| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 1525. A Countrywoman of Mine |
| | | By Elaine Goodale Eastman |
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| HANDSOME? I hardly know. Her profile ’s fine— | |
| Delightful, intellectual, aquiline. | |
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| Her keen eyes light it; keen, yet often kind; | |
| Her fair hair crowns it to an artist’s mind. | |
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| Fine figure and fine manners, without doubt, | 5 |
| Determine half her charm, and bear me out. | |
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| Learned? Well, rather. See them for yourself— | |
| Mill, Spencer, Darwin, on her favorite shelf. | |
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| Well educated, certainly well read; | |
| Well born, of course, and (not of course) well bred. | 10 |
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| Provincial? Never! Cockney? Not at all. | |
| Her world is small enough, yet not too small. | |
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| To prove she knows it, only watch a while | |
| That humorous, tender, half-sarcastic smile. | |
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| Accomplished? She says not; but who can tell? | 15 |
| She does some simple things, and does them well. | |
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| She walks well, stands well, sits well—things so rare, | |
| To praise as they deserve I hardly dare! | |
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| She rows, rides, dances—admirably done! | |
| Delights in each, and yet depends on none. | 20 |
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| What to take up she knows, and what to drop; | |
| How to say clever things, and when to stop. | |
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| Few dress so well; she does what few can do, | |
| Forgets what she has on; and so do you? | |
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| She ’s not too careless, not conventional quite; | 25 |
| Does what she likes; knows what she does is right. | |
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| Takes New World freedom and with Old World ease; | |
| She ’s but to please herself the world to please. | |
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