Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-14
The Ineligible Man.

The Ineligible man Is generally gentleman
OF 5000 connexions and some small fixed In
come, which Is sufncient to serve as a narcotic
TO ambition. but which from It's tncapacity to
provide for more than one person puts matri-
moby OUT 0 OF reach. "Oh, I'm no marrying
and OF bis privileges. The best OF everything
seems to be offered to him; he is ami de la
maison among all his old set of friends, both
settled down; he may drop In anywhere to din
ner, and Is favorite guest at ladies' luncheons:
ne mas invitations to parties OF all kinds, and
n e yer mas 70 buy more than an entrance ticket
The ineligible man is in no way to be con-
founded with ''detr1mentals," Ineligible al
on r so ne rent may be- The distine
De perceived at once. The detrimental" Is
considered 80 dangerouS"-the ..ineligible" Is
$50 safe" The detrimental" is regarded as
an open Zoe by parents and chaperons; the Sin
engiole, on the other hand Is the friend of
Doth, and stands, by some gift of nature, even
ns an early age toward young ladies' d In loco
LET me go, mama-it's only with Mr.. Brown"
the girls urge. 'Only Mr.. Brown" Is a plea in
S6tenuation OF anything unconventional. ''No-
body but Mr.. Brown" makes a partie carree,
hand at Wh1St-fillS the odd corner everywhere.
In fact, man who is known to be distinctly
not marrying man has his hay to make in
long spell OF pleasant weather. He is Golden
t1ai friend to dozen sets Of debutante5 who
enter society as 1t were under his auspices; he
crltlclses them, counsels them, aids them, does
..
The moment lover comes forward the ineligi-
bic man understands II he is brighton he Is
forced to understand If he is dull-that his
claims must give way. He has, however, the
privilege of taking the place of usher or groOms-
man at the weddings which follow; he candles
the babies on his knees.n so inclined, and may
hereditary friendship for the offspring OF the
marriages be himself promoted. 1t may seem
for long stretch Of years that he has roses
without thorns, the sparkle of wine without
the dregs, all the comforts of life without any
drawbacks He has his little income which he
knows how to spend In such Way as to get the
rooms Ia pleasant quarter Of the town, and
makes his meals at clubs or goes out to his din
ner, breakfast and luncheon. Whereas his
married friends endure the miSerle5 OF domestic
annoyances : bills, wretched servants, SICK
wives troublesome children - he has quiet
room, his luxurious meals, his ease and leisure
In all tie daily habits OF his life. No skeletons
Turk In his cupboard; he has nothing to fear,
even If he has nothing to hope, and may calmly
sit on shore and count the wrecks among the
barkS which put out to sea.
All this may be very pleasant while man Is
tolerably young. Then follows the time when
life becomes sort OF Barmecide feast for him.
but Lot for him. Hitherto, he has an idea
vague, yet still actual enough to throw little
rosehght over his future-tnat when the right
time came. and before it was too late, he, too,
lor's unspoiled vanity, all the half-triumphs OF
his youth, aid makes an effort to win perhaps
uduSutcF vi Oue Vi Ills Oiu ITlcuO5. 10 Oor,
however, and to all her friends nothing can be
so frankly prOSa1c, so fatty antique, as he. Ills
as II December tried to enjoy the apple-blOS-
SONS Of June.
1t is blank moment of disenchantment and
disappointment when the ineligible man" dis
covers that he is not nowadays ineligible be-
cause he has chosen career without checks
and encumbranceS, but because he Is too old,
because the freshness and power Of real man.
hood have left him.
He who win not when he may,
Wren he viii he snail have nay.
He has disTegarded the poetry and romance OF
youth; he has been satisfied with the mere shell
Of existence, without reality OF feeling or truth
OF passion. An uncOmpromising eg0tist, he has
closed his heart to the appeals which actuate
less selfish men; he has wanted no wife and
children to work and plan for; he has waited
until his power Of amusing himself Is past be-
fore ne has aspirations for the calm comforts OF
the nreside. After playing at being Ineligible
all through the years when he had chance Of
making what he wanted Of his life, it Is only
fair that In his age he should suddenly find
himself confronted with the idea Of his actual
1nehgibility Lippincott'e Magazine.