Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-05-14
The following is one of our longes
dream-poems.
THE GIRL THAT WINS.
Read About Her, Young Ladies, and Then
See If You Possess Her Attractive Charac-
teristics
Illustrated American

teristicS.
Illustrated American.
A pretty, prominent and elderly married
woman addressed a drawing-room of
clever people, the other evening, on the
subject of beauty IS an agent In the ad-
vancement OF her sex.
After enumerating the advantages of
personal loneliness and the hindrances of
a homely exterior, she said long experience
and close observation went to prove the
superior success of the plain featured
woman in matrimony as In other fields of
feminine enterprise. OF course, in numbers
they are utterly disproportionate; but,
even allowing for that vast difference the
ugly girl has things much her own way.
To get a sound basis for conclusions it is
necessary, she said. to take powerless
maidens from whom to argue.
Watch the careers of two bellies and wall.
flowers from the opening of the race. The
butterflies invariably start ont hampered
by false notions of tributes due their
charms. Not one in the list is ever quite
able to resist pitting her bright eyes
against the adamant strength Of money
and the exalted range Of talent in an early
struggle for place. She has no means of
exactly gauging her power, and by over
estimating often comes to grief.
Seldom, indeed, is a pretty girl taught
the prudence of graspirg opportunities,
nursing chances and making the sow s
ear into some semblance Of a silk purse
Her comeIiness she regards as a magic
lamp only needing bit of the FURNISH
ing to produce the fairy prince, palace
and all, in fash. Of what use, then, the
dull ploddicg, imperative for her plain
sister? Alas! the fimsy little structure is
built on the sand, waiting one strong wave
of reality to knock the flmsy dreams into
a hopeless wreck.
Look about you and count the number
of faded thwarted beauties you know
who are embittered dependents, or else,
late in life, have picked up broken stick
in the shape of a partner to nelp disguise
their CRIPPLED vanity. In fac5, SO frequent
ly is this the case that between Is and rs
only extraordinary virtue or talent ever
saves belle from grievous folly IN her as
pirations.
Parents, friends and fatterers only ag-
rayate the case, foretelling the famous mar
riage that never takes place, and discourag-
ing honest efforts to enter on any serious
business. Beguiled into believing nature
has graced her with rare superiority, what
wonder she despises work that is legitimate
And, sadly enough, those dear, desirable
parties she is trained to covet have trick
of loving Cinderella in the summer time,
and. when the serious business of mar
riage is preached, hieing away to wed
the proud sister.
The old, old story of that light-hearted
hare deluded by undue confdenc e in his
natural speed, frisking away the priceless
moments, while the dingy, unloVlng mud
turtle crawls VIGOROUSLY up to the win
ming pest Clear sightedness and a
thoro ugh understanding Of the situation
is to be half way to the goal, and this is
what the wall flower has in her favor.
No rosy spectacles confuse her vision, no
sugar pIumbs jade her appetite; sweet de-
lusions never luil the sense of duty, and
who will say she is without the winning
card 2