The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1913-05-15
THE HONIELY GIRL.

,
very pretty when you were a girl"
Indeed, | was not at all pretty.
Now, | do not know as any one ever
called me even nice looking. What
made you say that, dear?''
Because everybody loved you so.
Uncles say that you had just lots of
beaux and that everybody was your
friend. | would give anything if
was pretty"
But, Virginia, you do not have to
be pretty TO have friends. Think of
the plain girls of your acquaintance
who have many beaux and friends"
But | haven't, grandmother.
Sometimes | feel that nobody loves
me. There are so many nice things
that | have not. All my girl ac-
quaintances know how to do some
thing nice, and | do not know how
to do a single thing we'll. The abil-
ity to learn was just not born in me-
Beauty, and ability,-well, | wish
you would just listen to all of my
shortcomings. Don't say a word,
now, till l get through, please"
well, dear, I'll let you say every
thing bad that you want to about
yourself this one time, and then |
shall tell you what think about you.
Remember that | have seen more of
the world than you have and am old
enough to know about such things.
Go ahead, now, and tell me all about
it,"
We'll, the main thing, think, is
that l am not pretty; my mirror does
not show me one feature that could
be called pretty. You know l got the
most votes in Statistics at school for
having the longest nose, and it does
look a great deal like a pear. My
complexion is exceedingly red, and
the school girls always called me
'Pinkie.' My hair is hay-colored and
short, and there is not a single kink
about it. My mouth is twice too
big, I've lot of wrinkles on my fore
head, and,-well, you see for your
self, and know that nobody could
think that l was anything but a bad
looking girl. Plain does not de-
scribe me-"
That much for that. Now, you
said something about plain girls be-
ing popular. That is because they
can do something useful and enter
tanning. | can't do either. l can't
play any musical instrument, | can't
talk entertainly, l can't make pref
ty things with my needle, | can't play
all of the popular games, and, when
it comes to singing, l can't even car
ry tune. do not blame people for
not liking me, for l am perfectly
worthless. You see how it is, grand
mother; have none of the nice quail
tiles that make girl popular. You
can not find thing admirable about
me, now, can you?"
We'll, Virginia, | admit that l am
afraid you have not the quality that
will make you popular. But you are
wrong about all those things you
have mentioned being the cause Of
your unpopularity. You may not be
a beauty but it does not take beauty
beauty of soul, my dear. If you for
get yourself and try to do things for
others to make them happy, you will
forget that you are not pretty, and
nobody else will think of it, for they
will be thinking how sweet and help
full you are. Did you ever think of
that? Try it, and see if it does not
work. That is the way 1 made most
of my friends. A pretty face does
not count for much in this world, and
you will not have to get very old to
learn it,
''Then you say you cannot sing
and play, and entertain socially
What do thesesreally count for when
you can do things just as helpful to
others? Think Of the busy care
worn mothers in town; think of the
girls who have not had the chance
you have had to study. You can do
very much to help these. When you
said that you could do nothing we'll,
you forget that you can cook, darn
and sew neatly, and I know that
there is not child in the neighbor-
hood but would go to sleep in your
arms if you would take time to cud-
die him.
"Such things as these really make
the true woman. To be happy you
must forget your shortcomings and
use the powers you have to make
others happy. But you must have a
deep, abiding faith in the Father to
be able to do this. You can get the
unselfish spirit from no one but
Christ; He is love, you know, and