The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-08-17
DECADENCE OF AN
OLD Time GREETING
Has tho Old Time Smile Il
Welcome Become a Thing
of the Past?
SUPERSEDED BY THE GRIN
The American Girl of Today Seer.
to Have Entirely Forgotten the
Pretty Little Trick of Her
Grandmother.

IF found myself suddenly forced, l,
earn my living L would start a class n
smiling. The American girl OF today ha,
forgotten her grandmother's pretty trich
Of smiling, and 1 believe l could make 4
fortune il | opened a school, @as
So SAID a charming old lady who had
not tempered with her hair when it began
to turn gray, and whose cheeks We're Xix,
the petal tips of a bridesmaids rose-iust
the sort of a woman who would not think
OF wearing anything but real linen lawn
or a soft silk in the afternoon.
Facing the assemblage of women-it was
an afternoon reception called BY the mis-.
leading title of a tea-a study in smiles
brought strange results. There was thu
hostess, with a thin, drawn, polite expires.
sion about the corners of her mouth, an
expression that somehow said that, Whils
she was very glad to see you, she was
wondering in her heart Of hearts whether
the desirable guests would all put in an
appearance.
Then there was a smile of a woman just
beyond, the president of Il noted woman's
club. Hers was the smile of the absent
minded. You could tell by the blank looA
in her eyes tha the smile she bestowed
on her companion merely cloaked her
thoughts regarding the program for tha
next meeting.
Just opposite stood a really beautiful
girl whom an obviously young man was
trying to entertain. She smiled, too, the
smile of bored belledom. Wonder was a
stately dowager whose cards for dinners
and dances were in great demand. A
pretty young matron basked for a mo-
ment In the dowager's smile, but it was
the smile Of the patronage, irritating rath-
er tina soothing.
Two rival beauties met at the punch
table and they both smiled the same smile
call 1t ''catty" if you like, for somehow
you seemed to see their teeth. n you
knew that each was taking mental inVen-
tory Of the others points, good and bad.
ootably bad.
A slender, why little creature hustled
Across the room to greet her hostess and
hcr smile was the smile Of WEAKNESS that
follows on the quest for social recognition
when the seeker is hampered by lack OF
funds or family. And not less than half
4 dozen women were smiling that SELF
sufficient smile that made you wonder il
your hat was on straight, or you gown
nad capped at the back.
And yet there are smiles which every
woman car acquire If she goes to the
school hat Dame Nature teaches; tho
smile of welcome that makes you feel glad
that you ave come unto this woman's
house; the smile of genuine pleasure as If
It were just good to live today: the shy,
gentle smile of the young girl whose Ell
gagement-a love affair and not a mar
riage of coEvenience-has just been an
ounce the radiant smile of motherhood
which illumines a woman's face when she
thinks of the little laughing eyes in the
cradle at home; and, best Of all. a contas-
kllS smile Of the woman who IS growing
old gracefully and keeping her heart
young. And always lips and eyes smile
together.
These smiles are rare, SO rare that the
dear little lady OF the school is justified
In thinking that the American woman, NJ
matter what her social rank, makes a BUS
mess and not a luxury Of her social rela-
tons and pleasures.