The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-05-17
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Wrftten for me Neto Ysrk Sunday 1Emes.
Misfortune OF Reine a woman.

/. NUB 1uuE 6IuCG d4blCACt uAAC4 GAAS
head of misfortune to be pretty" " at
tracted my attention and enlisted my
sYmpathies, for when the misfortune OF
being woman was added, how could
i fail to appreciate the difficulties of the
lsituation3 i never fancied that j
should at all object toibeing "pretty,''
but have learned that to be a woman,
and single, is a great misfortune. There
is no room, it seems, for any of us in
this great city. "Gentlemen and their
wives, - "single gentlemen" and "gen-
Stlemen only, - are alone entitled to an
abiding place, or to any consideration;
and, to use borrowed phrase, women
are nowhereH'i Now, having an innate
dread of the strong-minded portion OF
the sex, Twill hesitatingly ayow my
inability to take the subject in hand,
and do It Justice; yet the feeblest voice
might be heard a little distance.
The lot of a pretty woman, is, no
doubt, one surrounded by trouble; but
there is something so sweet and win
ming In her smile, SO graceful in her
gesture, that she wins a way TO the
stoniest heart, and, having stormed the
fortress, holds undivided and generally
undisputed sway Nothing is unbe-
coming, for she invests everything about
her with a nameless charm, and one
knows not how to admire her most.
But to be plain in feature and form
Spirits indeed a misfortune. The
days whema girl was loved for her good
ness, live only in romance. Now-a-
days it is for their pecuniary value and
outside attractions. Miss Flora does
not-understand how itcan be possible
that maidens ever madefwith their own
fair fingers their modest wedding out
fit, and grumbles at the necessity of. the
labor she has to undergo in visiting the
1ROdiSteS. She would be- diSmayed at
the idea of keeping house with but a
single servant. And the young men
who are also looking toward the fu-
ture and-an heiress. AhI the world is
little house, with warm, loving hearts
to fill it-and
"Two souls with but a single thought,
Two hearts that beat as one"T-,f.
were not u fair representation of heay7
en- upon earth. There are few such
houses, 1t is true; and Lizzie, whose
soft fingers fashion her naughty neigh
boris garments, Will make the smiling
matron. What though no costly plate
spreads and clean china, the graceful
curtains and bright carpet, and, may
be, cradle in the corner, are welcome
enough. How many bright dreams are
given birth in that cosy home How
many supremely happy moments are
interviewer in the young wife's life
that are to her sweet as glimpses of
heavenl q tsL
How many are there who have no
home. Separated by circumstances
from all family ties, buffeting with
weak arm though stout heart the world
which recognizes them only as human
beings with no claim on their sympa-
thy, and none on their protection. The
long sunny days come and go, and
20 ef0rn1 winds INV and
leave them as they were found. The
same monotonons routine OF labor, the
q uiet, dull heartacte that has kept its
ceaseless throbbings day after day
as the months flew by. What are
life's dreams to them = An ever
present, regretful memory Of child
hoods home, of tender voices, and
then some agonising thought of far
away grave, where; at long, long inter-
walls OF time, they can steal away to
vent their hearts bitter grief How
sad to he homeless in this great CITY.
And those whose ears should be ever
ready, close them to- the appeal of their
sisters, never knowing (let us hope) the
want ofe home. No pleasant home
Influences to cheer the dropping spirits
and teach a lesson of patience and res
ignation, no Welcoming voice oil pleas
ant greeting,-no nhome comforts
only the cold Indifferent faces;tat the
long table, the unmeantnB chatI ana
the long evening, when, alone with
thoughts, they SILENTLY wonder what
they are living for" 1--WE have no
room for ladies' or I'VE do not wish
for eingle ladies'" and the sound Of the
closing: door strikesa chillto the hmtd
seeker of home. How weartly the
footsteps tread the studied round, and
the heart sinks lower at the perusal of
each placard, for gentlemenin until,
pressed for time, and utterly discour-
aged, she wends her way envying the
man who was afflicted with u "double;;"
haps annuI the dreadful stigma OF re-
mining "single,n y and the misfortune
of being a woman. i
n,,.,, a., Dos.