The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-06-13
THE ATTRACTIVE AGE OF WOMEN.

Taking into consideration the fact
that more women are married between
the ages of IS and rs than any other
period, it would certainly appear that
it is at such a time that woman
reaches the zenith of her charms.
Such an assumption, however, is
not by any means correct. Early
marriages are easily accounted for by
the fact that the mind of the average
young man at the age of 22 or
23, lightly turns to thoughts of
love-" and he almost invariably
chooses girl of the same age as him
self, or perhaps younger, but rarely
older, as one likely to make him
suitable wife.
At 22 or 23 years the majority of
women are undoubtedly more attrac-
tive as regards personal beauty than
at any other time of their lives but
while they have that buoyancy and
youth which captivate and make men
susceptible to their charms for the
time being, yet a deeper study of their
powers of fascination will quickly
show that their attractiveness is very
shallow, as compared with that of an
older woman.
A pretty face constitutes only one
of the characteristics which go toward
making woman attractive, and it is
absurd to suppose that her charms de-
crease as time adds wrinkle to her
face. As matter of fact many wo-
men are far more attractive between
the ages of 80 and IS than those who
are some ten years younger. The
latter, perhaps, appear more charm
ing and fascinating to the average
But aftfhough tie affracti7eness &C err 81
a woman between 80 and IS years of
age may not be SO apparent at first
sight, it is really far greater than is
that of younger woman. Her char
acter has been formed, and we'll know
ing that she can no longer be regard
ed as young woman, she makes the
most of the good qualities she pos
sesses and tries to please the man
whose favor she seeks as we'll as other
people with whom she comes in con-
tact.
A pair of large, sympathetic eyes,
low, sweet voice, and an equanim-
ity of temperament more than coun-
terbalance any lack of youthful beau-
ty and vivacity, and it is when a wo-
man strives to please man that her
powers of facination increase. She
learns to take an interest in his daily
pursuits, be they business or pleas
ure, and nothing appeals to the mas
culine heart more than the thought
that one of the opposite sex is ready
to praise when he triumphs and SYM
pathize with him in his trials.
Many young women, of course,
possess these characteristics, and be-
sides being pretty, have truly Iowa
bic and sympathetic nature, which
makes them doubly attractive in the
eyes of man. But as rule, it will
be found that young woman who
possesses good looks is somewhat
lacking in those endearing qualities
which are to be found in woman of
30 or thereabouts. The former de-
pends mostly on her good looks in
order to win favor with the opposite
sex, and as the average young man
and older ones too, for the matter
of that's very susceptible to per-
sonal beauty, she is, perhaps, success
full in appearing more attractive in
his eyes than an older woman.
But only for short while. Most
men have a habit of comparing one
woman with another, and it is not
long before they begin to perceive
that beauty is but skin deep, as the
saying goes, and that although wo-
man of from 80 to IS may not be so
pretty as some of those with whom
they are acquainted who are some
years younger, yet the former is
brighter in disposition and more in,
teresting and sympathetic in charac-
ter than the latter. This is because
the older woman has had more ex.
| perience of the world. Her charac-
ter has developed and she realizes
that woman needs more than per.
sonal beauty to win and retain a man s
| love.