The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-03
WHAT MOTHER HOPED
WANTED HER DAUGHTER TO BE
POLITE AND NOT REPULSIVE.
Marie Denies That Men Are More
Selfish Than Women-Many Men
Drudge Out Their Lives to Crafty
Inconsiderate Wives.

Once there was a mother who said
that she hoped two things for her
daughter: That she would be, not
beautiful, but simply not repulsIVe In
appearance, and that she might have
charming manners and treat the old
with respect. These remarks emanat-
ed from woman who had seen the
world, was veteran society woman
and one who had given much thought
to the bringing up Of girls.
There is a great deal more than ap-
pears on the surface in her remarks;
if, after all, one is homely and plain,
that is not the worst affection; indeed,
some of the most fascinating women
in the world have been plain of feat
ure, but were possessed of a charm
which is entirely aside from beauty.
To be so unfortunate as to possess
characteristics or a personality that is
repulsive and inspires persons to run
from you, is very dreadful thing,
and it is no wonder that this mother
spoke as she did. Therefore these
girls who are miserable because they
are not pretty nor beautiful, are very
foolish. Nothing is a greater waste of
time than repining about such thing
as that. Indeed. for women who are
obliged to earn their own living, few
things could be greater misfortune
than to be beautiful. Remember what
lIldl IilOlHcI Stlu dOOul HOJ DGlHS re-
pulsiVe. If you are homely but have
charming manners of real courtesy for
the old-fact, toward every one-nine
out of ten of your acquaintance viii
agree that you are better than beau
tiful.
In the last analysis it is not beauty
of face, but beauty of character and
kindness of heart and generosity and
lots of other beautiful things which
have nothing to do with your face, that
really count in this world and the next.
the secret of most of these things,
too, is unselfiShness. The opposite of
that, selfshness, makes most of the
misery of this world, if the truth were
known. 1t is popularity believed that
men have monopoly of that unpleas-
ant thing, but it is pleasant to record
our belief-here on this woman's page
that this is not so. Selfshness
among women is fully as common as
among men. How many, many famil-
les do we not know of where the head
of the house works like a dog day and
night that his family may have the
good things of this world. and finally
dies in harness, worn out by his eff
forts? And if you have never seen any
selfish women, you are to be congratu-
lated. They are unfortunately too
common-women so wholly given over
to self-absorption. that it is painfully
evident III q UNe-DllHuI6S cOnVerSd-
ton. Haven't you ever met q women
who was interested in you as long as
you talked about her affairs or let her
talk about them; and haven't you seen
the interest die out of her face and her
eyes rove about the room as soon as
you talked about your affairs? Again,
the selfish women are those who want
you to notice everything new that they
have on, and tell them how becoming
it is but who never. by any chance,
tell you your new hat is becoming
These are small things, but they are
straws that show which way the wind
blows. The selfish woman lacks SYM
pathy, and that is a very terrible lack
for woman. If you do not feel real
interest in other PERSONS affairs, there
is charity in feigning it if thereby you
are doing them some good.
Well, this preachment is becoming
too long, and we'll have to continue it
on another day; for, really, the state
fair is the only thing we ought to
think about this week-that is, if we
are loyal Minnesotans- of course
We are.