The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-05-04
Misteual1eous.
THE OLD MAID oFTHIRTY-FIvE

through,-that is IL am to live the three
score and ten which the Bible says is the
life of man. / sometimes wish that had
already reached the end"
Suck was the remark that addressed tC
myself upon the morning Of my thirty-fftt
birthday. was not in the best of hum0rs
as may be inferred from a portion of my re-
mark But when pushed aside tho curtain
and opened the window, and revellcd for q
while in the gloriics of an October morning
(for the reader must know, what ! am proud
OF telling, that my birthday comes in the
glorious month Of October, "which makes
the woods so gay,") then did my spirit nc.
quire its usual tone of serenity and l became
half ashamed of my first exclamation. But
the day had begun badly, and was destined
to encounter and overcome many more vcxa'
tions before it ended.
As / looked in the glass that morning,
never, SO it seemed to me, had the rayages Of
time been so pcrccptible. 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 beauti.
full as ever, now looked faded and thin-and,
yes-actually, there was grey hair l am
ashamed to confess that, for one instant,
was almost disposed to sit down and cry, but,
happily, did not yield to the temptation.
NV eyes, too, which in younger days had
been dark and lustrous, and which, as my
cousin John had once said, "shonc like an
angels when was animated" now. upon
the morning of my thirty-tifth birthday,
looked dull and green. There were wrinkles,
L. nplv hay ya
been placed there by the hand of time. In
fact, I looked like wrinkled, faded, grim
old maid, and with this impression strong
upon my mind, put on tho most Quaker
like dress possessed, combed my hair back
as plainly as possible, and went down to
breakfast. As / opened the door, was un-
fortunate enough to interrupt a family con-
ference for there were seated ut the table,
uncle and aunt, John, Harry, Frank, and
little Annie, all seemingly engaged in very
earnest conversation, Upon my sudden en-
trance there was an abrupt pause, and some
embarrassment expressed by the younger
members of the family.
sAnother advantage in being an old maid,
thought to myself; 'she's sure tto stumble
into places where she isn't wanted
As seated myself in my accustomed place
at the table, there was an exclamation from
John:
Good gracious, Emily, have you turned
Quaker? What in the world is the mean
ing of that drab dress
1T means that am ithirty-iyo to-day 30
be rcvcrent, if you please, said l, shaking
my finger at him.
I'm 6alcmourning for her hopes, ] suppose,
muttcred Harry, with most malicious e1-
preston Of face.
At this point jottcd down a mcmoran-
dun in my mind-to give Harry lecture
upon respect, before the day was through.
81 do believe Cousin Emily has made mis-
take" shouted my pet Frank, at this mo-
ment, shaking his curls all over his head
Il know she is forty instead of thirty-fye to-
day, and I'll prove it by the family Bible,
after breakfast. o, Cousin Emily to think
that you, of all Others. should cheat in your
age l shall never believe in you alter
this
Hold your tongue, boys interrupted my
uncle. If you don't behave yourself, you
shall take no part in you know what And
here my uncle nodded mystcriously.
As | left the table that morning. / felt
sure that hated the boys most decidedly,
and came to the conclusion that they were
the most ungrateful set that ever lived
Even Frank, by whose sick-bcd had spent
some years of my life, who had often declared
that he loved me better than anything on
earth, even he had wounded me bya foolish
jcst.
please, Emily, don't come down to dinner
in drab,' said John, as he handed mo to the
door in an unusually gallant style.
And, Cousin Emily, mother says you arc
not to enter the kitchen to-day, whispered
little Annie, with most bewitching
smile.
so they want TO get rid Of me-. thought
l,bitterly. what can hayc come over those
boys this morning! never knew them to
behave 50. really believe they wish / wcrc
out Of the house, and 80 begin to think do
uncle and aunt, too. Last year | was loaded
with presents, and to-day there is not even
the mention Of one. Not, of course, that l
care anything about the presents themselves,
but then il is pleasant to know that there is
some one in the world who cares about you.
Well, see shall have to GO away from here
and find home by myself. for who cares for
an old maid?' :.
Thus grumbling, I entered my room, and
cast my eyes around to see what it was best
to employ my time about-for upon this, my
birthday. l was extremely fastidious us rc-
garded my occupation. 1t pleased mo Just
then to remember that there was quantity
of old letters to be looked over and sorted-a
task that I had put OF from day to day as a
ra;,fuI one for Il would noce6sarily recall