Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1898-08-31
THE SOUTHERN GIRL.
As Thomas Nelson Page knows and ID.
scribes Her.

scribes Her.
/ OF the pictures which Thomas
Nelson Page presents of his people
OF the south in his recent book, $50
cial Life In Old Virginia Before the
War, that of the southern girl is
best because she still lives, still
walks ny our side and charms us
with ler delicious, low, musical
speech, with her wonderful beauty,
with her subtle power, says the
Nashville American. Mr. Page
draws the master and mistress and
makes them live again in his strong,
vivid character sketch, but they are
creatures of the past. 1.-The nam.
my, too, has all but passed into
that poetical life.
But his picture Of the southern
girl is very real, is very precious,
for it is of a girl you know. She
lives even now beneath sunny skies
and breathes in the balmy perfumed
atmosphere, created for her, amid
flowers as delicious as her sweet
self. She is the girl whom You saw
yesterday; she of whom you are
dreaming today. See if this picture
is not hers:
They filled a peculiar place in
the civilization. The key was set
to them. They held, by universal
consent, the first place in the sys-
tenn, all social life revolving around
them. She was gently bred. Her
people for generations, since they
had come to Virginia, were gentle
folk. They were SO well satisfied
that they had been the same in the
mother country that they had never
taken the trouble to investigate it.
She was the incontestable proof Of
their gentility.
I'm right of blood-the beautiful
Saxon tempered by the influences Of
the genial southern clime-she was
exquisite, fine, beautiful, creature
of peach blossom and snow; languid,
delicate, sauoy, now imperious, now
melting, always bewitching.
She was not versed in the WAYS /
of the world, but she had no need to
be. She was better than that-she
was well bred. She had not to learn
to be lady because she was born
one.
A protracted devotion was re-
quired of her lovers, and they be-
gan early. They were willing to
serve long, for she was prize worth
the serving. Her beauty, though it
was often dazzling, was not her
chief attraction. That was herself.
that indefnable charm, the result
Of many attractions, in combination
and perfect harmony, which made
her herself. She was delicate, she
was dainty, she was sweet. She
lived in an atmosphere created for
ner-the pure, clean, sweet atmos-
phere of her country home. She
made its sunshine. She was gen
orally coquette, often an out
rageous fiirt. Itdid not imply heart
essness 1t was said that the worst
1irts made the most devoted wives.
It was simply an instance, an in
1eritance; it was in the life.
Her heart was tender toward ev-
Try living thing but her lovers.
Even to them she was soft in every
way but one. Had they had a fin
ger ache she would have sympathiz-
ID with them, hut in the matter of
owe she was memorable, remorse-
ess. She played upon every chord
# the heart. Perhaps it was be-
:ause, when she gave up, the sur
ender was absolute.
She was indeed a strange crea-
ure, that delicate, dainty, mischiev-
'us, tender, God fearing, inexplica-
lie southern girl With her fine
rain, her silken hair, her satiny
kin, her musical speech, pleasure
owing, saucy, bewitching, deep
own lay the bedrock foundation of
innate virtue, piety, womanliness,
n which were planted all for which
luman nature can hope and all to
which it can aspire.
Words fail to convey an idea of
What she was. AS we'll try to drink 4
he beauty of the rose or the per-
ume of the violet. To appreciate
er one must have seen her, have
nown her, have loved her."