New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-05-29
THE UNMARRIED WOMAN.
BY JOHN MARTIN RATCHET.


1t is great pity, but it is probably fact
that two out OF every five women of mature
age are unmarried. Such was the proper
year ago. and the state of the case is
doubtless worse at this time. According to
an article in the North British ReDael1 there
were, in those two countries. between three
and four hundred thousand women of the
age of twenty and over, who must remain
single, owing to the actual numerical dis.
proportion OF the sexes. There were a mill
lion two hundred and eighty thousand wo-
men between the age OF twenty and forty
who were actually single.
1t is said of all adult women two out of a
hundred would naturally and voluntarily
remain unmarried. owing to distaste for
matrlmony, or because Of others dependent
upon them whose care presents an obstacle,
! or from other causes. As fact, there art,
twenty seven out of a hundred who actually
! are not married, twenty-five of whom
| might, could, would, or should marry,
could they only have the chance. Out Of
every hundred women OF marrying age, i. @,
between twenty and forty, fitty-eight are
married, three are widows, and the remain
ing thirty nine, poor things are spinsters.
such Is the state of the case in England.
In this country we are no doubt, in a still
more unmarried condition. There are sew.
eral causes at work among Us to prevent
marriage which must operate far less DOW.
erfully there. In the old countries the
wealth is conferred in fewer hands, aud the
mass OF the poorer class is proportionateiy
larger. 1t Is always noticed that the poor
marry younger and more readily that the
rich. The hope of gaining wealth and
reaching higher grade of social stsnding
Is thrown open to all in this country. Few
young men expect or are content to remain
rs low down III the social scale as their par
rents were. Marriage is put off till that |
GOOD time comes, or if it does not come |
lana there is but very small proportion |
whose expectations in this respect are not |
they Go not marry at all.
oftentlmes. Girls without money or family.
are left to wait and too often to retire into
spinsterhOod altogether.
Then immigration brings more men than
women, increasing the disproportion. As
native women do not, AS a rule, fancy for
elgners, this cause works in both WAYS: it |
caves women unmarried in Europe, and
loes not TO any great extent. compensate
)y marriage here.
Furthermore, we are ourselves q restless,
people. The young men in the
country leave home, and 60 to the manu.
acturlng town, to the great cities, and
very here out in the great West. This
elays marriage, and often prevents it. The
outh VINO. had he remained q simple farm ,
nd live in humble circumstances finds that ,
Is lew associations have raised his ideas,
nd he can not SO easily afford to marry and
We as he would wish,
All the small villages and towns in the
astern and middle States are filed with Z
omen OF excellent character, who would i
axe the best of wives. but who are going e
from twenty-five to thirty, and from that O.
thlrty.hVe and forty, still 10 single bless
mess, simply because their natural mates T.
ave LETT the farms to seek their fortunes, il
Another unfortunate result of our free in. 1 a.
ltutlols, and the consequent openness of =,
stations to any vino choose to aspire to u
EN- Is, that multitudes of young men rush fl
to positions and occupation tina. have O,
specta6lllty or some small distinction at r.,
ched to them, but which do not afford VI
ihclent money to support wife and o.
nly. G.
There are Thousands who are trying to be L
Vyers, or to get petty offices, or clerkships d
stores, or wherever there is an oppOr. =
nifty to wear good clothes and do no real "a
TX. All these occupations are such that
vie Can not be of much direct assistance M
her husband in increasing his income, a,
must be, to great extent. q mere idle Id
Jury, and the family becomes al ifsup in
table burden. On farm the smallest or
Id can be of some little service in adding w.
the means of the household. Hence a II.
&c proportion of this class do not marry. WI
can not with prudence. It is a great tic
7 that this should be 80. I, works vastly
inst the sum OF human contentment and
piness. -,
enssible girls, who want to marry, must WI
careful not to seem too lofty in their
rs, or too expensive in their tastes. or too or
IN their manner. Many of the best On
ng men are modest in their opinions of ab
mselves. They are afraid of aspiring too the
D, lest they meet with the dire NORTH inc
on OF refusal. Hence they will often The
'ry girl of less mental calibre than thew dn
I'D like, especially if she has the tact of
wing by her charms, and seeming to the
It them half way. Wan