The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-03-25
An Old Bachelor Frees His Mind


"a Bachelor" in the Baltimore Sun, of
the 11th inst, thus frees his mind of some
very sensible things which viii do first rate
for 'fquid of reflection
Being bachelor, with an income just
about double my wants, and having always
been marrying man without being able
to find woman who would enter matri-
mony with me ON basis of recognition of
practical facts, | think / may have right
to refute some of the charges heaped by
your numerous lady correspondents on my
unofending sex. In spite of all that is
said to the contrary, know that all men
are anxious to marry, but not quite all are
hot-blooded enough to neglect to count the
cost The woman of to-day is an expen-
sive animal Without useful accomplish
ments, such as spinning, drawing, cooking,
she makes nothing she uses, but buys every
thing. She dresses to meet the criticism
of other women, not for her own eomfor.
or her husbands approval. She values
nothing for what it is, but for what it APP
pears-to others. Hence she is extraya-
CANT She wishes to shine, and does not
hesitate to make strain upon the family
fiananees to get the last new trihe. The
spring bonnet costs from $40 to $50; my
hat costs me SO. A bonnet ribbon alone
often costs So. No woman is ever happy
without a sealskin sacque, costing from
$500 to $500. She has half dozen
dresses year, made up by extortionate
milliners, and costing from 800 to 500
apiece When these triHes of her warb-
robe cost so much, what are we TO expect
Of the substantials? | shrink from the
estimate can see that the average girl
cannot live on what my living costs me, but
requires twice as much. Her habits de-
mand it She may fancy in the early
stages Of her love that she can forego her
expensive tastes, but the sacrifice, if she
makes it, tells on her spirits, affects her d.
gestion, undermines her health, and carries
her to an early grave. Seeing this, no man
with tender and truly sympathetic heart
viii wish to tempt her to the dismal effort.
She may after marriage try to conceal it,
but it is plain that the woman who is un-
able to defy the criticism Of her neighbors
in dress, furniture, blue china and orna-
mental ginger jars, is never a happy woman
This brings me to the principle involved.
II Is this that the American woman now
a-days finds the stimulus and interest Of
her life not at home in the arms and smile
of approval of the lord Of her heart, but
out Of doors, on the street, at church, in
the dry goods stores, at china auctions, and
at church fairs. Man loves the freside,
and when ON matrimony intent it is upon
the prospective domestic hearth that his
fancy fixes. That warns his heart and
prompts the s0fl confession. But woman
now a-days does not center her interests
there. Her fancy royes abroad, and as in
this country her liberty IS greater than her
discretion, abroad she goes TO see and be
seen TO bring back expensive bric-a-brac,
which she lacks the taste to create or select;
to engage in the dissipations of society, on
religion, until she has little energy left to
devote to making home comfortable for her
husband. Exhausted with her foreign ex-
petitions, she has no patience with her
husbands demand for well-cooked food,
such as he was formerly accustomed to in
the happy days Of his boarding-house ex-
issenee. In word, Mr. Editor, if could
fud woman who eoald cease to live Who'll
" for herself and become able TO live part
" for somebody else, I'd court her.