The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-09-08
NO. 3d.
Old Maids and Old Bachelors.

The following tribute is Icm DR. Ak
mans "Life at Home - l a.3aiiua
| There are men and women who, like some
flowers. bloom in exquisite beauty in desert
wild; they are like trees which you aften see
growing in luxurant strength out of crew
ice Of rock where there seems not earth
enough to support shrub The words ss0ld
Maid, -" Old Bachelor" have 10 them other
sounds than that of half reproach or scorn;
they call up to many Of your minds forms and
faces than vi ich none are dearer In all this
world. | know them 10 day The bloom of
youth has possibly faded from their checks,
| but there fingers round the form and face
| something dearer than that She is unmar-
ried, but the past has, for her, it may be, me
chastened memories of an early love which
keeps its vcstal virgil sleepess over the grave
where its hope went out and it is too trus to
the long departed to permit another to take
his place Perhaps the years of maiden life
were spent in self denying toll, which was too
engrossing to listen even to the call Of 1--we,
and she grew old too soon in the care Of mo h.
er or sister and brother. Now in these latter
years she looks back calmly upon some half
cherished hopes, once attractive, of husband
and child but which long, long ago, she will
lipgly gave up for present duty So to-day,
in her loneliness, who shall say that she is not
beautiful and dear? jss. ro..a n
So is she to the wide circle which she bless
To some she has been all that mother could
have been; and though no nearer name than
" Aunt" or Sister," has been hers, she has
o-day mothers claim and mothers love-
Disappointment has not soured but only chast-
eped the midday or the afternoon Of her life
is all full of kindly sympathies and gentle
deeds. Though unwcdded, hers has been no
fruitless life. a -l eisl
1t is an almost daily wonder to ME why
some women are married, and not less mar
vel to see they are not. But this know, that
many households would be desolate indeed,
and many a family circle would luse its
brightest ornament and its best power were
maiden sister or maiden aunt removed; and
it may bless the Providence which has kept
them from making glad some husbands home.
Yondcr isolated man. whom the world wc<<
ders at for never havins found a wife. Who
shall tell you all the secret history Of the by
gone time . of hopes and love that once were
buoyant and fond, but which death, or more
bitter disappointment dashed to the ground;
of sorrow which tie world has never known;
of fate accepted in utter despair, though with
outward calm. Such there are. The expee-
tation of wife or home has been given up as
one of the dreams of youth, but with groans
and tears; now he walks among men some,
what alone, with some ecoontricities. but with
a warm heart and kindly eye If he has
no children of his own, there are enough Of
Others children who climb his knee and seize
his hand as he walks If he has no home,
there is many hone made glad by his pres
cnce; if there is no one heart to which he
may cling in approprating love, there are
many hearts that 60 out toward him, and
many voices which invoke henedictlons on his
head tt.nn4a