Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-11-30
sIMPLE-MINDED WOMEN.

SIMPLICITY does not mean Ignorance.
Girls who think to please men by feign-
ing a childish ignorance of the graver
matters of life have not one chance in
ten of reaching the goal at which they
aim. Somehow, though most men are
not very wise abont women, they soon
learn to distinguish between truth and
affectation.
/ hard a man say this the other day:
"How is it one cant go into the coun-
try nowadays aud find those sweet
maidens in print dresses of the old
time?"
What in the world did he mean
/ suppose he had a dim romantic Wis
ion--ior men as well as women are
romantic-of an ingenious farmers
daughter, with peach bloom cheeks
and downcast eyes, who would blush
and lisp Just "Yes, sir, and "No, sir"
in reply to the casual strangers inter-
-ogations.
To some men this seems the ideal
rustic simplicity, aud the baby faced
land baby natured) girl would gain
their hearts in a moment. But, of
course, with the now universal spread
of education, we cannot expect to find
any huCu RlElb III IL u 1872. U6
farmers daughter may reasonably be
supposed to know her own value near.
ly as fully as the drawing beauty
in her second season.
No; real simplicity Is of the heart
and is not concerned with knowledge
or ignorance. | know old ladies who,
though wrinkled and gray, have this
most desirable and aliuring quality
in abundance. They have been true
to their hearts all their lives, and in
their old age they learn the value of
this allegiance. Some are married and
other are unmarried.
JEAN PAUL RICHTER, who studied
women like few men, once said: "Truly
the warmest hearts have often only
half grain of brain or understand
ing"
This at first sight seems equivalent
to saying that Stiffness and simplicity
60 together.
But it is of course by no means so in
reality. There are innumerable wo-
men abroad in the world who are re-
spected for their Intellectual attain
ments. and yet in their inner life fol-
low the simple rule of faith in the heart
and faith iu God. Such women have
their sad moments like the rest of us,
but they are never in despair. They
can enjoy the melodious prattle of
baby in arms az we'll as Il brilliant
opera, an interpretive novel of the
frst order, or a famous picture.
Give all to love;
OBEY thy hetrt,
wrote. Emerson, of all men. Yet the
self-cen,red philosophers words will
be appreciated by the true woman as
he meant them to be.
1t does not mean that the woman is
to let an infatuatIon carry her whittier
it lists, even into the land of ruin and
eternal night. Oh, no. But 1t does
mean that in the crowning events of
woman's life the heart Is a guide more
to be relied npon than the subtIest
understanding.
And the best OF it is that every one
who chooses may have this good guild
ance from the very beginning of adult
existence. For the heart, like the con-
science, has its still small voice, and it
depends entirely upon its owner
whether the voice is encouraged or
stifed.
For time the affected woman, who
is untrue to her nature, may seem to
have the advantage of her more simple
sister. But when the cheat is
discovered, she has to suffer bitterly.
1t is not difficult to perceive whether
or not a woman is true to her heart in
the best sense. If her keenest happiness
depends upon her personal benefits
and pleasures. then is she not of the
happier simple minded ones. But if,
on the other hand, her eyes look their
brightest and she is clearly most con-
tented in making others happier, this
stamps her as one of the elect.
1t is comparatively a small matter
that not nothing preserves a woman's
beauty like simplicity of thought and
action. Cosmetics are nothing to this.
Do you remember the answer of
Michael Angelo when they remarked
how young-looking he had made the
Virgin in his wonderful statue in ST.
Peters of Rome? Mary is represented
the dead Christ in her
arms. She seems q mere girl of eigh-
teen or nineteen. "Such purity of
life as hers, " said the sculptor, would
keep her young"
Do We not see this proved in hun
dreds of cases among us? There are
4hbN uhAbuA A4Su NOultAg VI lily OF
sixty with girhsh bloom on their |
not purchsssble at so
much the box. The nature of their !
ives explain it; and If we mention uu-
married women especially in this asso-
1t Is not with covert slight to |
heir married sisters. These latter have |
obvious cares that age them, at least in |
appearance, somewhat before their |
rrfasa thnar R.,-, r
| stronger kind than that of unmar- |
ried women, and they must accept the |
which, TO do them jus- |
ice, they are very ready to do as a |
'ule.
Simplicity and purity of life are, or
ought to be, the same thing. Nor does |
simplicity of necessity mean an ex |
erlor of unvarying self-abasement |
md self-obliteration. One does not |
ike that sort of thing, unless, indeed, |
We are interested In such conduct in !
'ur fellow creatures. The persistently
woman is often a dis
inct annoyance to others. Whether
The means it or not, she amps herself |
Is being apart from us, and We are
lever wholly ut our ease with those
whose cRtures seem to cry out: "You
md L are not on the same plane of ex-
stence. You are selfish; am unself-
sh. Pray accept my sacrifice of self
t your feet, that my reward may be
,reat hereafter
The woman of false simplicity differs
rom her genuine sister in being a per-
on of negative qualities. She Is a
wing lie, and in the end must SO de-
lare herself. On the other hand, true
wears its heart on the sleeve,
lot for purposes OF ostentation, and
ertainly not designedly for mortals to
'eck at, but because it is impossible to
% otherwise. You may not think 1t
Tolth your while TO tarry to read the
ature thus exposed to your eyes; but
you do, you may be assured your
eading is true one.
A pretty face is much, but 1