ago, and l, &
least, have manv times been prond to b
counseled by her; fer wiser woman
never knew.
cater her fathers funeral expense
we're settled there may have been eft
dollars in the house. Madeline saw tbs
, immediate action was imperative Wha
should She what could she-do to ear
an income7 1t was not har'i to answe
the question. In her happier and leis
ure girlhood she had moderately deveI
oped faculty for writing children ste
ries, some of which had found their wa
into print. She resolved to make a Sc
rious test of her powers in that drec
ton, and in the course Of few weeks
urged on by necessity. she produced
smsll volume OF tales, A publisher wa
found who undertook to put the volum
forth and pay Madeline fair royalty
The venture was moderately prosperous
, O hers followed, and after ten years G
struggle the hard worked author foun
herself in possession OF an income tbs
was more than sufficient for her ow
and Ethel's needs. 1t was about thi