The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1868-01-09

wife had been different woman, that
never would have happened" II Jones
fails, she is not Mrs Jones to be over
whelmed with the torrent of blame that
should rightfulIy be adjudged to Jones'
unlucky fondness for faro and cham
pagne!
She may be like solitary oyster in
its shell; but has not the life of an oys-
ter some advantages? Oysters are pla-
cid, calm, unrufied by the high and
low tides of life. Who would not rath-
er be an oyster than a sensitive plant!
But we are speaking now of the old
maid who is an old maid simply through
her own choice and preferance-the
comfortable, cosy old maid with money
enough to live on, common sense
enough to enjoy her freedom. and in
genuity enough to amuse herself with
out the aid OF masculine society! How
is it about other old maids7
"There never vet was a woman SO
ugly or unattractive but that some time
in the course of her life she received
at least one offer" t|
This is statement frequently and
confidently made, but nevertheless
quite untrue. There are women in the
world who pass through existence un-
sought and unwooed. There are wo-
men, and more than a few, too, who
are made to feel most bitterly aud un-
compromisingly that they are super
fluities in the world
They are educated "to be mammas;"
they dress, dance, and attend fancy
fairs "to be married." they smile and
play croquet and sit up late at nights
"tJ be married." and, finally, the au-
tumnal shadows OF the "thirties" steal
athwart their lives, and they are not
married after ALL. Nobody denies that
they are "nice girls" they are neither
humpbacked, peck marked, nor out
wardly deformed, and yet somehow the
commodity does not seem to be market
able. They cling to the outskirts of
that debatable land which is neither
girlhood nor ancientry, as long
as possible; they treasure the fading
trophies of their youth, and finally,
when the line is irrevocably drawn, and
the little girls of their day, succeeding
to the throne of bellehood, look at them
askance, and speak of them in audible
whispers as "old maid" they still hope
and trust on, believing in the truth of
MiIton's line
'They also serve who only stand and watt"
Would it were 50 for the sake of the
old maids.
And then what n second-rate place
they are compelled to occupy in exist
ence. For most of them-say seven
eighlhs on an average-having no set
tied homes nor incomes OF their own,
are obliged, perforce, to become the
tolerated appendages Of other fami-
lies. Alas. how much less are the le-
gitimate and authorized paupers of a
charitable institution to be pitied than
these pallid, delcately nurtured paupers
of polite society, who eat the bitter
bread of dependence, and try to per-
suade themselves that it is cake!
How is it done? Perhaps a married
brother offers them a home in grudg-
ing sort of way, as ifhe were throwing
bone to dog; perhaps sister, who
finds the cares of her family too burden
some for her unassisted shoulders, takes
her in lieu of upper nurse or superior
servant, "to make herselfgenerally use
full"
five wanted to enter an insane asy-
lum within the year, we should lake a
situation somewhere "to make our
selves generally useful" Wash, scrub,
90 out TO house-eleaning by the day,
white wash, do anything in the world
rather than try to 'make yourself gen.
orally useful" The sphere is altogeth-
er too general. Never, until you have
been hunted into your grave, will peo-
pie be satisfied that you have made
yourself "usefuP enough.
And so ends all spice ID sparkle of
individuality in life, as far as the old
maid is concerned. Thenceforward she
is only a convenience to others--a faint
reflection of stronger, happier pres
ences. She sews on buttons; she
mends zig gag rents; she sits up with
sick children; she scolds servants per
special instruction; she checks off
washing bills; she runs after people,
picking up things, shutting doors,
busting tables, and setting cushions
straight; che is here, there, everywhere
in one and the same moment.
And when, at night, stealing away
from the social circle in which she feels
too accutely that her presence is scarcely
missed, she creeps, tired and heartsick,
to her rest, she has the satisfaction of
knowing that everybody thinks "she
might have done little more"
Is this what the heavenly Arbiter
intended a weman's life should be,
when he filed her nature with loving
instincts and aspirations, which a soli-
tary life can never fulfl7
When bone gets out of place, there
are surgeons to set it, and cunningly
devised instruments to coax it back
where it should be; but when human
creatures get so wofully and piteously
out of place, where is the chirurgeon
that can contrive to reset them? =? Even
the Good Physician who watches over
Us all, extends no peroeptibly aiding