Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

teTest, the old home restored to its former
glory and the three sisters are being
ualned professionally. The father and
mother and invalid brother fondy point
to the erstwhile butterfly as 'the man
Of the family"
This Is but the same blood that flowed
IN the Southern girls after the war, those
girls and young women whose lives had
been as the lilies OF the field before that
time. Many Of them donned rubber boots
and, with a handful OF old servants set
TO work 10 run plantations the war had
robbed Of owners and overseers. Some
times these same girls did not make a
fGrtune-the exception was when they
made anything more than n bare living
but they did this and provided food after
fashion for their dear ones. To-day Won
may hnd these same women, now grown
Ole and wise, in business world. They
arc managing cotton and suger planta-
tlons and making lots of money out OF
their ventures. When the time comes to
work the Southern girl cheeTfully puts
her hand TO the plough. The girls OF
yesterday are keeping boarders in many
little university town. Some OF these
are the mothers Of the working girls Of
to-day-girls who have been forced from
bahyhoOd 70 face a future that looked
dark, but they have brought no gloom
to their work It Is the radiant ire
sponsibility Of youth and gayety that has
counted for the success OF the Southern
girl as much as anything else.
. The Southern girl has made her mark
I'm the world OF letters She has written
music that has girdled the world with
its gladness and Its sadness. She has
climbed to dizzy pinnacles In Northern
journalism, she has added her name TO
that Of the great teachers OF the country,
she has run hotels and sheep ranches
but she has, I'm spite OF II ALL preserved
ell those feminine qualities that make her
first of all the lady.
/ hirt? Maybe. Many have accused
her of being Cupids g stepslster. What of
.lt? TO love her Is O liberal education
and nobody has ever proved that every
Southern girl Is engaged TO half a dozen
or so men at the same time. Surely II
Is "a privilege 10 be engaged 20 her for
even short time. The Southern woman
can no more help being a belle than she
Ican help breathing. She inherited II from
her grandmother and her RTeRt-grRnd-
mother, both Of whom, no doubt, had a
habit Of marrying early and often.
Divorce Is practically unknown I'm the
far South, but the average Southern girl
can marry any day she Is a widow, and
the majority Of them do marry-keep on
marrying, as one Alabama beauty witt
lily explained, "tO have "a man about the
place, you know"
4 delicious story that will bear reteI-
ing anent this point is told by "A dcbu-
|taute OF last year, She was walking
with her hance In the family burying
ground on the old plantation home FL
p uHlly the group composed or her maiden
aunt, her grandmother and mother, herself
/ and escort, halted beside the grave OF
, .ATthemise Depew, an aunt OF the maiden
. who told the story. This grave is hankcd
on each side by the graves OF two hus-
bands "Her life was Ike a beautiful
/ flower garden" bTeathed the sentimental
grande dame. "Full OF bridal bouquets, a"
I whispered the irreyeTcut young man 70
! his beloved.
p The Southern girl, God bless herl II
/ she isn't serious she's mighty sweet, IN
% Southern parlanCe. with her red rose hat
b and her wild rose face, her futtering
, ibbons, her flmy gowns, her tact, her
! beauty and her indehnhble charm she
! believes IN and loves the whole world
20 and the whole world, cynic though The
70 experienced ones aver Il, quick 20 re-
. spond 10 the heart that really trusts IL,
3 doffs IT'S cloak 20 keep the mud from her
b feet, and she, confident OF It's continued
E Gallantry, strOlls serenely On-a phantom
70 or delight.