Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1894-12-05
HOW TO BE ATTRACTIVE.
4 Really Homeiy Woman May BE Mo
Entertaining and = Fnvorfte

4 Really Aomoiy Woman May he Most
Entertaining and = Faverite.
There Is an old saying that 70 become
beautiful one must never look in a mirror.
remember reading this MAXIM in n fairy
tale book when young and credulous enough
to interpret things literally, writes ''Selene''
In the Baltimore American. Ny youth did
not counterbalance my natural feminine
vanity. Ilonged to be beautiful, because
In the fairy tales the beautiful maidens
were always the ones about whom all the
interest hung. So 1 determined /, too,
would follow the injunction laid down by
the godmother
l stunned the looking-glass studiously
and so poirtedly that my older sisters re-
marked the sudden change. Remained Ut
communicative and altered mr tactics I
stood before the mirror with my eyes closed,
50 as 70 mislead them. One day I forgot
and opened my eyes. when loi instead Of
beholding long, shining ringlets, milK white
skin and star-like eyes, such as had reward
I'd the girl in the story book, my own plain
little face looked at me in grieved surprise
from the mirror. / was, indeed, sorry
enough sight with my frill awry, my hat on
exactly Backwards And this, after my eff
forts OF weeks. Twas then 1 learned that
''the world was hollow and my doll was
stuffed with saw-dust." That childish ex-
perience was not without its influence on
my character. / became small cynic
Now have learned the true meaning Of
the fairy tale.
The world Of women pays too much heed
to its looking -glass-the mere physical
beauty is gazed upon and thought of to the
neglect of all else, because there is popular
belief afloat that only beautiful women are
attractive. Women who are plain, beyond
all aihilifr Of hoa0raiDr, In
still devote their time to their personal
adornment, under the impression that by
so doing they will become better looking
and more charming, when in reality il they
would turn their backs upon their mirrors
they might indeed far outshine the beauti-
ful women around them. II they would de-
vote the time they now waste in vain en-.
deavors for physical Improvement to Guilt
waiting their minds, improving their mau-
ners and conversation, they would find, like
the maiden of the fairy tale, that the mirror
was 80 delusion and a snare"
The most attractive women in society to-
day are not the acknowledged beauties in
many instances. Often we see the homeliest
girl In an assemblage the recipient Of the
most tavors, because of her bright manners,
her brilliant conversation, or her keen wit.
Such one reigns supreme when the in
sipid beauty of the season is no longer adj
mired. Beauty is of itself attractive; it
pleases the eye and charms the beholder
for awhile, but beauty alone will not make
woman popular,
Women are much like flowers; the ones
that have beauty and mind, we'll cultivated,
are like the flowers with beauty and fra
grance-they are never-ending sources Of
delight. Others are fair to look upon, but o
close inspection discovers thorn. The
third kind are like the homely wall flower,
neither handsome or graceful, but 50 full Of
sweetness that to he near them is joy mex
pFesslhle. So many girls, who are brought
up with the knowledge that they are gifted
with forms and faces Of unusual loneliness.
depend too much upon these advantages for
their success In life. They never realize
the necessity Of applying themselves to the
acquisition Of knowledge; they grow to
womanhood with meager educations, no &C
complishments, and q much exaggerated
opinion Of their charms. The result is that
they enjoy only FOR brief time the prestige
for which they are so ambitious.
Soma OF the plalnest women ever knew
were the greatest favorites. Their presence
| in room was the signal for good humore ed
enjoyment. Time never tagged when they
were OF the party. The lack Of nero facial
symmetry was forgotten when under the
spell Of their genial influence. 1t is not I'M
| usual to SEQ handsome man welded to a
homely woman. We have all heard, and
| perhaps made the remark, "Why, what did
such a good looking man ever see in that
| woman to lovel" We are thinking of only
| the outward appearance, when, in truth, the
| character OF such woman may be so love-
| " and attractive to those who know her that
| none would have her different II they could.
| II Is . great pity when q girl allows herself
| to grow DISCONTINUED and unhappy about
| her looks. When this is the case it is time
| for her to heed the fairy's warning and
shun the mirror by thinking less Of appear
ances and more of other things.
know u most attractive girl, who is far
from pretty. heard her once say in reply
| to . remark that she was always so Jolly
and pleasant: Eyes, ] have to be so or pa
| considered nonentity, for you know
hayen't Madge's beauty to take me over
| dull places" And this plain girl, by her
| own efforts to please, succeeded in winning
| friends and warm admirers on every hand,
| She realized her lack of beauty, and know
| ing that she could never remodel the phys
| iognomy God had given her, she bent her
| energies in another direction, and made the
aost OF the heart and mind which 1t is pos
sible for all to develop and improve. In
Europe to-day the Princess Metteruich is
always greeted with enthusiasm and ad-
miration because of her gracious and win
ming manner, although she is universally
considered one Of the homeliest women in
soclsty;
All women are capable of being attractive
il they would only exert themselves sun.
eiently. There Is where the charm of the
homely woman lies-in her desire to make
the most of her capabilities Realizing that
she has no beauty of feature, she turns her
attention to becoming fine conversational.
ist "a most delightful accomplishment, by
tAe way, o brilliant musician, or making
the best Of whatever happens to be her spec