The silver lance., 1897-07-16
PRETTY GIRLS, THEIR FUTURE.

Pretty girls are delightful to
look at and very nice to know, but
there are a great many people in this
practical workaday world of ours who
have very tender spots in their hearts
for the plain girls. While they may,
and probably do, adore prettiness, they
long ago learned that there are many
pretty girls who base all of their ideas
OF present success and future hopes on
their good looks. and overlook the fact.
that there are much more substantial
things in the world than beauty, even
though the world puts a very high
value upon that most desirable COM
modify. 1t is MISFORTUNE to be pretty
II one depends solely upon that fact
for ones currency in society and ones
material prosperity.
The parents of beautiful children
are often envied by their associates
who have no children or only those
who are ordinary looking and not spe-
cially attractive. But such parents
very often make the most complete
shipwreck of their children's lives by
their injudicious management and the
very evident pride they take in the
appearance of the little ones. They
must not study too much, as that
would make them duh and spiritless.
They must not wear old or unbecom-
ing clothes, as that would detract from
their loveliness and mortify their
pride. One woman, the mother OF
very beautiful daughter, made the lives
of her friends miserable by constant
exhibitions of her childs attractive
ness. She was always on the alert for
some opportunity to draw compari-
sons between her daughter and other
children, and ever, of course, to the
credit and advantage of her own.
1t is one of the greatest of bless
ings to be beautiful If one has judicious
parents and friends and is carefully
trained and taught the true value OF
beauty and the advantages to be
gained by its possession If it is sup
plemented and aided by good sense and
good breeding. Everything that adds
to beauty and tends toward its per-
manency has a high value in all Of the
relations of life. Whether it be a
house, q horse, a work of art or a
child, beauty adds in every way to its
consequence. Physical symmetry and
perfection are rarely found coupled
with exquisite mental balance and
good stock of sterling common sense.
But once in a while this admirable
combination is discovered, and truly
its price is above rubies. If parents
could comprehend the Importance OF
bringing up these jewels of untold
value In the right way, what treasures
they might bestow upon an apprecia-
tive world!
The diamond must be cut and pol
ished by hard work and the severest
treatment before it comes to its full
commercial rating, and the finest gold
must be tried in the fire, but these
spiritual gems are allowed to come up
and develop as they will, with no spe-
cial shaping or forming save that
which the vanity and weak affection of
too partial friends give them. And
this is often given in a feeble, half
hearted way, and, to a great extent,
because public opinion demands it. In
many cases this weakness and folly are
SO pronounced that the parents seem
to think that everything in the way OF
Ignorance, i'll temper and bad manners
must be allowed for il their darling is
the culprit. How much better it would
be to be bright, lovely in spirit and in
telligent in mind as well as beautiful
in face and figure!