The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-28
Mrs. Henry Ward Issechsr.

A few days ago ] happened to see q pretty
picture; q woman with soft white hair tucked
under q lace cap was standing on her door
step. her slight figure thrown into relief
against tall fame-colorsd lilies b!ossomine
in the window. Over her shoulders wal
thrown q fisecy white wrap run with pink
ribbons. There was a pink flush in her
cheeks AZ she entered into the prosaic task
OF Diminishing a book agent or subscription
man.
Funk d Wagnalls have asked Mrs. Beech
Or to edit some of the sheets of their stand
ard Dictionary now In course Of prepara-
ton. Thu words relating to woman, her
dress, occupations, industries and tho like
we're to pass under her view; but believe
Mrs. Beecher has declined tho proposition.
Her friends have not yet done smiling
over a wild tale recently published TO the
effect hat she was and had been for years
partially psralyzed.
Men IBID on Books. women on Furniture,
There are certain fascinating places
whore w gather these foggy afternoons to
yearn over antique KAYAK and Herman and
Ouchak rugs. or fondle the curves OF
Psyche mirrors and gilt bouquet tables and
Cupid brackets, to eat our hearts ont with
longings for Chippendale chairs and EN-
pire couches decorated with swans and
laurel leaves and to soil our gloves with
pointing the fingers at old Dresden plates
and old Sevres cups and saucers, but / no.
tice that we-those Of US who are women
don't bid on books very extensively. Hav-
ing haunted auction sales in the art collsc-
ton season at much expense of time,
though little of cash, now these several
years, l feel moved to say with confidence
that my sex has quick eyes for q fan or q
candlestick, or q bit of old blue and white,
but IT won't buy engrsvinxs. and when the
auctioneer gets down to books it leaves the
room. At sales OF books only there are
And yet it is popularity supposed that
oma reads. I have a notion that the
itching of the fingers to grasp and TO keep
a book 10 not especially common with
women. A book, .always excepting q TIA
BILE" book, hardly ranks as material for
studies it even, but is quite content to send
it back to the circulating library. For her
money she wants q cloissonne plaque or a
lamp that can be p~etticoated. l am often
surprised in the homes Of cultivated, even
literary women, at the meaRre display Of
the bookshelves. How many women in the
country have accumulated large libraries?
Mrs. Louise Benson.
Lent m~ultiplies the classes in Current
Topics which divide favor latterly with
Ibsen and Dante. On of the most inter-
esting is taught by Mrs. Louise Benson, of
Syracuse, which has been obliged to for
sake the drawing room in which it started
for a good-sized hall. Mrs. Benson is a
dark-haired, handsome woman of much
personal magnetism. whose clear-cut style
and brilliant wit fully explain her success.
Candlesticks.
Wasn't l saying something a minute ago
about buying candlesticks? The CANDLE
stick to buy just at present is an old Japan
csc piece in bronze, with n spike on which
you impale your candle. You don't thrust
it dowL On this antique bayonet point too
heavily, but let the major part of the spike
show to get the full benefit of the unusual
ness. Next this the most desirable candle
sticks going are old three-branched Danish
pieces, which are called three king can
dies" because they were used On the 9Th
Of January to celebrate the Magi's visit to
the infant Jesus.
ELIZABETH DUSTIN.
Copyright,