Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-16
CHAPTER III.
Who were the Penriths!

VINO were the I0uTltuSs
1t will be sufficient Tor our present pur-
nose TO refer to Miss Gail Penrith only.
She alone of all the family concerns US;
because she alone concerned the Colonel
and Dick. Her father and mother had no
distinct existence; they lowered dlmly
Ike shadows in the background of their
beautiful daughters individuality.
Gail Penrlth was-but what Is the use of
attempting to describe beautiful Ameri-
can girl! The feat has been attempted
countless times. but never satisfactorily
achieved. On the other hand everybody
knows what beautiful American IS like:
Yes. and we hays seen locund down stand
tip-toe on the misty mountain tops. but
who can ind words to convey an idea OF IL
to blind man? We have listened TO
Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words"
but only those who nave heard them can
understand what they arc. We have IN
hailed the perfume of roses and violets of
the mayhowcr and tho lily of the valley,
but can any ono translate that perfume into
speech? And yet, for him that cannot do
these things, it will be prcsumptuous TO
try to picture the lovliness OF American
young maidenhood.
Gail Penrith at this period may have
been nineteen or twenty years old. Her
father was wealthy man; she had known
none but beautiful and luxurious sur
roundings. Sho had been educated at q
fashionable young ladies' school; she had
come out in her eighteenth year and for q
season or two had been admired, battered,
and courted in city and country. To COM
plete her anti-nuptial career her parents
had brought her 10 Europe. So far as hor
parents or any one else knew she was stu
heart-whole. though it is not unlikely that
she was not ignorant of the manner IN
which preliminary heart-skirmishes are
conducted in polite society. She knew the
power Of her eyes, the witchery of her
smile. the music of her voice. She knew
when to speak and how to DO silent; she
knew how to say yes" with mo" and
mo" with yes" She had learned TO
listen for the tones of a mans voice rather
than the words he uttered, and to distin-
guish between polished attention and swk-
ward devotion. She felt herself adequate
to any social emergency that was likely TO
arise, and she was conscious that there
wero IN her depths ana possibilities OF pas
SION and aspiration that had never yet been
sounded or kindlcd.
Itsone Of the chief charms OF young
women Of her age and condition that they
have no settled character; nothing IN
them is rs yet fixed and immutable; they
are simply nosegay of personalities;
| Life, that will mould them later Tor good
! or i'll, has not yet begun its work. We see
/ of the feminine creature-with its faults
uneccented aud It's virtues undeyelopod.
From one point of view this is moro en-
| chanting than the rounded and definite
personality. There is more in it, because
there il less. The fascination of what
may be is greater than the charm OF what
actually is.
II there was any noticeable divergence
between the type indicated and the pres
ent illustration OF 1t IL was in the tact that
| Miss Penrith had rather more material
substancs Ia her than is found in the
average young American beauty. She had
| nesh as well IS spirit-chesks with bloom
in them, as well as shadow unfAthopsble
grace. her hand was 6rm as well as soft.
The tones of her voice were sweet and
strong. and when she laughed it was with
heartiness that told Of sound lungs and
good digestion. She was q healthy and
wholesome being As well as a lsvely one.
A young lady like this was attractive
enough. but the Peayith party Was 20 for.