The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-02
MIDDLE AGED BEAUTIES.
Instances Where Women Did Not
Have to be Young to be
Charming.
They Were just as Old as
They Felt and They
Looked.
Views of q Southern Belle on the Ten
dency of Western Society to
Draw the Line.

History ia full of the accounts of the fas-
cinations of women who were no longer
young, says the st. Paul Globe. Helen of
Troy WAS over 40 when she perpetrated the
most famous elopement on record, and rs
the siege of Troy lasted a decade, she could
not have been very juvenile when the i'll
fortune of Paris restored her to her hus-
band. Strange as it may seem, the long
suffering spouse received the fair Helen, SO
says the report, with unquestioning love
and gratitude.
Pericles welded the courtesan Aspasia
when she was 36, and yet she afterwards,
for thirty years or more, welded an undl-
minished reputation for beauty.
The beautiful and fascinating serpent OF
the Nile. Cleopatra, in whose history every
woman is interested, was over 30 when An
tony foil under her spells, and which never
lessened until her death, ten years after
wards. Livia was 80 when she won the
heart of Augustus, over whom she main
tanned her charm until the end.
Turning to more modern history, where
it is possible to verify dates more accurate
ly, there is the extraordinary De Poictiers,
who was Sc when Henry II.-then duke of
Orleans-at that time just half her age, be-
came attached to and fascinated by her.
She was held as the first lady and most
beautiful woman at court up to the period
of that monarch's death and the accession
of Catherine of Medicis.
Ann of Austria was IS when she WAS de-
scribed as the handsomest queen of Eu-
rope, and when Buckingham and Rlchelleu
we're her jealous admirers.
Ninon, the most celebrated wit and beau
~ of her day, was the idol of three genera
tions Of the golden youth of France; and,
behold, old ladies, take courage, ye who
still cling to youth and emulate its charms.
Ninon was only Y when the able de Berais
fell in love with her. True it is in the case
of this lady a rare combination of culture,
talents and personal attractlveness endow-
ed the possessor seemingly with the gift of
eternal youth.
Blanca Capello was 80 when the Grand
Duke Francisco of Florence fell captive to
her charms and made her his wife, though
he was five years her junior.
Louis XIV. welded Nine de Maintenon
when she was 43 years of age. Catherine,
H., OF Russia. was 81 whel, she seized the
empire of Russia, and captivated the dash
ing Gen. Olroff. Up to the time of her
deathLe7nshe seemed to nave h retained the
tions we're heartfelt among all those who
had known her personally.
Mile. Mars, the French tragedienne, only
attained the zenith of her beauty and power
between 40 and 45. At that period the love-
illness of her hand and arm especially was
celebrated throughout Europe. The famous
Nine. Reeanier was 80 when Barras was
ousted from power. and she without dis
pute was declared to be the most beautiful
woman in Europe. which rank she held for
fourteen years. Among all the examples
given there is no English wonon They
were nearly all French women who retained
their beauty, probably from their bright
and lively dispositions and ~vivacity of
few years ago a solid but charming
southern belle visited st. Louis and other
eastern and western cities. She seemed
disappointed at her reception, and said that
one thing struck her foroibly in the society
of western cities: It was composed mostly
of quite young girls, and q woman over 25
received little attention and was considered
passe. She had had her day and must stand
aside. Now. the southern belle referred to
was quite 80. and although it was known i'll
New Orleans and other cities where she had
lived and reigned a belle, it made no differ
ence so long az she was beautiful, fasclnat-
ing and youthful-looking. Struggling her
statuesque shoulders one evening, she said:
II am sick of the discussions on age that I
hear in the west. 1t is the first question
that ono hears, as soon as a girls name is
mentioned, How old is she?' In the south
a woman ID rs old as she feels and looks.
neither more nor less. There a girl is forced
TO marry before she natures to give place
to others who will point at her in scorn as
an odd GIRL one who has seen several sea-
sons. / am glad to live where women can
enjoy their youth before they settle to the
graver duties of wife and mother"