The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-11-28
AIRY TONGUES.


s,ronges, jcao,sies Of women. We admire and may
even love the conservative, well balanced character
the upright. steady going, regular naurc hu' ii APP
pears the most intense interest and the deepest pas
sons are excited almost alone by the Wild AMI Tie
rcprcbait, or By the who has some such element
in his composition. Can you explain the pl'en"n-
| enon: II. J. NJ
BRrsroI. Nov. -.
Almost volume might be written in answer
to this inquiry. The case is stated rather too
strongly BY the lady, but there is much truth
dent of human nature in general and of the
female mind in particular will conccdc. Some
volcanic action seems necessary to stir a
woman's heart to its depths. There must be
sharp collisions of sentiment to fully arouse
its passions. The spirit Of revolt at parental
dictation helps the reprobatc. and the ncces-
sity for defending the absent lover often So
concentrates the faculties in his favor that his
faults become entirely obscured and for
gotten The girl gets in the habit Of dwelling
upon and cxaggcrating his virtues until she
begins to believe he has no vices. Then the
reprobate often feels more deeply than the
cool, calculating lover. Conscious of his weak
nesscs, and often stung by rcmorsc, he is, at
times certainly, more tender and devoted, than
his prudent and consistent rival.
| Then, too, there is a fascination about the
generous nature that crrs from excess of I'M
psse or passion. 1t is the full pail that Stops
over. The fellow who is made up ola "hetcrc-
gcncous mass of glorious blame, half virtues
and whole vices, faults which attract because
they are not tame" as Byron puts ii, iullies
trickcd out so brightly that they blind, is sure
TO enlist the sympathy of young and impress
sible girl; and when one gets agrl's sympathy
half the battle is won. The crafts and as
Saults of rivals, the hostility of parents, will
do the rest for him.
Thackeray takes cynical view OF the matter
and SAYS women are won by certain forms of
cruelty. at is those who injure women,
says he, "who get the most kindness from
them. They are born timid and tyrants,
and maltreat those who are humblcst before
them" Certain it is, those who have been
successful. Burr betrayed numbers of them,
and was idoizcd; Byron, who had as little
principle in such matters, though he WAS more
generous, captivatcd those he tried 10 win.
causing Madame dc Stael to say that his "Farc
Thee Well' was enough to make any woman
fly to his arms; and a witty duchess said that
Burns talked her other legs before she knew it.
But these are matters | know little or
nothing about, being of the slow, steady going
kind, and always keeping in the middle of the
road But there are fellows at Big Stone Gap
who do know, and hope they will enlghtcn
my fair correspondent.
This observation is, however, true: when
girl really has her feelings enlisted in behalf of
reprobatc, the stuid antagonist may as well
cry out at once, Cousin Amy, mine no more
aud let her 80.
Mr.. James W. Fox makes the suggestion
that, since the reception given i'll the Appa-
lachian Club to the Duke and Duchess of
Marlborough was such u pleasant social sue
cess, the club give monthly receptions to the
ladies of Big Stone Gap and to visiting
strangers. In the hurry OF getting up the last
reception, and owing to request from the
visitors car that the company be kept as small
as possible, many were forgotten and omitted.
but in this new arrangement; every club MEM
Der shall feel free To come and bring friends.
An exciting incident occurred during the
visit of the ducal party 10 the South, Which
was non previously arranged. 1t seems while
the train was standing at water tank rob-
Der entered the ducal car aud proceeded 10 slip
several costly rings from the beautiful fingers
of the Duchess, while she slept soundlv. After
stripping one hand, his greed became so whettcd
at the sight of the glittering gems that he at
tempted to turn the Duchess over in her berth
and strip the other hand. This aroused her
lady ship, who screamed from fright, and lcaped
from her berth, accoutrcd as she was i'll
vapory maze of laces. Miss Teuncure. startled
by her adyshp's cries, sprang from her berth
also. Mr.. Proctor, who had been awakened by
the first notes of distress frcm the fair Ouch
ess. had reached the middle of the car, when
the Duchess few TO his arms as Il refuge and
protection against the rude robbcr, who had
made his exit. Miss Tcuncure said she, too,
would have gotten in The arms of Kentucky's
great geologist had she not found them already
full to Overlooking. Our sympathixng COM
munity will rejoice to learn that the robbcr
WAS apprchendcd at Bristol and the jewels
restored.
Mr. James Lane Allen, who rendered snch
material service to Big Stone Gap in the Sep
TENDER Harper, has Kentucky story, "Flute
and Nioi," in the December number of that
magazine, and will have the first installmcnt
(of thrce) of his novelette, "Sistcr Dolorosa" in
the September Century. As soon as few
more of his writings shall have appeared in
print Mr.. Allen will issue book of sketches
and another of fiction. Just now nc is deliver
ing in Kentucky his lecture on the "Literature
Of the New South, and winning much deserved
praise, his most recent success being at Paris,
Kentucky.
Al the office of Mr.. Mcdowell, the secretary
Of the Big Stone Gap Improvement Company,
will be found book containing some seventy
n r 4