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T. L. MITCHELL, Proprietor.
Vol. I.— No. 11.]
For Woman’s Work.
’TIS BETTER.
LILLIE SHELDON.
Better to con life’s lessons all
Than to frown at the harder places.
Better to climb, tho’ we sometimes fall
And move with indifferent paces.
Than to sit discouraged, and idly complain,
<Counting life but a failure and set-
ter
For God has a plan for every man
That no wisdom of earth could bet
ter. x
Better than wait for a cloudless day
Is to catch the light as ’tis given ;
Better to seize the joys as they stray
Than wait for the bliss of Heaven.
Better a song tho’ vou sing it your
self , ~
With a voice which no music dis
closes
Than to fill the years with sighs and
tears
Waiting for “ hot house roses.’
Better to do a lowly deed
Than wait for a grand endeavor,
Small chances come where we may
succeed
But the great oies may slight us
ever.
Better than wait to lead a crusade,
Drop daily our lump of leaven,—
If we do our best we may leave the
rest
With the Ruler of earth and Heaven.
For Woman’s Work.
THE UGLY
Our picture, representing an
undeveloped, hoiaenish girl and
a group of those not graceful
fowls—ducks—reminds us of
the story of the “Ugly Duck
ling,” a story which we have
many times seen verified. It
commences with the misfortune
of being deficient in beauty.
She is gradually pushed to the
wall by those more gifted than
herself, and there she lingers
with her plain, sombre wings
folded. But, bye and bye, the
sad minor key on which her
life began, changes; the dull,
gray plumage takes a snowy
hue, the slender neck shows its
graceful curves above the weeds,
her wings expand, and she soars
above her bewildered compan
ions—a beautiful swan.
It is sadly true that this little
story is acted and re-acted time
and again on the great stage of
life, only, the characters belong
to the human family instead of
being the figurative duck.
It has ever been the ambi-
• tion of woman to be beautiful.
Mother Eve caused much
trouble on account of her in
ordinate love of flattery, and
the weakness has been trans
mitted through every genera
tion. Flattery is the sweetest
of music to a true daughter of
Eve.
Mythology has told us in the
well known story of the golden
apple, how woman prized the
praise of her beauty. Many
Mjnervas have before and since
suffered the pangs of jealousy of
a fairer Helen, and yet how
vain is mere beauty! How lit
tle have the Helens of which
to boast, if with their fair fea
tures they combine not those
higher qualities of mind and
heart which justly bestow the
grand title— woman.
A thing not of beauty, may be a joy for
ever. Certainly a woman can. It is hu
man nature to be attracted by agreeable
objects and repulsed by what is plain and
homely, and it is an indisputable fact that
a beautiful woman has much the advantage
of her plain sisters before the world.
Though it may be an injustice, the fair face
will ever receive homage of admiration
while the homely one is passed by Ull_
THE WORLD IS NOT SO BITTER BUT A SMILE CAN MAKE IT SWEET.
noticed. But let us not judge from a super
ficial view. Let us seek beauties of charac
ter, and if these are lacking we will find
little to admire in the exterior fairness.
Let us analyze feminine graces that may
lie behind uncomely features, and often
the “ugly duckling” will prove to be the
only fair swan amid the flock.
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In almost every household may be found
this uncrowned beauty. In her little
world she receives the slights and indigni
ties too often accorded one who is not en
dowed with the pleasing features by those
who forget that
Beneath a rough exterior
Lies many a brilliant gem.
Her homely face presents a painful con
trast to her fairer sisters, and the conscious-
ATHENS, GEORGIA, OCTOBER, 1888.
ness of this increases her awkwardness
and shyness. Instead of helping to im
prove the defects and to smooth down
little angularities, her companions neglect
her and remind her too frequently that she
is “a perfect fright,” “a veritable witch of
Endor,” “shockingly awkward and un
gainly.” Os course such treatment is not
conducive to amiability and sweetness of
temper, so she is called morose, sullen and
disagreeable.
Thus is her disposition often warped
when she reaches that critical period of her
life when, she is
“ Standing with reluctant feet,
Where the brook and river meet
Womanhood and childhood fleet.”
Over a girl who is just blooming into
[SO Cts. per Year.
young womanhood, the heart of a womanly
woman inexpressibly yearns. More
especially'over one who has always beeu
considered the ugly duckling, for if she
does not receive kindly help and encourage
ment during this blossoming time, she is
likely to remain unattractive to’the end.
A great responsibility is influence 1
If some true mother heart
will make hers feel less lonely
by love and sympathy, it will
aid her to assert herself, fight
that battle which only wins
true nobility—the conquering
of self—and ultimately to de
velope into a lovable charac
ter. With tender care the un
folding petals may emit a sweet
odor, and the full blown flower
be one of rare fragrance and
indefinable beauty.
The ugly duckling is not
doomed to be crowded to the
wall if she will develope the
best elements of her character.
Unselfishness and true kindii
ness of heart will cause what
once seemed awkward and dis
agreeable to assume a different
shape and expiession.
When she conquered herself
she made a conquest of others.
The rest of the flock now
acknowledge her their leader
and superior. It they
fly for sweet counsel; it is she
who soothes their discontented
spirits. Her womanly sympathy
is a balm to their troubled heart;
she enters with equal interest,
into their tales of joy or sorrow.
The “horrid,” “disagreable,”
ugly little duckling is now to
the family a sweet monitor and
sympathetic friend.
With love aflffl gentleness she.
seeks to strengthen other faint
hearts and to direct other way
ward footsteps. She endeavors
to show their characters to
themselves as does the glass of
Laos; teaches them to eradi
cate the faults, and with tender
hand and graceful tact helps to
develope the good traits. Other
ugly ducklings will flock to her
for sympathy, and experience
fits her for helping them. Is it
strange that she now seems a
“beautiful swan ?”
So all ugly ducklings may
grow. If the subject of our
sketch the unkempt, rural
maiden, who is perhaps just
“ seven times two” and waiting
for the time when
“ The child is a woman, the book
may close over,
For all the lessons are said,”
will remember while looking at
the ducks that swim in the
water at her feet, that ’tis not
the richest plum aged one,
would bring the highest price,
she may learn a useful lesson.
The ones of the feathered tribe
may never develope into beauti
ful swans, but for this young
girl is possible a grace and
loveliness hardly to be im
agined now.
Let no woman neglect the
“ugly duckling,” but do what
only a woman can do toward
developing the beautiful swan.
Look on slanderers as the
•direct enemies to civil society;
as persons without honor, honesty, or hu
manity. Whoever entertains you with the
faults of others, designs to serve you in a
similar manner.
Opportunities are very sensitive things.
If you slight them on their first visit, they
seldom come again.
KATEGARLAND, Editress.