BEAUTY THAT LASTS

New Zealand Tablet, 18 October 1906, Page 37

BEAUTY THAT LASTS

'Mamma,' said Nelly Brown to her mpth.er one day, 'do you think I am leaily.. beautiful ? ,l^lrs. Wilson, said to me this morning, ".Mjfclly^, 1 ydu/a're \vkxy handsome, and you will by r and ''by ;be a vety^ beautiful woman." Do you think so too, - mamma?.' * Mrs: Brown gazed .at her daughter, in . silence ,for a few moments, as if at a loss'fpr.,! a .fitting 'answer v to . Nelly's question. She - knew that Nelly v j»as ' indeed beautiful; yet she regretted , that Mrs. Wilsonliad praised her beauty so unsparingly ; ', ■>' she, feared ' ,'th;at such praise tended, to" feed ,vanity\i'n' her-daugMer's heart. At last'^he replied z " '" l . *- • . ' Yes, .my child, ' God "hasvgaven -you &• face, anfd J y6u ho. doubt found' its priise by. MrsV,^Wil- f-

son was like a sweet morsel under the tongue ; but let me repeat %o you words of a> "thoughtful old writer who said, "As amber attracts ' straw, so does beauty admiration, Tyhich; otily lasts ' "while the warmth lasts ; but virtue, wisdoin,- tgoxwlness, real worth, like the loadstone, never lose their power. These are true graces." You know that beauty may be defaced, by disease and lose its power' to attract admiration ; but beauty, of the, soul outlasts;.~the iclife of <tjie body- and commands the lasting of. - men, of angels and; of . the " King of moral beauty Himself. Therefore, dear -Nelly, be grateful 'to •: Go y d, Who has given " you a lovely face ; but don't fail to ask Him- to adorn your soul with a beauty like His own.'