The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1885-02-13
Widows.

There are various kinds OF
widows. There is the bluc.eyed,
mush and milk widow, soft as puS-
sN's loot. and always performing
the die-away act when any body is
| by to catch her before she faiuts.
She continually talks Of the late
lamcnted until yon kaOw of him as
Il monument OF nnheard virtues.
For time widow mourns sim
cerely. She leads life of cloiS.
tered retirement, wearing an i'm
prnetrdUle veil which no peering
eyes of curiosity can penetrate.
She cat eat, tho wine has lost
it's flavor. She reads ever aud over
again his letters and Olots them
with silent tears. His picture is
under her pillow, her room is deco
rated with mementOps of him. She
wears the plainpst Of mourning. If
she has IA child, she'll spoil him,
and his every motion and look will
remind her of the only man who
ever lived. She cultivateS the
clergy and attends to her masses
aud vcSpers, her prayers and con
icSS,OuS with Il devotion that is
appalling. Men of the world shake
their heads and wisely whisper:
"She'Il come out of all that" Aud
Snrr enough she does. The French
prOyerb says: "Il's hard to grow
old gracefully" lt is hard for
yonng widow t0 come ont of her
weeds naturally. She fancins
every one is looking at her. She
wonders what they will say. Bat
she Is lively aud young, and youth
is full OF elasticity and hope. Ii
she could travel, it would do her
good. Change of scene, say the
wise medical men. Her dress be
gins 10 assume Il change. jet Orn.
aments appear which are well set
of bv her shipely arms aud white
neck. Pieces OF trimming appear
on her dress, and 6Ombazine is dis. /
carded tor cashmere. She con
sUleS herself with: "It's black; the /
texture is the only difference |
She talks the matter of dress over
with other huSbandlrsS females. I
They lay aside folds to put on
ruchcS, aud wonder when the box |
plating come i'm. Some cynical /
man who had observed closely this
transition, or ciySaliS state OF |
widOwhOOIl, has reduced it to Il
science, and he claims there are
five stages of widowhOod:
1. The dress OF black hombazine
perfectly plain; thick Grape veil,
a widows cap; no jewelry, except /
A jet lorket; collar, etc, of Grape,
.. The veil thrown back over
ihe bonnet, little trimmings on
dresses; white collars.
B. The cap disappears; a lace
veil is worn instead of Grape; more
4. "DreSsyT mourning of silk,
with feathers in bonnet.
>. Halt mOurning-purple aud
pearl color. Now comes the stage
when she's deemed dangerous. She
has entered the lists and her win
ming ways and experience all make
her Que to be sought and cOnlidetl
in. Young lovers tell her of their
aud she dOles out adj
vice with the wisdom OF Chan
Gerry Judge.
Men make fools of girls, but
women Ot this class make fools OF
men. The widow spreads her webb
Of fiattery and Irritation, a:id as the
poor insect ventures in she rolls
him round aud round ia her mesh
-, as spider does blue bottle
iy. Perhaps it is a hard tate for a
nan whose Ouly fault is his mod I
'sty, to be rOped in to feed the
hungry and clOthe the naked, bnt /
I the widow had not proposed I o
lin he never wOuld have had the {
Ourage to propose to anybody and !
Ie gets "a companion aud "a ready
lade family, instead of tOiling on
through titse. solitary and alone,
he prey to etSy aud the victim of /
Bro0klyc Eagle.