Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-04-16
Gclcftc0 Valcs.
THE OLD MAID.
"Poor old Maidens."-OLD so>G.


The lady who accompanied The cb'l
dren whom ! had so often admired, wa'
slight, Thin, narrow looking person, o.
what is termed "a certain age ;" suci
certain aye being of all others the mos
uncertain. When once an unmarried
female passes thirty, until she is incon-
troverlibly old, wriukIed, and blind, she
remains, in the estimation Of all well-bred
persons, "of a certain age ;" and has Ia
undergo the various iaunis, sneers, and
s0spicioDs, which are unhestaiIngl) law
ished upon the sis'erhood As pariicu-
lar as an old maid, ~" Gas fdgetty as an
old maid, ,"-"as cranky as an old maid, y
"disagreeable old maid" and "Ugfy
old mald," are only few of the epnheis
which are unsparingly lavshed upon this
much llused portion Of the community.
For my own part, ] have had, ever since
my earliest childhood, an affection for
old maids, arising doubtless from the
kindness invariably bestowed upon me
by ,wo, who were ancient when | was
born, and, despite the wear and tear OF
life, remain Of can uncertain age" al The
present moment. Their capacious pock-
cts were ever crammed with sweet
meats and siorybooks and their beau
tIlu! sequestered cottage was the rem
devious of all the young persons who
loved TO do as they liked, and enjoy an
undisturbed game of romps. God bless
them they increased my happiness even
in my happiesi days, and made me form
a resolution, which, somehow or other |
was tempted to forget, Of being an old
maid myself. But this is little 10 the pur-
pose Of my tale, which do not profess
to be an impartial one, for the reasons !
have stated, having had all my life an
affection for the dear, prinky, particular
old souls, DESPITE the faults which an ex-
is,ence spent in "blessed singeness" is
too apt 10 produce. 1t was at the quiet
bathing place called Bognor that first
saw my heroine 4; and ] hope the bright
eyes now fixed upon this page, will join
me in my prediction by the time they
are Withdrawn from it for IN all its lead
ing features, 1t is true portrait II ]
fail in exciting the attention Of my hear
ers, 1t will be my fault, not Nhlly's.
had often admired three beautiful
children, who were attended by a good
looking woman Of color, in their cxcur-
sions along the sirand,-a boy and two
girls, healthy, aud sineularly handsome
- loving ;he society Of young people,
when they do not disturb the time aIIot-
ted to reading or writing, ] soon became
acquainted with my lavoriies. 10 one
at all involved in the necessary crreWo-
MES of English society, there is some
thing bright aud reviving in the frank
and unconstralned manners of an anima-
ted child ihe brilliant smile, the joyous
laugh, the gay voice, the bounding step,
are like the refreshing brerzes oI the
ocean after suffering benealh burning
sky they come, bearing the remem-
brance of our own early joys. A play
ful child can always beguilc sorrow ot
its bitterness | endcavor not TO think
Of what my young play mates may be
| am conten, with what they ere. Those
| met at Bognor were all could desire;
and mnnv and many an hour we spent
together on the ses-shore, watching for
the treasures that the vasty deep threw
M on the beach; collecting sea-weeds
and coraIIlnes and shrls--lalking Of ship
wrecks and desolalc islands and above
all, repeating to them that exquisite poem
of Ms. lIemans on the Ocean
"1hc SEA III" sea the glorl o,ls sea,
What has the earth 80 far,
DfLill, or valley, grove, or lea,
Winch vih u may r"hpaf-
Ola could sit Tor hours I" look
Upon lis wide oNpausc'
Aud read ~ H. uuwrrit'u book,
Fresh charms ~ every glance
The only subject upon which we di.
Iercd was motion. They used IN lire me
10 death, and expect one, who is moi onl,
sedentary from habit, bat oi necessity, 4"
Iun and race, and climb and iunble, NJ
much as themselves This was more
han could we'll endure aud about
four days alter the commencement oi oui
(for children do no, ncknowl-
rdrc, by either act or deed, the term Of
Horace, hooking w',
pta,rly NJ me, snld--
a ,,,,sk A,Iiv uas gpsur far thpuph n