The Random Thoughts of Henry Holloway
Two men were having a chat in one of those few moments when men do talk. A neighbour happened to pass by, looking as if he were disgruntled with everybody and everything. One of the two men commented: ‘There ought to be a law against a man carrying around a face like that; it kind of disfigures the landscape. Got more money than he knows what to do with, best farm in the country, and a family to be proud of. Yet he always has that kind of face that makes you sizzle in hot weather, and starts the gooseflesh crawling in the winter.’
The great poet of Scotland once said that it would be a good thing if we could see ourselves as others see us. Perhaps it would. It would save us from a great many foolish notions. I'm not sure that would be enough, though; for we can touch ourselves up to deceive the eyes of others - at least the ladies can.
Did you hear the one about the two farmers in a railway compartment ? They watched for a moment or two in silence while the lady sitting opposite to them did some deft touching up with her beauty aids. Then one said to the other: ‘It's gey poor land that needs such top dressing.’
No! I'm not saying a word against it. The ladies want to make themselves as nice looking as they can. And why shouldn't they? Men like it - in moderation! But believe me there isn't any cosmetic that will cover up an ugly temperament.
In a novel which I read there was a girl who was far from being good looking. She said: 'I used to wish to be pretty and have the sort of eyes men want to look into and the mouth they'd be longing to kiss. But I came to see after a bit that plenty of the girls that had those, had other things as well; bad tempers and spitefulness and cruelty in their hearts. I came to see it wasn't the looks that did it. Looks didn't show what was wrapped up inside. You can miss how poor a gift is if it's wrapped up in pretty paper - until you open it. So I reckoned the looks didn't matter so much.'
I have often heard some of the older women say that `Face powder may win a man but it takes baking powder to keep him'. There is a story of a wife who took special care with her appearance one day. She had a new ‘hairdo’ and put on her nicest frock, and a drop of perfume in the right places. Then she opened the door expectantly as the door bell rang at dinner time. Absent-mindedly her husband put his arms round her and said, ‘What's that I smell cooking, dear? Beans?’ It's not always the appearance that counts.
There is an orphanage in England which looks after children. The children live in families in separate ‘houses.’ One day a boy of four was brought to the housemother. Instead of sending him to the nursery school, she kept him at home with her for a short time until he became accustomed to his new surroundings. One day when she was going through the laundry, the walls of which had pictures on them the child stopped and looked at a picture of Christ. Then he said to the house mother, ‘Who is that man?’ she said, ‘That is Christ. Don't you remember that I told you about Him’ ‘Do you know him?’ he asked. ‘Yes! I do.’ she answered. ‘I thought you did,’ said the lad, ‘because you have a kind face like Him.’
The Bible tells us that when Moses came out from the presence of God ‘his face shone.
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