Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-03-04
WHAT'S ALApY7
y Il VERY Hard TO Draw tho LIN. tain
N,1f Milan, SAY.

That is what am trying TO flnd
out, and am having hard work at
1t, writes Lena L. Pepper from Milan.
A friend informed me, when l first
: came abroad, that no lady was al
lowed to carry a package in the
streets of Milan. If she made the at
tempt, q guard would Immediately
approach, politely relieve her of her
self-imposed burden, and carry it to
her destination. 70
Now, here comes the rub: 1 have
carried many package in the most
crowded thoroughfares of this ancient
city, and no Respondent guard has
ever offered me his services.
Everyone who comes 60 Italy
studies music or painting. Consider
ing that when a song is sung it is
ended. but when a picture is painted
1t endures for ages-more's the pity,
perhaps-I concluded to study paint.
Ing.
Well, whenever have needed ma.
terials, such as brushes, paints,
drawing paper, etc., have walked
around to the store, got them, and
brought them home myself. The
only thing that prevented me from
bringing the canvas was that it was
little too large to handle with grace
and skill.
Each day when Ihave ceased paint
Ing, as little dissipation seems nec-
essary after such wearing brain wors.,
L travel around the corner to the
chestnut mans and get 2 cents
worth of hot roasted chestnuts. But
no guard, with spurs on his heels, red
stripes down his legs, sword at his
side, golden fringe on his shoulders,
and waving plumes on his head, has
ever offered to assist me in carrying
them. And so the question natur-
ally occurs to me: Am lady?
The guard evidently thinks not,
and places me on level with
the bareheaded, wooden-heelcd, slip.
per-shod peasant women who go click
Ing along the streets, carrying the
necessaries of life tied up in square
of cotton cloth.
But, according to Webster, they
may be ladies.
On shipboard, where so many peo.
pie are thrown together, and where
forced companionship is, for the time
being, necessity, encountered dur.
ing my recent voyage three persons
who interested me greatly.
One was an opera singer whose
name had appeared in the leading
journals for months, whose costumes
had exhausted columns of print, and
whose minutest actions had been duly
chroniclcd and read by the masses
with absorbing interest.
Besides maid, dog, and three
parrots fur travelling companions,
there were train of cavaliers. There
was also husband somewhere on the
ship, or at least his name figured in
the passenger list.
n Another woman whose names had
appeared often in the daily papers,
in type little larger, perham thai
the opera-singer's and with few
more startling adjectivcs and flaming
headlines was little trapeze-per.
former. She was quiet, modest, and
Industrious. While the opera-singcl
spent her time in winc-hibbing and
Irritation the gymnast's small hands
made yards and yards of delicate
cdging.
The third person who interested
me was as Nell-known to the reading
public as either of the other two.
IIer artistic gowns had been duly dc.
scribcd in the fashion columns, and
her dinners, teas and receptions
formed the leading items in the so,
ciety notices. In charitable philan,
thropic movements she had always
taken an active part. Her husband
is well known as ''great and goods
politician.
Strange as it may seem, a strong
friendship was formed between the
. leader of aristocratic society and the
: belle of the circus-ring.
l overheard a conversation between
them, a part Of which at least is
worth recording. The one, true to
her philanthrOpic instincts, was re.
monstrating with the other on her
mode Of life.
"Madam," answered the trapeze-
performer, '''you have given to your
children the best educational adyan-
1tages in your power. My parents
3Ahave done no less for me: they gave
me all the advantages they were able
to in their own walk OF life. / take
as much pride in doing we'll a diff
cult acrobatic feat as your daughter
might in rendering well beautiful
symphony or in producing a brilliant
bit of literature"
The two parted with warm express
sions of friendship and a desire to
meet again..
Each of these women-the opera.
singer, the queen of society, tho
athlete-takes to herself the title
oflady, and the world smiles its sane
tion./
What is a lady, anyway? Am ]
one? Are you one?"
Who can tell me?-[Kate Fields
Washington.
Ain -