The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-01

Mo,l Pleasant of All.

The most pleasant home | know is hero
| IN NnBinla-heie in Richmond, indeed,
The people Who compose the household
are po0r--that kind OF Virginia poverty
which Is Ike no other klnd-the perfec-
ton OF plain living aud high thinking.
one has 10 80 down, through tho quiet
Older streets, clear out of Mayfair 10 get
to IT, but have yet 10 see an individual
who went and did not lind it worth tho
energy that carried him. The house it.
self links tho present with a gentle and
aiiiucnt past. the Ike OF which, 1 wonder,
shall anyone ever see again. The people
In t live up to II, and when other people
visit II, What a charming family" they
an say "1ney are not like anybody else.
Positively there's quite au od-world
breath about them all" 1 remember
once mentioning the family 10 a gay
Resident of the recently gildcd quartei.
She was quite nice young woman. with,
however, the conventional false standards
10 measure by. i've heard so much OF
them from sister" she SAIL. They re OF
awfully good fJmily and all that. know.
but there must be- something special about
them TO keep people going way cut there
10 keep up with them-poor, too. | think
III call" Sne called end promptly
yielded 10 the charm.
Tho charm which is all about the place,
even the genial and thoroughly polite lat
dog who drOwscs on the front step, owes
ifs steady life to the old lady mother.
Her husband died years ago and left her
this house, four children, and the bless-
Ing of their common Cod She has mado
a generous use Of the last bequest, with
the result as every visitor finds II.
She undertakes TO prove, and proved,
against immense odds, that poverty l. no
disgrace IL you come by II honestly: that
a childs manners and morals may be
made 10 bloom into elegant fruition in
ssite OF somewhat inanequate carpets.
and other things that have to run for
more tnan one season. In short, I'VE Of
the most finished, elegant, and delightful
people that ] ever knew were children
under that mother. who never, after tho
horror OF tho war and her husbands
death. knew an instants freedom from
anxiety about ways and means.
Family lfe-simple dignihed noble. did
il, and proved. 10 the satisfaction OK
everybody. that positively perfect ladies'.
fit for any place, can be made over bare
carpets Not only perfect ladies' by tho
way. but charming ones-so charming
that Mayfair. gay, light. new, called and
couldn't resist the charm, although IL
went hame and secretly wondered how IL
was those RS kept in with everybody so.
when they were so dreadfully poor and
quiet. and really didn't make any effort
10 get in And IL was astonishing how
much attention the girls had, when Il was
quite absurd the things Mrs. II. would nOr
let them do-waltz. for Instance; Ny
dear friend, that lady mother. as you
know. was i'm before ever you were
heard of-was born in in fact.
II ycu will go into il. and find that
the fine elegance which these girls have
YOU miss I'm your own girls, see IL
the grand old mother didn't draw moro
completely than ever the worldly woman
does upon spring whose waters arc
beauthers or everything they touch.
she started with tile absolute reverence
for God. which was as spontaneous with
the Virginia gcntewOman of past days az
nippancy Is spontaneous with some other
people and she made her journey with
her ewes. recording one guide oniy-a cer-
tain star which leads unto "A Maneer and
shows 10 am which is the way TO the
trt-lv beautiful II may be very old
fashioned but this sort OF thing Is un-
commonly becoming and makes won
derfully reliable guide 10 true ladyhood-
DO you not think so2 -
ALICE LODGE HOUSTON.