Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-05
SHARES.
BIZ CHRISTINE rERHuNE HERRIcK.
fCopyrig6ted. 1851

ISOpyr9giEeu, 1851
The students of the incisiye speeches Of
Mrs. Whitney's brightest and most origi-
nal character, emery Ann" may be
pardoned for frequently making use Of
her epigrams to convey their own mean
ing. No more refined language could
emhody 80 clearly the feeling known in
some shape to nearly every woman as does
the quaint saying: "Good looks are
snare, especially to them that haven't got
EN-" Our teachings, not ouripassessions,
are apt to absorb the lions share of
thoughts and efforts.
That beauty is a snare to it's wearers Is
generally accepted tact. Pretty-faced
girls are warned of the dangers besettiug
good looks bysuch cut and dried aphOrisms
as "Handsome Is that handsome does"
and Beauty is only skin deep" No one
thinks 1t necessary to utter corresponding
ceunsels to the plain woman, whose con-
sideration Is opt to be fixed upon her per-
sonal appearance from her very consci-
BUSINESS of deficiency In the charms en-
joyed by her fairer sisters.
In dress the same state OF affairs pre-
walls. There is great deal of talk about
the devotion OF the wealthy to dress.
Clergymen, especially those on small
salaries, lnvelgh against 1t, newspapers
call attention to 1t, and many women
whose incomes are limited plume them
selves upon their superior virtue in max
ing their own clothes, and thus they fat
| ter themselves, manIfesting less absorp-
| ton in the fashions than do richer women.
In most cases the exact reverse is true.
| Every woman who has ever been able to
| order gown from thoroughly reliable
| mOdIste recalls the tranquility with
| which she donned it, certain that it must
hang and fit merveilie. Let her COM
! pare this frame OF mind with that she
| possesses when she wears homemade
| garment. In the latter case she is a prey
to narrowing doubts as to shape and style,
ana the good looks Of her clothes are far
more of snare TO her than they are to the
woman who is not forced to bestOw such
earnest study upon them.
1t Is perhSp< natural that man should
feel more complaoent about an accom-
| plishment to gain which he has to exert
| all his energies than one for which he has
| natural aptitude that renders its
| practice no effort. But it is a singular
| feature of human nature that a man is
| apt to be most vain of mis- proficiency III
| branch of knowledge rather out of the
| line of his ordinary ayocations. An in
| stance OF this was seen In the case of a
well-knOwn physician who in an evil hour
for his friends had dabbled In theology.
|
ter, but the interest which he gave to that
was perfunctory compared to the en-
| thusiasm with which he dilated to hearers
upon free will, justification, sanotifcation
| and adoption. To such a point did he
carry his weakness that he showed slight
when the families of his patients sug-
gested sending for clergyman at seasons
of severe Illness. Upon several occasions
| when minister was unattainable he had
administered the right OF baptism to all
ing infants, and there were people who
did not hesitate to affirm that he would
| feel no computations IN performing mar
rage or giving the sacrament, did he not
fear public opinion.
bright New England woman fur
nlshes another example. Brilliant IN con-
versation, attractive in appearance, the
object of devotion TO a proud husband
and affectionate children, an excellent
housewife, she yet prided herself upon
| none OF these things. But she had liter
ary aspirations. She had written poems,
essays and stories for local paper. she
had sent an arti Gle to the Atlantic. True,
| it had been returned with thanks, but that
| did not affect her opinion OF her own gifts.
She delighted to have bookish people at
Der home, and in their bearing TO refer to
''my correspondence with the Chilicothe
| Citizen" OF herself she spoke to them
as "one of the Guild" Der pretensions
| furnished much quiet amusement to her
auditors, but of this she had no suspicion.
| That her case is not an exceptional one
is proved by the satires of many writer's
upon the social gatherings OF celebrities
| where one meets noted characters of whom
one never hears elsewhere.
| In the would-be artist this vanity upon
| insufficient grounds Is especially notice.
able. A prominent manufacturer of New
York State who was famous among his
| business associates for his sagacIty and
shrewdness, leading member in every
worthy enterprise in church and COM
| munitv, man singularly modest con-
corning all these characteristics. was yet
| Unfortunately vain of the products OF his
| brush. Works of art they could not be
termed by the most vivid exercise of the
| imagination, but he looked upon them as
| the one achievement Of mis- hand and
brain that did him credit. The walls of
his elegant mansion were hung with yards
| of canvas covered with his daubs, while
the really inc paintings his wealth might
| have purchases him were valueless to him
| by comparison.
Another self-stvled artist, who tritled
| with water colors, was fond OF calling
| the attention of visitors to this or that
| good ''bit" in the sketches and flower pic
| lures with which she had adorned ner
! home, prattlinc knowingly the while of
,schiaroscuro," 'hlgh lights" middle
| distance" and 'valCes." Perhaps it is
because art cant is so readily learned
and imposed so readily upon The honestly
| ignorant that its use is adopted by 50
many pretenders.
While weaknesses OF this sort can
hardly be considered as anything but in
! nocent vanity, they yet are ''snares," If
comparatively harm ess ones. They fur
niSh fresh proof that mans lie con-
sistetb not in the abundance Of the things
that be bath. Rather is tie chief wealth
! of many in their own estimation com.
prised in that whicn 20 the eyes of othe rs