The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1860-05-10
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From the London Journal.
The Old Maid Of Thirty-Five

"Thirty.fve today Ny life is just
half through-that is, if I am to live
the throescoro and ten, which the Bible
says if the life Of man. sometimes
wish that had alreadyreaohed the end"
Such was the remark that [ addressed
to myself upon the morning Of my
thirty-ffth birthday. was not in the
best of humors, as may be inferred from
a portion of my remark. But when l
had pushed aside the curtain and opened
the window, and had rovelled for a while
in the glories Of an October morning,
(for the reader must know, what 1 am
proud of telling, that my birthday comes
in the glorious month Of October, (Which
makes the woods so gay,") then did my
spirit acquire its usual tone Of serenity,
and I became half ashamed Of my first
exclamation. But the day had begun
badly, and I was destined to encounter
and overcome many more vexations be-
fore il ended
As I looked in the glass that morn.
ing, never, 80 it seemed to me, had the
rovagos Of time been so psroeptible.--
My brown locks, which had been the
pride and admiration Of my friends,
and which only yesterday had seemed
to me as glossy, abundant, and beautiful
as ever, now looked faded and thin
and, yes-actually, there was a gray
hairl I am ashamed to confess that,
for one instant, l was almost disposed
to sit down and cry, but happily, did
not yield to the temptation. My eyes,
too, which in my younger days had
been dark aud lustrous, and which, as
my cousin John had once said, "shono
like an angels when l was animated,
now, upon the morning Of my thirty
fifth birthday, looked dull and green
There were wrinkles, too, upon my face
which could only have been placed
there by the hand of time In fact, ]
looked like a wrinkled, faded, grim old
maid, and with this impression strong
upon my mind, put on the most Qua.
kor-liko dress I possessed, combed my
hair back as plainly as possible, and
went down to breakfast. As l opened
the door, ] was unfortunate enough t
Interrupt a family conference; for there
were seated at the table, uncle and aunt
John, Harry, Frank, and little Annie
| all seemingly engaged in very oarues
conversation. Upon my sudden en-
trance there was an abrupt pause, OuC
some embarrassment expressed by tht
younger members Of the family.
! Another advantage in being an ole
maid, thought l to myself "ghe's sur,
to stumble into places where she ism
wanted"
As I seated myself in my accustomed
place at the table, there was an excla
nation from John:
Good gracious, Emily have yoJ
turned Quaker? What in the world il
the meaning Of that drab dress?'
sit means that 1 am thirty-fvo to
day; so be reverent, if you please" sale
I, shaking my finger at him.
"In half-mouruing for her hopes,
suppose" muttered Harry, with mos
malicious expression Of face.
At this point jotted down a memo
randum in my mjnd-to give Harry
lecture upon respect, before the da,
was through.
81 do believe Cousin Emily has mad
a mistake" shouted my pet Frank, a
this moment, shaking his curls all owe
| his head. 81 know she is forty insteaC
Of thirty-fve to-day, and I'll prove i
by the family Bible, after breakfast
Oh, Cousin Emily to think that you
Of all others, should cheat in your age
l shall never believe in you after this.
"Hold your tongue, boys" interrup
ted my uncle. 'If you don't behav
yourselves, you shall take no part il
you know what And hero my uncl
nodded mysteriously.
As l left the table that morning,
felt sure that hated the boys most de
cidedly, and 1 came to the conclusion
that they were the most uugrateful Sc
that ever lived. Even Frank, by who's
sick bed 1 had spent some years Of m
life, who had often declared that h
loved me better than anything else o
earth, even he had wounded me by
foolish jest.
please, Emily, don't come down t
Z dinner in drab, said John, as he hanC
ed me to the door in an unusually gal
{ liant style.
"Aud, Cousin Emily, mother says 20
are not to enter the kitchen to-day,
whispered little Annie, with most b.
witching smile.
b $50 they want to get rid Of me-
thought I, bitterly. "And what ca
, have come over those boys this morr
/, ling? l never knew them to behave 81
q really believe they wish l we're out 0
. the house, aud so l begin to think d
I uncle and aunt, too. Last year l WI
8 loaded with presents, and to-day thel
% is not even the mention Of one. No
Of course, that care anything abOl
the presents themselves, but then it
pleasant to know that there is some OF
in the world who cares about you, We
[ see l shall have to go away from he
and find a home by myself for wi
cares for an old maid2'
Thus grumbling, I entered my roo
and cast my eyes around to see what
was best to employ my time about-f
upon this my birthday, l was extrem
p. |ly fastidious as regarded my occup
tons, It pleased me just then to r
member that there was a quantity Of 0
l, letters to be looked over and sorted
. task that had put off from day to d