Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-14


Just criticisms or advice. but We certain.
~ do not need to ridicule anvther's APP
! pearance.
am sorry you do not realize the hap
piness resulting from thoughtful kind
ness toward humanity.
| One new year | made a resolve TO 90
out OF my way TO do some little oct, say
some little word, give some little help, il
possible fncoga'to, to new person each
day OF that year. It brought me more
happiness than all my literary achieve
ments.
Your attitude TO unoffending people
belittles and degrades your talents. 1t is
the Office OF cheap penny-a-liners to as
Bault because they do not know bow to
crlticise. There is fine distinction be-
tween gall and gush. 1t is the test Of
ability to find II. Any ono can abuse or
fatter.
Even we're your peculiarities a result
OF climate (which they are mott, you
should have the good taste to modify
them in New York. II all the women
IN Kankakec sit with their limbs over
CHAIR arms in company it would not ex-
cuse the attitude IN New York. 1t may
be the fashion to be malicious in Fan
Francisco. 1t is not thought good form
here.
have strong imagination and am
able to understand the temptations that
! lead most people to err. | confess
cannot understand any temptation to
/ deliberate cruelty like yours. Call it
what you wildly any fine, rare name
1t is nothing but the most common type
Of feminine malice which permits n
woman 70 ridicule another's personal
misiortunes IN print.
have been poor and in need OF money
and | have had opportunity to write
about people, bat J never saw the day
| could hayc slept IN hour in peace il [
had wauton'y WOun ed another person
without causc-Gs you have wounded
me. There IL not moucy enough in the
world to pay me for one such item, writ
ten about an unoiiendinS person.
You tell me that all you want of peo-
pie is to be left alone. Did it ever occur
to you that they might ask the same Of
you?
You are perfectly justified in crit
cising my work. | give 1t to the pub
lie, and # you choose to abuse II that is
only part of toe career | was born into,
ana however severe, 1t may benefit me.
But you cannot benefit mo or the world
by calling attention 10 my physical de-
fects.
1t is a sad thing for any woman to
know that she is ageing or that she Is
not possessed Of beauty. All my lie
have been the recipient Of as much love
and attention rs ialis 20 the lot of any
woman. Al that is sweet and precious
and deep and profound in lfe's expert
ences have come to me-aud no pro-
fessional beauty ever got more ont Of
existence than !. Yet 1 have always
/ longed to be beautiful and gladly ac-
knowledge beauty in Others. Now that
my life Is anchored il a love so perfect
that all tho ravsges OF time or ago can
not affect it, | still feel inexpressibly sad
at tho thoughts OF losing the few
charms | do possess. Fortunately for
all of us, this idea OF personal appear
ance is greatly matter of individual
opinion.
You ought to have given your subject
more study and viewed it in more lights
beforc you described it.
Had | revealed myself as freely in full
dress when you called, as you revealed
yourself when 1 called, your meagre
charms Of body might have been abashed
before my more generous ones. And
my mouse-colored tints. as you must
know, could easily become a lovely
/ golden by calling in the aid Of the hair
/ bleacher.
/ think all observing people see oppor-
| tunities for picking flaws. The day l
I last saw YOU in the cruel light of the
stationer shop in your morning attire l
noticed with surprise that your former
delicate complexion looked saliow and
shriveled. 1t gave me an absolute pang
OF regret, as it does when | notice the
first whitening of beautiful rose L
adore beauty, and would gladly
see all women remain beautiful
/ forever. ! explained to myself
that your appearance was due to over
work and late hours, and that you would
/ look quite like another person another
/ time. / would not have expressed my
/ mental criticisms of your faded looks
( that day to even a member of my own
family, much less in print. would
have apologized for you had they been
mentioned to me by any third person,
and declared that you only needed rest
to be as charming as ever, which | am
sure was the case. But then / am not a
| Californian
Hoping and believing that in your
next incarnation, if not here, you may
suffer exactly as much as you have need
lessly and bIutally caused others to suffer
here, / will take farewell OF you.
Sincerely yours,
ELLA WHEELER Wilcox.
To this letter Mrs. Anterior made no
response. She was evidently wise enough
not to play With fire any further.
WILLIAM j. Box.