American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-06-11
MAIDEN MEDITATION.

Well, well, there is no use i'll tretting now.
| am an old maid, and no mistake. The sunny
hours ofgirlhood have flown away, like bright
dream, too pure to last. Then was IL rosy
checked, laughing, black-eyed GIRL full of
voung lite's hopes and Notwithstanding
from morning till evening, blithe as bird or
bee; and life was all bright and beautiful before
me. But a change has passed over the spirit
of my dream. Now live and move an isola-
ted being, an old NADIA member of the mai den
sisterhood.
Yet do not repne. No far be it from me;
it was my own choice, and | have never yet
repented it; though my cheek has lost its bloom,
and my raven tresses have changed their hue
This form has grown thin and shddowy, and
my voice has lost its me lody, yet still do not
greve. Had | been wife, age would have
shaken hands with me, and perhaps | should
have been even more ugty than | am now -
The very thought of matrimony always affec-
ted me like fit of ague; and when any of my
lovers preached the subject, my poor frightened
heart thumped and Auttered like a Gagged bird,
always compelling me to say ''No." And my
lovers all had such homcly names that, turn
them which way might, they would not pass.
Hggs, Hobbs, Sprigglngs, Hlggings, Jlggings,
Riggings, and Scriggings. No! not with any
of these could my poetical name of Arabeila
Estella Gorilla La Mott be amalgamated 1t
would have been an insult to the good sense of
my parents, who bestowed on me such pretty
name; and who, pray, can blame maiden lady
of sixty for being proud of such a name
BY the way, this makes me think of the 9TH
or sea. What shame it is that they call US
such names. One can never be in their COM
pany without hearing about "croSS old maid"
"ugly old maid" and sold maids dried up, and
ready to Ay aUay." Now | wish they would re-
member that we are not ready to fly away with
an sold BACH" 1t would take something, |
reckon, besides steam to carry us, if we should
attempt it. SIN oA maid!' The name is
hackneyed enough in all conscience; and am
ready to own that it sounds hateful even to
me; but do not see why it is worse than
'young maid" Fit is, let it be exchanged for
something better. We often hear the men say,
"They are cross, ugly and spiteful, and because
they are obliged to live in single wretchedness,
they must have something to love, so they get
cats, dogs and birds, for pets" Well, what if
they do? | would as soon have cats and dogs
no, do not mean dogs, for they are hateful
creatures, but cats, at all events-as a stngy,
scodng husband, and crying children, daubing
everything over with their dirty, greasy hands
and their noise is insupportable.
&s There Isl neighbor Brndle, an old beau of
mine, by the way. Whenever | go there,
am almost crazed with the noise of his six chill
dren. The eVer-ringing chorus of their tami-
y concert is, "Father, father" "Mother, mo-
ther,n or what is passing flat, "Papa, daddy,
mama, many" Now, if were going to be
married, would get new order Of household
words, and neveraow the children to call me
twice by the same name. My children, of
course, | should expect to be very dutful. But
to return to ncghbor Brindle's; his wife can
never talk of any thing but the chldren-how
wonderfully bright they are; the baby, only one
month old, has actually laughed; and, from the
description, body would think as much as one
tooth had graced its little mouth. The dear
little eyes, sweet little nose, pretty little toes
OF the other children, are all pointed out to me
as though they were so many gems that must
admire. Now this is absolutely ridiculous If |
were a married woman and could not find any
thing to talk about excepting my children, |
would hold my tongue, and not talk at ALL
There's Mark Dobbns-it is Just so at his
house; every time 60 there, think that will
never go again, for am almost leased to death;
the continual cry, from the time | set my feet
in the house till set them out again, is, "Just
see this, ""Just see that, as if care how we'll
Mark Dobbins provides for his family; Pm sure
| never wanted TO be drawled round about the
world by him; but folks do say that he married
Minerva Temple out of pure spite to me.
Well, ifhe did, poor fellow, he's got his pay;
for his wife has grown dreadful slack. Her
head, | dare say, aches, sometimes, to see
comb and her shoes flop up and down like
a mill clapper at every step she takes; do
not see how she contrives to keep them on;
and her children are SO dirty and ragged
there, never saw them clean but once, and
that on an extraordinary occasion. Dob
bins himself is altered from the gay and social
to the sulen and morose; and his wife, if she
had the sense of a goose, would discover the
cause in his bloated face and fiery nose.
wonder it has not burnt her before this time
Heigh-ho! am sick of married life. Give me
single blessedness, called after whatever name
it may he--"A TALL sallow, gaunt, old maid, -
or "a strait, stiff, commanding spinster"-any
thing-yes, any thing but--matrmony.
Well, poor labby is purring for her supper;
SO, good by to. meditation. AN OLD MAID, !