Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-08-28
FROM MARION HARLAND.
WHAT SIZE HAS TO SAY CONCERN
KIG WALL FLOWERS.

They Are of Many varieties-The Pre-
OBSTINATE the Most Common-The Blind
ness of Men Who Sometimes Pass by
the Sweetest Of Women.
Copyright by American Press Association
The Indians call pursley "the white
mans foot" It follows the squatter as
surely as the domestic fly, and dies out
with the decline of civilization.
The human wall flower may be said to
sprout in the track of fashion. With the
first social entertainment among Jour
best people" OF the infant settlement, be
it apple bee, quilting or sugarin' off, the
perennial plant is set against the walls
or in the outermost borders. It is the
same genericaily with the sumptuously
appareled rows that line upper ten bali
rooms III Boston, New York and Chicago.
The specimens are presumably GLOW
ers'' or they would not be in society.
Weeds and kitchen herbs are not suffer
Ell to live in show parterres. When Mrs.
Fl. o. Tousan1 or Mrs. NJ. Aire issues
cards to a ball she selects people who
will grace and enliven or add dignity to
her assembly. The wall flower does
none of the three. The neglected ranks
Of hidden guests in the background of
the pageant that honors the purse and
position of the hostess must be an eve
sore to her, if only because they imply
unfortunate selection of materials or
mismanagement of them when they are
collected. AS point Of equity, atten-
ton and consequent enjoyment of the
occasion should be evenly distributed.
The evidence that this is never done lies
in the immutable fact that the wall
flower, like a fairer thing, Springs eter-
nal"-and, it may be groaningly added,
everywhere.
While the genus is the same in all
climates and under whatever exposure,
the species vary so widely as to afford
opportunity for curious study.
The most common is the predestinate
wall flower She bears the same rela-
ton to the rest that tho June dog rose
does to Lamarque, Marechal Neil and
5acqueminot She is the original and
indigenous stock. She is not pretty; she
is not rich; she does not dress we'll; she
is only a tolerable dancer, and very far
from being tolerable talker. Usually
she is what the society man denominates
ga mOnosyllabic girl" Why she should
always go wherever she is invited, and
most surely into the most brilliant gath
erings, where her disabilities will be
most conspicuous, Is as much peculiar
ity of the species as strong scent pertains
TO the garlic tribe and prickles to the
thistle. Stars may fall and bellies faint
by the way. She is to be counted upon
and in as certainly as the caterer and
his bill. ''Semper paratus" should be
the legend embroidered upon her one
lace pocket handkerchief. Ready to ac-
cept, ready to go, and-poor thing! more
than ready to be amused when she is
there, if the ghost of opportunity be
offered her. She must extract some
juice of pleasure from the husky enter
tainment of sitting against other peoples
wainscots and baseboards, looking at
other peoples dancing, and hearing the
hum Of talk not addressed to herself
Else her motto would be reversed, and
herself suffer a home change into
house leek.
That this does not happen is one of the
cuTiosities of human conduct. Our pre-
obstinate wall flower is oftener amiable
than captious, and cannot suspect what
a gravelly particle she is between the
teeth of the smiling mistress of cere-
monies, and with what sinking of heart
she sees her appear in the drawing room
door, or her acceptance with thanks"
would not be a foregone conclusion.
She comes in, timidly sometimes, at
others bashfully, but never deprecat-
ingly. Generally she radiates the mild
complacency of one who knows herself
to be welcome. To this she not infre-
quently joins the benevolent persuasion
that in accepting dear Mrs. Gays invi-
tatiOn she confers pleasure upon the
sender and distinction upon the crowd,
Having taken her seat she rarely
changes it. If the Walter tramples her
toes she receives his apology more or
less graciously. He is comet, hers the
steady shine of planet. Let US hope
for her speedy discovery of the truth
that it is the leaden luster OF Uranus, so
faint and Intellectual that the world
Woald not miss its withdrawal from the
solar system. Dickens tells us that Mr..
Jellyby found comfort in leaning his
head against the wall. The friend to
social hilarity is ready to beg for some
chemical compound with which to mix
kalsOmine and treat paper hangings,
that may warn off from contact the pre-
OBSTINATE wall flower.
To the gallant of whatever age she is
a terror. One woman of determined and
incor1uptible hospitality has a habit of
telling off relays of men to talk with
such of the species as Turk in corners Of
her well patroled parlors. Having de-
tailed her own son one reception even
ing as one of the devoted band, she sta
toned him with the soto voce pledge of
relief in fifteen minutes, and straight
way forgot him in the distraction of
other duties. Drifting eventually into
his neighborhood she was awakened to
perception of her inhumanity by catch
ing an agonized glance from the brave
fellow, who had held the post for sixty
mortal minutes. Since that night he
has been known among his confreres as
''Casabianca."