The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-09-17
AUNT MADELINE.
Preserving Sweet Disposition
Through Life's Adversities.

''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 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. I fol-
lowed the direction of their looks and
found ample warrant for the emphatic
utterance which had overheard.
The association of old age with un-
common womanly beauty in one person
is rare enough to excuse the curiosity
that impelled me to learn this woman S
history. / will not, therefore, offer any
apology for what the reader, and posi-
bly, the lady herself, may regard as an
impertinence. 1t is a fact that [ did
learn the story of her life. stranger
though | am in the city that is her
home. 1t is not a thrilling tale. There
Is in it not one essent ally dramatic in
cident. Yet it moves me to deeper
emotion and stirs within me loftier
admiration than the story of many a
life that genius has snatched out of the
common for Immortality.
Aunt Madeline flor so she is called by
those who love her) would smile in mild
reproof if any one were to say to her,
You are beautiful so many years
have come and gone since she gave
much thought for herself. Hers is a
two-fold beauty, being made up of those
singular graces of person which at
tracted the notice of the group at church
on that Sunday morning and the higher
graces OF a life that is consecrated to
others without flourish or pretense of
self abnegation.
[ shall first try to tell how she ap-
peared from my own point of view.
The narrative proper shall be in the
words Of the pastor. to whom | am
bound for it, as nearly as lean set them
down.
The figure is tall and the carriage
graceful. She walks like one aceus-
toned to free exercise. Her attire is
undeniably elegant. The least practical
observer of such things may see at a
glance that it came from the hands of a
Iashionable maker. | determine there
Lore, that she is not too poor to gratifv
her natural woman's S taste for daintiness
OF dress. Her face quite battles my
powers OF description. 1t is the face OF
sixty years. That have learned; but
when looking into it one does not think
OF Its years | can not say that it con-
iorms to any established standard of
beauty, having neither pretty chin
nor the soulful eyes of which we hear so
much IN verbal portraits of beautiful
women. Nevertheless | am ready to
stake my Judgment on the general prop
ositlon that it is one of the loveliest faces
.nas was ever seen out of dreams. The
nose, | must say, is of perfect mold; the
aalF Is pure white mass arranged in a
s.eeian coil at the back, parted in the
miudle and falling in feecy waves over
sae temples, half covering the ears and
.otInlng truly artistic frame for the
heser-tosb be forgotten face.
one speaks to a young girl at her side.
ana her smile discloses mouth full of
eSSOus WuOCC WnlUSlcSS LIuS mas
hoe . touched and whose perfect symme-
Try IS unbroken..
ner skin is clear and fresh-an elo-
asent tribute to right living and sign
~ freedom from those vanities of women
~ Whleh the fortunes of nostrum makers
are built. = = : :. :
ofe can not doubt that she is an old
woman, but her years are years of peace,
y purity, OF sweet piety, of wholesome
Is gloriied. SH0' As''0
-. Aunt Madeline was one of two sis
sls' said my friend, the pastor, in be-
nning the recital which am to repro-
a ause. Her father was a politician.
anu. an honest man. He loved truth for
sss as own sake, and though he filed many
Sa. p,nees ne died poor, leaving his mother
krss uanghter nothing in the way of for
'sas except the modest home in which