The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-08-14
OPEN LETTERS TO YOUNG GIRLS.
Letter of Introduction.

The old formal preface will answer
for ordinary purposes, but wishing to
come nearer to you, young girls and
young women of this broad land, l feel it
a bar to freedom. While l would, spir
tually, clasp the hand, and speak to
you with all the sweet familiarity which
affection breeds, by this same ugly in
vention Of preface, we must stand at
arms length, our friendly converse
turned into severe, formal discourse.
So, as unable to defeat the enemy we
must outwit him; let us pass by kid
gloved and swallow tail coated Preface,
and receive genial and neat but simply
attired Letter of introduction, come by
special request. Then draw nearer, my
denrs. one and all, ajiI let us sbe Aac-
quainted with each other. How bright
your eyes, and how pleasant your faces
Most of you, gladly see, have the fine
glow of health upon your cheeks, and
intelligence ana interest illumine your
faces. All, could you but know the
inspiration to me of looking into your
sweet countenances, and how deeply
you stir me to do something for each
one of you that shall make your lives
brighter and better, if but to write you
now and then helpful letter.
am drawn to you all, whether plain
or cOmely, you of the soft hazel eyes,
you of the large brown, and you of the
deep blue. Not merely in your fresh
ness and innocence do l delight, but
back of al external charms your souls
look out upon me. Life is fair and
sweet to you as dew-wet flowers on a
May morning, and, speaking of the fu-
ture, see your eyes glow and your
b0soms swell with the hope of accom-
plishing something good and useful.
And you will, though you may need
courage, determination and faith, all of
which shall be added unto you, with
the flight of years,-and l may help you
by seeking your best happiness. Would
it not give you a new strength, should
you grow weary, to know that some one
watches your course with approval,
only waiting for the end, impatient to
speak the glad "Well done ?" So l
watch you, my dear young friends,
with deep interest, and great hope,
foreseeing your vast and noble mission.
Just here, mischievous, good-natured
Letter of Introduction suggests that
only one party is being presented. So,
begging your pardon for the seeming
oversight Il had my reasons for it, as
you shall seel, paint my own portrait
forthwith. To begin, then, am plain
you would scarce notice me in
crowd,-I have no striking features,
and when | have been told that l had
beautiful eyes and fine forehead, on
looking in my mirror | have realized
that love is very blind. | have, how
ever, frequently been told, and | hope
u uig : bhttt oLcNCu ScHulHt llltIeSl III
the welfare of those l cared for, and
this tendency must go far toward in
creasing in myself, and others, that
higher or soul c0meliness, which we
know to be the best and rarest of all
beauty. l have long felt that the great
hope for every good cause lay in the
young. Beginning properly, you will
easily continue to identify yourselves
with the right side; and it is so much
simpler to begin as we should, than,
once in the wrong path, to reverse our
course. You have so many rich years
before you, and will meet and may
mold SO many more minds than could
your fathers and mothers. Every day
the communication between far distant
countries becomes more easy, and the
mingling of all classes of people more
free, so that where once you might have
been bound by severe regulations of
caste TODAY Won live unfptterpd