Three women out of every four were worth
looking at, every other woman was pretty, while every fourth, one
might say without exaggeration, was beautiful. As I passed to and
fro the idea occurred to me: suppose I were an unprejudiced young
bachelor, free from predilection, looking for a wife; and let me
suppose--it is only a fancy--that all these girls were ready and
willing to accept me. I have only to choose! I grew bewildered.
There were fair girls, to look at whom was fatal; dark girls that
set one's heart aflame; girls with red gold hair and grave grey
eyes, whom one would follow to the confines of the universe;
baby-faced girls that one longed to love and cherish; girls with
noble faces, whom a man might worship; laughing girls, with whom one
could dance through life gaily; serious girls, with whom life would
be sweet and good, domestic-looking girls--one felt such would make
delightful wives; they would cook, and sew, and make of home a
pleasant, peaceful place. Then wicked-looking girls came by, at the
stab of whose bold eyes all orthodox thoughts were put to a flight,
whose laughter turned the world into a mad carnival; girls one could
mould; girls from whom one could learn; sad girls one wanted to
comfort; merry girls who would cheer one; little girls, big girls,
queenly girls, fairy-like girls.
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