, 1889-01-17
FOR THE LADIES.
Matters Of Interest COllated for
the Fair Sex.
George William Curtis Tribute
"An Unknown Woman"
Gossip About Fashions for tho Coming
spriog with Hints to Those
Intending to Duy.

There died lately woman not known 10
the public, but whose loss to th0se who
personally knew her can never be made
good. The summer that shall come may
bring as OF old roses and vi0lets, but the
summer that 10 gone will never return. In
the me mory OF all OF as there are persous
who seem to have revealed to us the best
that we know and are; they are 30 lofty
that we are raised, 30 noble that we are
rnDobled, so pure that we are purified.
They are generally women whose lives are
noiseless, who live at home. wives aud
mothers. without the ambition that stirs
men TO strive for renown, but their days
are full of such richness of beautiful life
that its fitting image IL that finest flower
of tropical luxuriance, the magnificent
Victoria Regina.
A nature 80 modest and simple and O
life so private that it seems almost wrong
to speak OF them publicly. yet u character
40 firm and tranquil and self.possessed
that, il necessary, it would have met with.
out doubt or hesitation any form of mar
tyrdom, can hardly be described without
apparent exaggeration. She was born, IN
our familiar phrase. q lady, and from the
beginning, throughout long life. she
was surrounded with perfect easeNof cir
cumstance. She was sinRularly beautiful
In her youth. and to the close OF her lite
she had the charm of personal loveliness.
| Her manner was direct and frank and
cheerful, and with her perfect candor aud
| vigorous good sense II scattered the trivial
and Sinking arti6cialitips of social inter-
| course rs y clear wind from the northwest
cools and refreshes the sultry lan0ours of
August. Early married to man OF the
highest character and aims, and of that
Neu snal syrNA xvhipt ,oka al h;ltku
most effective, she was ia entire sympathy
with his wise and humane interests, and
thus in her family she WAS most fortunate
and happy.
Yet by beauty. wealth and position aud
the natural possession of the prizes for
hich lite is generally o. struggle. she was
wholly unspOiled. Her views of duty and
of just human relations we're 30 clear and
true that she invixorated the conscience Of
all who knew her. She was curiously free
from tho little weaknesses which we in-
stinctively excuse in ourselves and others.
and although her absolute truthfuness
necessarily but involuntarily rebuked us
all, we could no more be angry than with
our own consciences. The reproach was
entirely involuntary. Never was u woman
more tenderly tolerant of every honest diff
ference, or more careful not to wound.
either by look or word or tone. Too true
herself to suspect falsity in others. she
was much too sensible to assume the part
of mentor.
In the great mental and moral activity
of her generation che was instinctively
liberal, aud never questioned In others the
complete soul liberty, as Roger Williams
| called it, which she calmly and naturally
maintained for herself. No reform conld
conceal fror, her its essential value as
high aspiration, good impulse, If nothing
more; and however grotesque and extrava-
giant the reformer, she pierced his mask of
eccentricity and welcomed the earnest
seeker, bewildered and blinded though he
might be. She judged speech and action
by remarkable intuition of right and
wrong, and it was interesting to see how
surely and smoothly sbe cut sophistry
straight through to the truth which it
muffed and distorted. Men and women
and never by conventional standards. A
fugitive slave and the Prince of Wales
would have been treated by her in way
which would have assured them both that
the different circumstances of their cOndi.
tion did not obscure their equal humanity.
To say this must not leave the i'm
preston that she was other than a lady of
the simplest, most refined. and most un.
obtrusive but cordial manner. There
tuuSl Oe uO Vi6iOu OI u lIduy DOuubAIut, OF
Lady of the Manor, or of any self.con.
scious parsonage whatever. But a
stronger influence upon the lives with
which she was brought in contact can not
we'll be conceived, nor the perennial hope
and encouragement which her cheerful
presence inspired. Domestic sorrows
touched that strong and noble heart not to
any vehement demonstration. but to
deeper faith and sober sincerity, which
interpreted the poetic sense of ",he still,
sad music of humanity" Courage, conf.
dence. cheerfulness- these we're the good
angels that dwelt with her, and through
hei they breathed their benediction on all
whom she loved or who personally
loved her. AZ sue lived in communion
with great thoughts and the widest human
sympathies, SO that her life like our still.
est, harvest ripeniug days. passed in sun.
ny repose. SO the end was peace. With
no wasting mslady, no long decay Of faeul
ty, she TRANQUILITY slept. 4
There is nothing that poets feign OF
women that waa not justified by her. Iu
thinking of her lofty life there is no need |
of expense or allowance; for human nat.
ure. "a it was never more unassu ming or
simple, WAS never greater and loveier
than In her. Beautiful and wise and brave
and gentle and good, the thought of her is
perpetual blessing George William Cur.
tie in Harper's Monthly.
The Spring styles.