The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-09-07
SERMONETTE ON BEAUTY.
The Society Smile Leaves Lines In
the Face That Are Hard
to E6ace.

Cur faces get just as tired as oul
backs or our feet, and then, if we know
enough, we long for the soothing toucl
of fingers trained to knead and pat anl
stroke our muscles.
The sensation is delightful. Ten vel
vety balls travelling around our chin
under our eyes, across our foreheads
and each ball carrying along a cool lit
tie dab of something creamy and soft
and fragrant.
Many's the spell of cross-grainness
have had chased off in this way. Social
indulgences must be paid for.
Wear obliged to grimace. Some peo-
pie call it smiling" We expect our
smirks to bring lines.
We look to the artfu1 rubber to keep
facial muscles SO strengthened that
| they will resist the strain to which they
are subjected.
We are also wise enough to learn a
few massage tricks as well.
And how careful we are to get to-
gether delicate lotions that will help
| our ten fingers to do the work demand
ed of them.
Imagine how the face of woman
pledged to six euchres a week and
whist or two thrown in must need mas
sage. There is nothing on earth more
cruelty unkind to good locks than those
persistent efforts of ours to be agree
able. We cannot go into society with
sealed lips and expressions that are
funereal. We begin the great grimac-
ing act from the moment we give our
hostess our first handshake to the time
for the final adieu.
We can actually feel, if we have
grown sensitive upon the subject OF
wrinkles, the lines coming about our
eyes, and around our mouth every time
we contract the muscles.
We may be ignorant of consequences.
If so we let threadlike weaves appear,
and that cunning scamp Time = de-
lighted to be allowed his will, sees to it
that they become day by day G eper and
deeper.
And there arrives a time when even
a Venus mirror refuses to shelter de- !
fects. Our eyes are still bright, our
color fine, our complexion free from |
blemishes, but, alas! few crows feet |
or network of wrinkles spoils every
thing.
It is all folderol to tell woman of 30
that she may look as young as girl Of |
Is. If true to the trust nature has re-
posed in her she has no need to envy
he bud. It she has cared for each gift
With which she has been endowed. she
Fan afford to laugh at the pretensions Of
Touth with all it's guacheries, all it's in
ipldlties. It, however, she has been
leghgent OF the arts that beautify, an
1nbetlever in science as cure-all for
'ur infections, she must simply bear her
punishment. She will be punished.
ietrlbutlon may 1oiter. It arrives, il
lot promptly on time, early enough to
orment, to harass, to reproach.
Life may not be such picnic to anv
ne OF us that we desire to cling to |
outh. We may even long to end it.
We should without delay be coached re-
arding the ironclad rule which prog
ess insists shall be learned, namely.
hat we are expected to be beautiful.
1holesome, physically delight and to
lease others and not ourselves.
How are our faces scanned? We
1ould not hold the years we have lived
esponsible, but the lives we have led. !
lallce and snarling work havoc with -
1e fairest faces. Defy the laws of =,
sense and hygiene and see :,
here we will bring up. Go on from
me to time, planning reforms without y
'rry1ng out a single plan, and see how :.
e will come out. There is no dissipa-
ON, it matters not how small, that does =,
Ut leave its impress. I have no pa
ence with wheezy old age, with a -
llow-tinted, bloomless maturity. T -
I'VE no patience with shriveled, -
decay, with lean or a 8
t Old womanhood. Grow old beauti- -
lily. II we do not know how it can be :,
me we should lose no time in finding -
Maddox, in Philadelphia a.
quirer. j
| p