The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-05-07
Letter from an s.Old Maid.n

young lady east we received through a
frhbds We heartily 2sympathize with
"Mariann Matilda, !" ii her forlorn and for.
saken condiiion, and would suggest to her
by way of consolation, to emigrate straight
way to Minnesota, where she will find hearts
less obdura,e than those she will "leaye
behind herr
For the Pioneer
LONESOME Hollow, March, 1885.
Mr.. EDIroR:-Allow me through the col
umns Of your valuable paper to throw down
the gauut ct in defence of that crushed, wrong
ed and victimized part of community common
" known as "old maids" Now happen to
belong to that unfortunate class Of feminines,
and in the language of the poet as translated
from the original Hebrew,
"Now that I'm laid on the shelf,
III give you . sketch, aye sketch Of myself"
Twas girl once as all old maids were, had
beaux as all girls do-built air castles or ra-
Their air cottages and embowered them in hon
ey-suckle and rose INDUCED day dreams
of wearing white veil and orange wreath
some day away off in the dim future. don't
recall any particular "penehant" for the state
matrimonial, but l do recollect Of recoiing
with horror from the bare possibility of ever
being left to bear the fearful weight of re-
proach and blighting scorn which public SEN
timent invariably heaps upon the defence
less head of hapless old maidsm. For while
1 felt no anxiety-happy in fancied security
and needless of the approaching danger My
little bark, with its freight Of bright hopes
and antcipations, bounded swiftly down the
current of Time But soon my approximations
were aroused. when my tell-tale mirror made
the startling announcement that few silver
threads were already mingling with my auburn
tresses, that wrinkle or two had slightly
marred the smooth surface of my lofty and in
telectual forehead-that my cheeks had lost
something of their roundpess, and had exchan
xcd their rose-tint for the slightest possible
shade of buff--that my Roman nose had grown
thin and sharp, that my teeth began to show
symptoms of decay. In short, woke to re
alize my worst fears-to find that l had al
ready entered the outer circle OF that dreaded
maelstrom in which so many Of my unhapp!
sex have been wrecked, and which it had beer
the greatest aim of my life to steer clear of.
Thus far l had passively waited CONFIDENT!
expecting that in due time life boat would
make its appearance in the form of bl oadclotl
and polished boots, and should be SAFE Blu
now 1 waited no longer, but with oil the ener
gy of desperation reused myself to meet tn
emergencies of the threatening peril mad
reckless investments in carmine and hair dye
held confidential interviews with the dentists
hung the family register carefully away in tn
garrett; aped all manner of juvenile graces
indeed left nothing undone which could b
expected of reasonable, material woman.
I When our new minister proved a widowe
how punctualy l attended church; goin!
through rain and shine at the risk of ruinin:
my new french lace hat and its pink fxins =!
What an interest took in the Sabbat
School! how literally I subscribed for all be
nevolent enterprises! And though in spite o
all my angling he married that horrid widow
I was not discouraged. .,,..-.
When that bachelor doctor came in town
1 was suddenly taken with all manner of fash
ionablc mala,lies, requiring his consta't atter
dance; dressing in most becoming "neglige
to receive him; and worrying myself into ner
vousness trying to appear interesting. An
when he too, had the ingratitude and bad tast
to prefer silly Young thing hardly ont of he
teens and pantaletts, even then did not dis
pair-did not lay my hand upon the almanac
and VOW by all the saints in the calendar tina
henceforth and forever l would eschew me-
and matrimony-but hoped on, n.vcr for
moment relaxing my efforts; and this day
have been on the sharp look out for an "open
ing"
Believing now, that my unparalleled struggle
and failures, are but the experience of eacl
one of the class represent, would ask wher
is the Justice that would treat with such un
mitigated contempt, these poor victims of cir
:umstances Some one has written,
IA mans man, and cans a can,
And man can't do more than he can ~
and would like to know if the sentiment vii
not apply to woman. Trusting the matte
will be investigated, and censure rest where
belongs, am you, in behalf OF suffering ,re
manity MARlANN MATILDA.