The Washington times., 1894-04-09
PAST TWENTY.
Philosophy for Girls as They Grow iron
Girls to Women.

Philosophy Tor GIFTS as lney GROW from
Girls to Women.
There was time, says the Bazaar, when
after girl had passed twenty she was called
passe, SO that it really became a matter OF
moment with her If it were necessary to state
her age. and she was thought to exhibit some
hatdihood IL she stated It without pressing
reason. But so far has the world progressed
while spinning down the grooves of change
that how girl at thirty Ii not 30 old In esti-
nation as once she was at tw enty; and such
is the advance from that period when animal
charm was the greater that It is now acknowl-
edged that ut thirty-fve woman is In her
prime for all the uses and enjoyments Of life
to herself and to others.
Even although at forty her hair may show
thread or two Of silver, they argue nothing
more unbecoming than was the powder with
which she sprinkled her hair and made her
self bewitching in masquerades Of years ago;
and they have very little to do with the de-
crease OF beauty, anyway. for fair skin and
a rosy color are often frightened and made
more attractive by what is considered prema-
turely gray hair than otherwise. And II there
are lines about the eyes they ar, not noticed
when the eyes kindle with intelligence and
the lips curve in gentle smiles
She may not have been particularly attrac-
tive at twenty. even if pretty with the pretti-
ness that rarely fails in youth; she may have
had long-legged gaucheries, shynesses. igno-
rance. and other things OF the sort to contend
with. But If she has really contended, she
has won the battle beyond peradventure.
Then those long limbs have given Eer grace.
she observed in the midst of her shyness and
profited by her observation. and she has had
a score of years in which 10 correct her igno-
rance. Thus the woman between thirty and
forty has acquired knowledge of the world,
of men and things, perhaps of angels, that
makes her able to meet and charm those who
when she was twenty would have regarded her
as they do doli-baby--a pretty toy for the
hour but too firing for more than the hour
and many of them would be glad 10 have her
brightness brighten a home for them, If she
had not already found out that she is better
off as she is.
The period of marriage has, indeed. advanced
so much that it is regarded as rather doplor-
able for woman to marry before twenty,
and the greater number of women now do
not marry much before thirty. Acquaintance
with this fact gives the woman of mature
years the ease and savoir-faire which is a
very great addition to any woman's charm.
Moreover. in passing SO far through life
without the serious household cares which
necessarily beset those who are married and
surrounded by growing families, she has
been able to make the most OF herself and of
her graces: she has learned the art OF listen
ing, and listening intelligently, which is
equivalent to speaking SO. and often says
more than speech. She has rounded and
enriched herself and is far nearer n "per-
feet woman nobly planned than if she had
youth and beauty only. With all this per-
haps she is not SO happy as the woman sur
rounded by her family. But then that is
another story.