The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-12-19
IS sD !.
Al BRIEF CHAPTER ON OLD


The title of Old Maid, and the ride
cule once attached to the condition of
elderly female singI gIehood, are rapid
passing away together. The world is
becomin g enlig ghtened uron man sub
ijects. B It no longer tolerates old esils;
and amongst others, the idea that
men unless married; are useless and
neglected sqnorulous fault finding busy
bodies; this3idea is being swept ava yS
with other dust and rubbish Of the past,
amid the general clearing for the s. good
time coming. .3ss
Insociety where good taste preyails,
re now seldom hear the term Of sold Z
rnaid, !" the milder appelation Of
woman being substituted Ills is aa: I.
it should be; for wherefore brand by
what has, from hassociation, become q
ridiculous nickname, a respectable class
of females who are in no wise .infeiior to
hcir5married sisters nay, Who arc id
many eases d thousand times better: for
is not your old maid often on Q who has
had TO deny The dearest impulses of #hel.
nature, and to slifie all her natural
.yearnings fbr5a love and q home of her
own, for the sake Of, others, deYotiiIg
her lifea living sacrifice to those who
may be perhaps all the while nnpercipi-
sent of, ungrateful for, her burdens and
her cares for them2 Oh! if there No.
men Be happy, persist III being hap i, 4
notwithstanding their Remuneration Oh
self and the lingeriipg pref lice y ag si3s5
their condition, why rob them of the
smallest portion Of their tranquility By
a silly Jest or sneer?
1t is q pitiable. fact that young no
men, especiaIlY vim the middle classes,
often marry without love, without even
esteem for him with whom they NED,
solely for the purpose of escaping the
stigma attached by the Ignorant and mn
thinking TO the state Of old maidenhpoas
Are We far wrong in referring to this
dread OF remaining unmarried, the ms
merous devices of vanity. the flirting,
and dressing, and visiting whichretara
the growth of many q rational brain. and
cause the fathers Of gay, eg gnensiya
daughters, to sigh over their rapidly di.
mihishing means, and half regret the
day when they rashty took i,on
themselves She eases. sSs risk, antsl
burdgi. Of a fanliil In !;
VIC are not. a. 4 sasaids shall
be invariably treated With tho ress
speet and consideration which are iheis
duc-when the last joke at their expense
cb n Il q ,,,, n ~ ~ al =, II AZ f
forgotten absurdities then Ni,l ihinsbaadr
hunting be at its last gasp, and nlatris
mony again be a sacred thing.
Old maids pets have furnished oeca.
sion Tor many q graceless srleer, For
much bitterness md affected DISCUS
And Wher refore? Surely those. to whom
circumstances, Of their own sonse oe
right, have denied the station of ssiiffet
and mother. may expend a 8f,sg tor ssf
the stiGed love throbbing within 4ttnsiE
womaniy hearts; and which, had they
married, would have formed an sinex
haustible provision of tenderness for
some sweet infant, or may Be, lR &licle
rosy little troop of boys ard girls,
| ly they may at their pleasure bestowS
this objectfess affestion upon q faithful
dog, intelligent parrot, Or gentle, dos
mestic cat. Their friends
bound to like these pets col, even to app
prove of them, but that IS no reason
why our sisters should Be ridicule
loving objects, which, though Others
may see nothing to adinire III them,
u