Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-09-18
HOW TO BE ATTRACTIVE.
4 Really HomeIy Woman May BE Nc
Entertaining and a EaRorits.

4 Really HomeIy Woman May BE Most
Entertaining and FaVorite.
There is an old saying that to become
beautiful one must never look in mirror
l remember reading this maxim in fairy
tale book when young and credulous enough
/ TO interpret things literally, writes ''Selene''
in the Baltimore American. Ny youth did
not counterbalance my natural feminine
vanity. Ilonged to be beautiful, because
in the fairy tales the beautiful maidens
were always the ones about whom all the
interest hung. So / determined /, too,
would follow the injunction laid down by
| the godmother.
Stunned the looking-glass studiously
and so pointedly that my older sisters re-
marked the sudden change. Remained un-
communicative and altered my tactics. /
stood before the mirror with my eyes closed,
| so as to mislead them. One day l forgot
and opened my eyes, when lol instead Of
beholding long, shining ringlets, milk white
! skin and star-like eyes, such as had reward
! ed the girl in the story book, my own plain
| little face looked az me in grieved surprise
! from the mirror. / was, indeed, sorry
! enough sight with my frill awry, my hat on
exactly backwardsl And this, after my ef-
! forts of weeks. Twas then l learned that
''the world was hollow and my doll was
stuffed with saw-dust." That childish ex-
! perience was not without its influence on
! my character. / became a small cynic
! Now l have learned the true meaning Of
the fairy tale.
The world of women pays too much heed
| to it's looking glass-the mere physical
beauty is gazed upon and thought of to the
neglect of all else, because there is a popular
/ belief afloat that only beautiful women are
attractive. Women who are plain, beyond
Ill II s1.A-.
still devote their time to their personal
adornment, under the impression that by
so doing they will become better looking
and more charming, when In reality if they
would turn their backs upon their mirrors
they might indeed far outshine the beauti-
ful women around them. If they would de-
! vote the time they now waste in vain en-
deavors for physical Improvement to culti-
waiting their minds, improving their man
ners and conversation, they would find, like
the maiden of the fairy tale, that the mirror
was "a delusion and a snare"
The most attractive women in society to-
day are not the acknowledged beauties in
many instances. Often we see the homeliest
girl in an assemblage the recipient of the
most tavors, because of her bright manners,
her brilliant conversation, or her keen wit.
Such one reigns supreme when the in
sipid beauty of the season is no longer ad-
mired. Beauty is Of itself attractive; it
pleases the eye and charms the beholder
for awhile, but beauty alone will not make
a woman popular.
Women are much like flowers; the ones
that have beauty and mind, well cultivated,
are like the flowers with beauty and fra
! grance-they are never-ending sources OF
delight. Others are fair to look upon, but a
close inspection discovers a thorn. The
third kind are like the homely wall flower,
neither handsome or graceful, but so full OF
sweetness that to be near them is JOY mex
pressible. So many girls, who are brought
up with the knowledge that they are gifted
with forms and faces of unusual loveliness,
depend too much upon these advantages for
their success in life. They never realize
the necessity of applying themselves to the
acquisition of knowledge; they grow tc
womahhood with meager educations, no &C
complishments, and a much exaggerated
opinion of their charms. The result is that
they enjoy only for brief time the prestige
for which they are so ambitious.
Some of the plainest women ever knew
were the greatest favortes. Their presence
in room was the signal for good humor ed
enjoyment. Time never tagged when they
were of the party. The lack of mere facia
symmetry was forgotten when under the
spell of their genial influence. It is not un
usual to see handsome man welded to g
homely woman. We have all heard, anG
perhaps made the remark, ''Why, what die
such a good looking man ever see in that
woman to love?" We are thinking of only
the outward appearance, when, in truth, the
character of such woman may be so love.
ly and attractive to those who know her that
none would have her different if they could
It is a great pity when girl allows herself
to grow discontented and unhappy about
her looks. When this is the case it is time
for her to heed the fairy's warning anc
shun the mirror by thinking less of appear
ances and more of other things.
/ know most attractive girl, who is fal
from pretty. l heard her once say in reply
to remark that she was always so jolly
and pleasant: Eyes, / have to be so or be
considered nonentity, for you know
haven't Madge's beauty to take me over
dull places" And this plain girl, by hel
own efforts to please, succeeded in winning
friends and warm admirers on every hand
She realized her lack of beauty, and know.
ing that she could never remodel the phys
iognomy God had given her, she bent her
energies in another direction, and made the
most of the heart and mind which it is pos
sible for all to develop and improve. In
Europe to-day the Princess Metternich is
always greeted with enthusiasm and ad
miration because of her gracious and win
ming manner, although she is universally
considered one Of the homeliest women in
society.
All women are capable of being attractive
if they would only exert themselves sufi
GENTLY. There is where the charm of the
homely woman lieS-in her desire to make
the most of her pabilities. Realizing that
she has no beauty of feature, she turns her
attention to becoming fine conversational
ist "a most delightful accomplishment, by
the way), brilliant musician, or making
the best of whatever happens to be her spec
| iol talent