The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-06
Ihdckery's ssBeclie Sharp''
 As Seen by Mrs. Lduro Stern


 mock her. so-called friends when her company required amusement. or would He glihly when occasion demand ed. but maiicioue or promiscuous fal- |sifyfrgs she vas never guilty of: nor, did she meddie with the affairs of oth- CTS Her fai1inss were not of the com mon feminine order---if we omit van |ity-and coquetry--but rather those be- longing to the masculine temperament. However. with all this, she was intense- fly feminine, though tfnged with strong Bohemianism. Had she been less Tenn mine she would have been far less charming.
 Added to her easygoing Bohemian ism we find remarkable tact audacity and an unsuitable desire to get on in the world the characteristics, let us remember, that contributed In such large measure to the successes and triumphs of the great Napoleon. Bee kie was not much more of an upstart in her way that the famous Corsican in his. But things that men dare are denied women. Napoleon had politi- cal ambitions. Beckie's were social Ca not unusual feminine aspiration to which many women in wealthy com- munities could plead guilty. women as ruthless as she and not half so cle- ver.) She was no worse than many others, but alas for her! she had less to uphold her. With an assured po- sition and a comfortable income. 1t is easy to be honest: but honesty and living in polite society on nothing a year. can not go hand in hand.
 Beckie was rascal, but we like her a hundred times better than the fool ish, good Amelia. The knaye Is al- ways more interesting than the fool, and while we would like to shake the QoA (s,H A.. .It l.. A.. the perhdfous George, we follow Bec- kie's brilliant career with an interest not unmixed with respect Brains. wherever found, command respect, and we have been told that goodness is none unless 1t has some edge to it. And so stupid good characters and the clever bad characters go through books, hand in hand. and we always cleave to tho latter and reject the for mer. In real life we scarcely like the clever people so we'll; they are apt to be disagreeable and seldom wear well. For a steady diet simple good- ness is more palatable. In the novel we adore the wit that overcomes, the Brace that attracts. the glitter that blinds, the rustic of silks. the shimmer of satins in c word, the pomp and glory ot life.
 In creating Amelia. Thackery meant to extoi virtue. making Beckie odious by contrast In spite of himself he makes her charming and she stands alonA-his great creation-and pre-emi nently the Woman of the World.
 Drawn by Frenchman, she would have been as abominabIe as Madame Marneff, but the reserve and sdelicacy of the Anglo-Saxon omits voluptuous- ness from her category of sins. She is a hybrid product, combining the cleverness and charm of the French with the coldness and practicality of the English.
 Beckie was witty, but not wise.
 She sacrificed all that wise woman holds dear and ignored the real duties of life.
 The material instinct was entirely wanting in her, while Amelia, dear, good Amelia was all mother and wife. and furnishes 8 striking example of that witty observation that mother love is the most beautiful thing in the world,-and the most promiscuous For do we not see Beckie's neglected son develop into a fine manly fellow, while little George is only saved from ut- ter ruin by the timely marriage of his mother to the sensible Major.
 The quicksand years passed. Des- tiny. lingering near. snatched the cup from Beclkie's lips in the moment of drinking and the rich wine of life turned stale and unprohtable. Regrets and feeling she manifested more than once. She evidenced grati- tude for unexpected kindness: the af- factionate greeting of her sister-in- law, when they returned for old Sir Pitts funeral, brought tears to her eyes, and who would dare to say that the little adventures did not with