The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1864-02-18


haturethat makes lese hard heartsap-
KING LEAR.
1t is very general supposition that thos'
women steering ~ characterized old maid
ere heartless, but so far as my observ atior
goes, they have really the best and tender
est hearts that have been made acquainted
with. II a;
,Glhat they have not married is very sell
dom owing to the want Of opportunity
though IL some Instances this may be the
case, for usually their talents are not OF that
dsshing and snowy order most appreclaoie
to men. -.--.
One lexesileptl quality, they are almost
always found possessed of-good common
sepse-a strong evide nce Of it exists 10 the
fact of their being old n1dids-they estimate
wisely the needs of their natures. and pru-
IDENTITY prefer their I'm alden med itations,
fancy Free" 10 the selling of their birth
rights for a mess of pottage. A Thousand
times they have seen their more credulous
sisterhood essay the experiment of making
a silk purse out of sow's ear (the readers
will pardon allusion to the homely adage,)
and they are satisfied 1t cannot be done.
without themselves wasting their notable
stichwork. -.- -. o., r-sr.
They understand very well that the posi-
ton they occupy is not the highest and no.
best one ordained for women, bat they can
not see that it would mend matters at all
TO make themselves up into merchantable
articles, advertise themselves for sale, be
appropriated by the highest bidder, to darn
his stockings, roast his potatoes, OF preside
in his drawing-room, as the case might re-
-quire, especially when to gain this bad emf
hence, il it be an emineuce. they are requir-
ed to make oath of everlasting allegience
to their master,-nay, more, to Zove and
honor as well as obey-as if to love and
honor could be imposed upon woman by any
'requsition except the law of her heart,
though she swore to do so by every star in
heaven. ~. --..-. --.....4 >---.s
To the opprobrious epithet, old maid, a
dozen unchaTitable accusations Join them
selves Immediately, for by the 6int of
sneer and jeer it has come to be believed all
most universally, that woman who is past
twenty five, and is unmarried, feeds upon
scandal, tears out the eyes of pretty young
women and chiidren-drains tho teapot
and bestows all the little charity she has
upon cats! 20 II
have known in the course of my life
good many old mains, and cannot now re-
call single one whose life was not a con-
tradiction of the lies that closed about her
like an atmospheric recall several of the
most modest, self-sacriicing and expem-
plary women it has ever been my happi-
ness to know
Who of all the neighbors is likeIiestto be
sent for to take charge of the family when
the wife and mother goes away visiting?-
who is called on when the fever breaks
out?-who makes the shroud, and lends b or
one black silk dress and Grape shawl, over
and over without grudging? Why, in al
most every instance, it is one of that abused
class whose hearts are truer and tenderer,
and whose hands are reader to do what
they find to do, than any other hands. -
Scarcely family is there that has not at
some time found one of these pitied aud
accommodated women a ministeriDg an
gel. Aud yet, after all. "the hungry gene
rations tread them down." carelessly as ever
because, forsooth, they are unmarried!-
Though why marriage should be so distin-
gushing an honor when it is simply the re-
suit of a scheme, or the contamination of a
contract, as too often happens cannot for
the life of me, understand, though no one
shall exceed me in reverent homage of that
most beautiful of the ordinances of life,
when it {, beautiful. have no SUR to cast
upon it-heaven forbid that ever l should
iito the marriage of true minds admit i'm
pediments," much less impose them-but
the counterfeitis always base, and it is that
/ war against.
The scentless rose manufactured of paint
ed paper or muslin Is Eesrer akin to that
bright blushing flower whose root is in the
earth, and whose breath makes the air so
delicate luxury, than the marriage of
chance or convenience, to that of love-
Woman ia naturally timid, shrinking above
all things from ridicule. against which she
is least able to defend herself, and believe
and regret to believe, that the fear of that
H., ,,ysFh
Certainty, often before the first grey hair,
has driven many and many an one into th at
most despicable and miserable sham Of
shams-unsauctifsd marriage.
All credit to those say /, VINO have the
courage to brave xpatriation-the strength
to resist temptation, and wear meekly and
unobtrusVely that most beautiful rnament
woman can wear-truth. And she is true
to the best aspirations Of her Dature-true
to her purest convictions who keeps her
heart for the heaven above her, if she can
not find it in the world below. If she does
not fiod it here, it is her misfortune, not her
fault, and why on this account she should
be the laughing except "of devils
of FOOLS" am at a loss to conceive. If
the shame and dishonor were bestowed
where they are due-upon those woman
who shave subdued nature to such low
ness' as to barter body and soul for silk
gown and mutton chop-if they fell like
thun6erbolts, and "singed the old white
heads" that bargain daily for youth aud
beauty--there would be less sneering at old
maids; but, as il Is, their merits are not for
the fashions Of the times, and a;when de-
sired leave that might pity thsm, they
took from ME the use of mine own house:
charged me on pain of their perpetual dis
pleasure, neither to speak OF them, entreat
them, nor ia any way sustain them"