Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-28

has defined it. Flooding is necessary but the
fash that illumines does not come with the
plodding The poem that may be accurate
in so far as rules require, the picture or the
marble where neither coloring, perspective
or proportion violate established methods,
may fail to kindle admiration or fire the
soul to deeds of ''derring do, while scenes
of homely life in its simplicity and short
poem that appeals to the heart will stir up
the deep fountains of mans nature and
nerve his arm to battle for home, cotntry
and the right. AS has been beautifully
sung by genuine poet, back of the canvass
is the painter and the artist is greater than
his work. Admitting this truth does not
give dissolution from striving after perfec-
ton, neither does it absolve from everyday
duties. If there ever was a time when be-
ing genius was sufficient excuse for dis
regard of daily tasks, and a warrant for
rebelling against all restraint, that time is
past The present age demands of its
gifted children that they think their best
and live up to their thoughts. Particularly
does this apply to women. Blue-stockingism
no longer furnishes an excuse for careless
ness in dress, for neglect of family, and a
disregard Of social obligations, nor can any
amount of genius serve as a pretext for
condoning violations of such laws in morals
as serve to bind society together.
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When women learn to look upon house
keeping as business the problem of secur-
ing efficiency in domestic service will be
well on the way to favorable solution.
English servants are admitted to be the
best trained domestics, and their good
quality is largely owing to systematic ar
rangement in English households. The
mistress or the housekeeper attends to the
details in person, the stores are kept locked
and the cook reports what she needs for the
day, the menu is submitted and the dis
penser is supposed to know whether the
demands are proper. The man who goes to
market reports and reckons to a cent for
the purchases made. No waste is per-
mitted, no leaving soap in water or throw
ing away of good food. Each one is taught
that caretaking economy is to be CON-
mended, and is never looked upon by any
class in that country as niggardliness.
Laxity in discipline, an ill-disguised con-
tempt for proper carefulness, and DISPOSE
ton to leave to incompetent help the duties
that properly belong to the ladies of the
family have much to do with the present
unsatisfactory condition of domestic life in
America. -
The charm that foreigners find in Ameri-
can women is that indefinabls charm pos
sessed by many of them, and known as
"tact." The 'sproperness'' of the English
woman interferes sadly with her making
her home center of social life, and how
ever beautiful she may be, she cannot, by
force of mere beauty, wrest the key to
brightness and rare enjoyment from the
hand of the tactful American girl That
foreign nobleman who marries witching
American is not always mercenary; he
finds in addition to her money and beauty
that sine possesses the power to attract
brilliant men around his table, and to lift
the home atmosphere above the common
place, the tame, and the dreadfully precise,
without trenching on forbidden ground.
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Our Southern girls, God bless 'em," are
rapidly pushing to the front in contest in
the literary arena. Miss Jessie Swallow of
South Carolina recently won prize offered
by the Times Of Manchester, Eng, for the
best composition on s'The Best Book and
Why Like it." The competition was open
to the world, and she had competitors from
France, Germany, her own and several
other countries. Her chosen book was
'Ivanhoe." Triumphs such as this are
trophies American girls can proudly wear,
and it is particularly gratifying when the
honors are borne off by girls from section
that has been regarded by too many as
enlighted region, where literary advantages
were extremely limited.
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