Delaware State journal and statesman., 1869-09-24
[From the London Times.l
FEMALE POACMERS.

FEMALE POAGhhEhkS.
A female poacher is not one who lays run
ming nooses for hares and rabbits, or who
goes out on cloudy nights for the purpose of
knocking over pheasant or so, but one who
tresspasses on the erotic preserves OF her SIS
ters and who likes nothing so well as to in
wade the rights which the formal assignment
of n man by betrothal or marriage has be-
st7wed on another woman. In society ike
ours, where women are so greatly in excess
of men, poachers necessarily abound; and
we cannot enter drawing-room where we
do not find them plying their vocation, MAX
ing pleasant sport enough for the husbands,
if but meagre entertainment for the wives.
But poacher who knows her business, and
prefers a snug and safe corner to one that
has more dash aud excitement and triumph
al eclat, hut also more danger, is careful not
to carry on her game too openly; and, above
all, she is careful not TO offend the wife. On
the contrary, poachcr OF the wary kind is
the wife's most intimate friend; and with an
eve to future indemni6caiion and the clever
est method OF laying foundations IS always
ready to devote herself 10 her when the hus
band is absent or engaged. Of course she
has stupid time OF il; but then there are
arid tracts everywhere, and making the
bricks for future pyramid is by no means
the liveliest part oil the proceeding. Her
method IS wise if not amusing; by it she
hoodwinks both society and the vile for
time, and under cover OF masked battery
makes so much the better pracllce. IL IS
only by slow degrees that the wife finds out
the real meaning of the poacher's demon
slratiiye affection; only alter progressive
series of experiences that she Is entitled to
wbisper nserpenti" in her car as she shrinks
from the kiss which, making believe to come
| from n friend, is in reality the kiss oil be-
| tTayer.
The poacher is frequently young lady OF
arlless manners and gushing tendencies;
strict in theoretical morals when she can be
brought TO book, but notorious for certain
vagueness, which can neither toresee conse-
quences nor calculate effects. intending no
| evil. so she says, and we are bound 10 take
her at her word-she does, undoubtedly, al.
low herself very considerable latitude; and
her manners to men, though pretty and un
deniably taking, would be risky even in Ar
cadia, where all men are pure and all wo
men innocent But for sinful, passionate
England, where our very chis know more
than is good for Them and our tull.hlowr
dowagers have ferreled out every secret o.
vice, they are even moro than risky. Sc
soon ns her friend is engaged or married sht
takes up quite sisterly tone toward the pre-
serve, assuming that his state makes hin
something quite different from the ordinary
man. and that henceiorth he is safe and sht
NAV be free. She gets into the way of call
ing him "dear" and ''Old, !" as the still NOR
distinct assumption Of sislerliness; and sht
generally kisses him when she sees him. Al
she kisses brother, she says, ii this unusu
al, though pleasant habit OF hers is objected
10 by the more conventional oil her friends
whom she calls ill.natured and suspicious. :
Besides, is not the wife standing by Will
| nhOuL
And what harm can there be In il If she see
I II and does not object All very well; bu
the wife is not always standing by, and til
chances are-human nature being but rick
ettv concern at the besl--lhat the ceremon,
which is so innocent in her presence &C
uuires q somewhat different tone and fiavo
1 in her absence. This, of course, the poache
will not admit-indeed, passionately denies
} but then pOschers never do confess thel
) trade, and their snares and traps ure Tor an
thing but unlawful game.
: If The noacher ls Of n defiant nature, an
8 fond of showing her power, she does not car
: to make friends with the wife; and then II
!. omen war and not masked battery, wit
y certain discontinue to one or the other
j, the future. 1t is such an exquisite delight |
b some women to make men regret on thel
account-t0 make them mourn over the II
/ fatuation which impelled them to act s
Y rashly, so prematurely. II only they ma
n waited II only they had foreseen the poss
Ii bilities living for them in that quiet countr
= house-whch, by the way, they novt
+ would have seen at all but for the very acc
Y dent of their marriage. But they AWAY
d forget this point, and pica out the circup
,. stances they desire, without taking into col
l. slderation the facts which led up TO theh
I, and which they do not desire. When ",
Il man of this kind receives the nncomiortae
l. confessions of husband just beginning
l. be dissatisfied with his choice; when he Tel
is her with deprecating sigh kindness wa
Df ring with his dlscontent, and the remel
At brance of his old dreams temperlng u
lie harshness of his waking reality-that h
III wife is all very well, the best creature in u
a world, he dares say, great deal TOO got
le for lin; but oh so little suited 10 him
d. while such one as herself, for instance
10 bard bit, her very self, is just the ideal 1
le which his whole nature longs-the very W
rs man cut out for him, and the one he ou9
Of to have married-she attained one oil Y
er great ends of her ambition; she has come =
VS. tween wife and her preserves and has CO
g. ried off the best of the produce.
e. In country places where poacher gu
IN abound they are mainly characterized
SO great walking powers, passion for ram
10 and an inexhaustible aptitude for croquet.
e. The wife, poor body, probably held CO
III prisoner al home by some phase oil tue gre
NJ maternity question, can do none of the
I'd things, or, If at all, only filfullY and imp'
b, feetly. Whereupon the poacher comes
er as healthy, breezy kind of suceeddnsu
and takes the bored husband for splent
le spin, or famous walk-not on the ~
ia road-or else goes with hlm for spell
If spoOnng or croquet on the lawn; where
rn pale and weary wife can watch them wi
eIs fully through the closed nursery windoV
a Perhaps the retired husband is retii
M "plunger," or young man of more mea
iis and resources, who, though lie likes his W
no. well enough, and the country too Tor
,n sake of lis sports, likes life and jolly scott
,to better. So he takes to the poacher eager
NV NV II his wife was brlsker companion,
~ ~ would not have taken to her so warmly;
II as things are she is God-send unspeakal
80 He Is delighted with her splendid pnysi
,Ia health, and thinks the power of walk
az twelve miles at stretch the grandesl '
NO man can have; and he is flattered by her
al. fectonate attentions 10 himself. For noa
IN, ers make the first advance as a rule-is
% oro not married, and therefore safe ? He c.
sS ,a, her n capital girl, with no nonsense in |
,sIl and blazes out il his wife is wise enough
,eli show any jealousy, if she objects to 81
;ts- excessive intimacy, or "wishes that
l an would not he always be running over as
=, ~ does"
Is a
nm Whv ig fha Snfa that xour Eati,ar 10 alt