Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1905-05-05
by KATE UPSON CLARK.
(Author of bringing Up Boys" etc. Tres
ident OF the Wheaton CIub.
New York.

A DISTINGUISHED lecturer has recently
said that after all, 1t Is the expression
which gives the beauty to a face. far
more than doll-like features or artistic
coloring."
This may not be strictly true, especial
ly when the opinions of the great mass
of the young and thoughtless are in
cluded. The beauty which pleases a cal
low youth of 20 might prove highly I'M
satisfactory to the anne man at 80.
And mere regularity of feature and bril-
liancy of coloring do appeal to a far
larger section OF our population thar
man suppose.
Yet the expression of the face is an
important factor, and is far too little
considered by our girls.
The subtletios of expression are unac-
countable, and yet they are perfectly
obvious. Who has not seen Il plain face
flame out into almost beauty under the
influence Of a. great happiness? And
who has not seen a handsome one be
come ugly under the stress of some in
ward malice or hideous anger?
Some great writer has said that the
expression which "A good life leaves on
the face is reward enough" There Is
surely something fascinating in the calm
frankness with which one who has no
conccalments-no dark befoulmcnts, in
his soul-mects the gaze Of his fellow
men. One h habitually thinks only
of whatsoever things are honest, pure,
true and of good report, must ncceS-
sarily have a different look on his face
from that which covers q heart in which
guile turks continually. An eccentric
and eminent physician used to say: "All
ome are as fiat as dishwater until
they are at least ~, because they never
learn to think until then"
II has been asserted in one way or an
other by many great writer's that most
human beings think altogether about
themselves, and that If they ever suffer
themselves to dwell in their thoughts
upon some other matter, 1t Is simply in
relation to themselves that they con
slider it.
with humiliation, We must admit that
there is much truth in this cynical state
mcnt. Perhaps 1t might be added that
what makes men truly great or gives
them the impetus to a high philanthropy
or q high religion or high daring OF
any sort, is simply a lesser degree OF
s~elishness han the rest Of us have.
Perhaps our girls have a greater
temptation to think constantly of them
selves than any other class Of our popu-
lation. Sydney Smith once remarked
that we are constantly preaching to
our girls the doctrine of handsome Is
that handsomed does, when we know per-
fectly well that upon their looks on some
special occasion their whole future
might depend. Most girls, however"
be adds, have sense enough to detect
, the fallacy in our reasoning, and act &C.
a%ordingly."
/, This Is true, and the consequence is
hat many of our girls are thinking from
/, morning to night only of themselves
l their looks, their clothes what So-and-
SO thinks of them-what So-and- so said
, of thcm-what they will do or say in this
or that self, self, self in every pos
A ,ible phase, until a disgusting self-cOn-
I seriousness becomes written upon their
every feature.
- th'AS 10 oh c"A '
morning and, again, every night when
D I Is the duty OF all civilized beings to
, think of themselves until they have
n done what they can to make themselves
, acceptable members of society. But
V after ones toilet Is carefully n thor
=. oughly made, do try, my dear girls, to
: dismiss self as much as possible from
g the mind. AS you sit in the car, as you
O are going to sleep, or as you are taking
your walks, have some good book, OF
o some good piece OF FORK to think about
What you think about IL going to make
a Is mark upon your face, You cannot
escape 1t. The vacancy OF the thought
less will settle there, or the vanity OF tht
selfish, or the vulgarity of the curious
O and the prurient, or the recklessness OF
the lrreligious and passionate.
Learn bits of good poetry, and say
a them often to yourself when you fine
your mind wandering into selfish OF
foolish channels. The habit Of dwelling
upon noble and lofty things Will In
evitabiy refine and cyalt eve" a plair
face, f..f the expression DIS indeed uav'
much 10 do with beauty. 1t is a pity tina
more care IL not impressed upon boy
In this direction. II seems impossible
that some men could continue their evi
p -sctices II they realized how they wer
n oil written out upon their faces, to tn
j. disgust of every beholder. And tn,