The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-30
For tho National Era.
THE REVERE OF AN OLD MAID.


lam getting advanced in life some weeks
since passed my iorty-sixth birthday 1t was
- - a the birthdays of my youth-there
were no gifts no kind congratulations. None
N, r. .nr5i,,y 3:'..&ei ttrt It cGsS stt -. ~.
the morning of the twenty-frst of June, another
year Of the allotted three-score-and-ten was add
ed to my age.
live almost alone in a small house in Il
small village Ii is pretty little cottage enough.
with its fresh paint and green blinds, and there
is a small door-yard in front where my roses
and hollyhocks may bloom and Haunt unmolest-
ed | have a tiny garden-patch with few
cucumber and squash vines, a few currant
bushes, two or three rows of corn and various
other homely vegetables flourishing grcenly in
its narrow precincts am not poor have
four thousand dollars at interest. and for my
limited wants the income is more than ample
| am never harasscd by doubt or anxiety about
the means of living am very comfortably
situated certainly; ! ought 10 be very thankful
for my lot Pray God that | am 50!
| am lonely, however The little girl who
lives with me, and aids about the work of the
house, is pleasant child and | like her com
panv young rs she H. There is something 50
fresh in her ideas, so frank and artcSs in her
speech. that it does me good to be with her.
like to see her. too rs she goes about her yari-
Gus duties, hummng the while a snatch Of some
gay tune, or singing in an undcrtone the words
Of childish hymn But little Maggie has
parents living near, and she has, in addition a
host of brothers and sisters who are all so near
ly the same size that yOumarvel when told that
there is full fourteen months difference in
the ages of most Of them. When her work is
done, she finds it more pleasant to run in and
talk awhile with her mother, or rOmp with the
children, than 10 stay with the old maid. |
cannot blame her.
MY neighbors come to see me quito often.
and occasionally have company to tea, Some
times a child ventures in to ask for flower. or
man stops at tho door to inquire if can make
a half dozen shirts for him Once in n long
time put on my hest gown and newest collar,
and 90 out to spend the afternoon Thus much
| see of Hfe-such share have ! in the busy
action of the world around me.
was not always so solitary, 80 isolated.
large group and merry one gathered around
the hearth Of my old home Loud shouts and
ringing laughter echoed through it's halls-gay
voices sounded in the orchard and the garden
childish forms played upon the hillside, or
wandered by the brock And our mother was
there too, with her pleasant smile, and our
father, strong in the prime of manhood
Years passed, and wrought many changes in
our household. In the old parlor, three brides
had stood in maiden beauty-twO cOrpses had
lain in cold and white repose. Each had left
a vacant place, never to be filled again.
And yet other years passed on my younger
brother grew up and went forth into the world
our mother died and was buried; only my
father and | were left. We were happy to-
getheT spite of all the changes, all the sorrow
we had seen, we were yet happy, for each had
something to cling to- something to love !
asked no more than to devote myself to him
to make his comfort his enjoyment, the study
ofmy life But he died, too-and when had
followed him to the grave, and returned to the
still deserted house ! felt that now | was in
truth alone
My sisters offered me n home with them, and
| would gladly have accepted it. but feared to
do so. | had kept my own house for years, and
knew not whether | could be happy in that of
another person. Besides had my pecuari-
ties, my old-maidish ways if you will, and !
could not be sure that they would meet with
indulgence or respect did not ike to endan-
ger, even 10y trlling dsagreements, the contin-
nance OF that ahectionate understanding which
had always existed between my sisters and my
self 80 | thanked Anna and Maria warmly
for their kindness but told them | thought it
better for Inc to live alone They tried to dis
suadc me from the procct--they represented to
me how solitary would be ! knew they spoke
the truth, but still held to my resolve.
| bought this little house, and moved hither
n portion of my iumihrc-the chairs and ta-
bles that had been in our old home so long
even the mirror, with it, quaintly-carved frame,
which for thirty years had hung between the
parlor windows During the week or two
which it took to put my place fairly in order
to clean, paint wash windows, and nail down
carpets was if not happy, at least occupied,
and in measure absorbed But when all was
done-when no speck of dust remained ON the
dark and polished tables-when the window
panes shone bright and clear, and the carpets
stretched unwrinkled across the floor began
10 feel my loneliness For few weeks lived
on rs J waS-I arose, ate, and drank when
night came, slept IL was II very dull and
stagnant life and more--it was besieged by
vain but bitter pining after past happiness, by
restless. underlined warnings for happiness in
the future felt that ! was becoming dscon-
tented and mthankful This will never do,
SAID must have some fixed and settled en-
ployment something to I'LL my hands and occu-
Ply my thoughts-this aunlcss life is too weary,
too dreary to hc endured | resolved 10 take
IN sewing, and to devote the proceeds To chart
ty. | tried the plan, and it answered WE'LL
had now purpose to accomplish, an object to
attain. ! visited the poor of the ncighborhood.
learned their necessities, and ministcrcd 60 them
rs far ~ | was able | had the sweet con.
seriousness of being useful, of doing something
in my small way toward the happiness of man.
kind Existence no longer seemed tame and
joyless it had interest and excitement even for
me.
For six years have lived thus my daily
routine scarce varied save by occasional yists
from my brothers and sisters or their children.
Once or twice have gone 10 see Anna, who
resides about two hundred miles distant from
me. These visits are pleasant things we talk
over the old times and the old feelings till they
seem almost real, almost present TO US, But
when we have parted, and the house is quiet
again-when there is no patter of little feet in
the entry, and the kind faces of my sisters have
vanished from my sight-a sense Of desolation