Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-31
FAST WIDOWS.
Husband Hunting by the IshmaeIites
of Social Idfe-Why Every WOman's
Hand is Against Them.

| Widows, as a rule, are nice when
they are angling for husbands. At
least after a time they come to appear
nice in the eyes of those whom they
are seeking to land" At first, as a
general rule, perhaps, they fail to do
| so, for there is a strong prejudice
against widows, and especially against
widows of the fast type, F" with whom
we are at present most immediately
concerned. Their victims often begin
by hating them, and this feeling of dis
like is likewise entertained by a large
number of people who look upon the
fast" widow as kind of social inter
loper who is altogether very dam
gerous person. But these are
trifes which she feigns not to
see 1t would be an insult to
her common sense to say that
the matters indicated passed under her
eye unnoticed, for she is invariably re-
markedly keen-sighted, and she can
read human nature a great deal better
than can the majority of folk. 1t SIM
ply does not suit her purpose to show
| all she knows, and to indicate all that
she feels; if it did she would be seen
| coming into a manner calculated TO as
tonish most people. 1t is the easiest
matter In the world for her to pretend
that she is enraptured with everybody,
and that she is under the impression
that everybody is passionately attached
to her. Deception of this kind, by
the way, is not only successfully prac-
ticed by her, but also by large num-
Der of worthy people whose merits,
measured by the length of their purses
and their responsibility, are great in
decd. She would simply spoil her own
game if she spread the impression
abroad that the majority of her sisters,
and especially her unmarried sisters,
were Jealous of her. At the same time
she is perfectly aware that such Is the
case, and that they are not so without
| some cause.
There is a dash of audacious impu-
dence yelled by large amount ofover-
towering courtesy, about her against
which few of them are able to success
fully combat; this is one reason why
they are jealous of her. She has a
dashing manner, which may be consid-
cred very free, and which they do not
hesitate to describe as impudent, which
sufices to attract many gentlemen to
her side and 70 hold them there; this is
another reason why they are jealous of
her. Upon precisely the same grounds
that 1t does not suit her to let lady ac-
quaintances see that she knows they
are jealous Of her, she studiously re-
Trains from indicating that she is aware
of the fact that many gentlemen hold
her In something very much like dread.
1t is whispered that she is designing,
and that whenever she gets a grasp on
a man she does not readily rehnquish
it; this is one reason why men hold her
| in dread. She is also said not to be as
good as she looks, and it is rumored
that if she succeeds IN getting a hus-
band, notwithstanding her fascinating
ways, she will lead him a most misera-
bic life, and spend his money for him
much faster than meets with his inch-
nations or conveniences; this is another
reason why men hold her In dread.
She is the Ishmaelite of our social life,
yet, as she journeys along, she talks
louder and laughs longer than the ma
jority Of her companions.
The ''fast" widow is not afraid of an
unfavorable construction being put
upon the majority of her actions, and
the fact that scandal may be talked
about her is matter to which she Is
supremely Indifferent. At least so one
is Justified in concluding from her ac-
tions. At flirting she is a great adept,
and the flirting which she affects is of
the most pronounced kind. If she sees
that swain is bashful, she has no OBJ
lection to take the initiative, and to
take it, perhaps, to d greater extent
than he likes. The manner in which
she has 'tfirted' her man, and caused
her eyes to look into his, has, ere now,
made many a poor man say that which
he has been very sorry for afterward.
1t is never a difficult matter to meet
her and decoy her into sly corners of
Conservatives and the like, In which
almost any amount of sentimental bus
mess may be satisfactorily transacted.
She is supposed, having been married,
to be, to certain extent, a privileged
being, and she shows that such is the
case. Filled with a sense of liberty,
she goes where she likes, and practical
" does what she chooses.
AT picnics and flower shows, and
other festive gatherings, she is apt to
come out In a style which makes chap
erones glare and maidens beside them
selves with smothered indignation.
Poor Florence, for instance, who is
smitten with Arthur, does not like to
see the estimable young man boldly
plucked from her side, Just when he is
In the midst of entertaining her with
sundry nonsense, which, if he were not
a Young man and she a young woman,
: it would be an int0lerable bore to listen
to. Nor does Arthur care about leav-
ing Florence, but, nevertheless, when
, the fast widow calls he often answers,
and the upshot of the matter is that he
is not only enticed from her whom he
loves, but finds himself spooning with
her whom, when he is not under the
spell of her fascination, he has no par
ticular regard for. 1t is not his fault
if he is led to say things which it were
well be did not say, and which Flor
ence would most certainly not like to
) hear from his lips. But when he is III
: the hands of the fast widow he is IN
hands which are skillful. If he is ner-
vous he viii be SO treated that his shy
ness wears off; If he, on the other hand,
is inclined to be unduly forward, he
will not meet with so many checks as
: might be anticipated.
lis she beautiful? it will not be her
. fault If he does not see that such is
the case; is her form graceful and has
! she a pretty foot? he must be blind in.
! deed if the facts escape his notice.
Probably he does not object to being
, made the subject of delicate fattery,
| and, probably, he is gratifed at learn
ing that he has made a favorable i'm
preston upon her. 1t is not difficult
for him to see when he has done so, for
{ she does not belong to that class OF
beauties who, when they like a man,
treat him with something akin to cold.
? ness, and display tendency to fly from
his presence whenever he shows dis.
: position to bring matters to an issue
On the contrary, she viii smooth the
way to an offer, and her head will fall
! upon his breast upon the slightest pos
II