The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-09-17
The Idaho Demand for Wives.

The Idaho Demand for Wives.
| The information we not long ago published
| from Idaho. to the effect that there Is a great
demand for good wives in that distant
| region, has excited the interest of very
large number of our correspondents. 1t is
| evident enough that the demand could be Mt
once supplied, provided there was proper
| way of bringing together the bachelors OF
| that Territory and the multitude of maidcns
| in other parts of the Union who are fitted to
make them suitable hepmccts, and who are
DESTROYS of entering into the state Of matri-
mony
But what shall the women do who are ready
| to respond to that cry from ldahop Shall
| they journey thither in search OF those bach
elors pinng for wives, and how many OF
them shall go? When they get there how
are they to be brought into association with
the bachelors? The Territory is broad, and
| the population Is small and much scattered.
| The number Of inhabitants was only a little
| over thirty-two thousand in 1880. They were
scattered over an area OF more than eighty
| four thousand square miles, and Idaho is
very far west, with only Oregon and Wash
ington Territory between 1t and the Pacific.
Moreover, comparatively few women are
fitted for the frontier life they would have to
lead there. Its hardships must be far greater
than most Of those who were attracted by
the Idaho call can well imagine. And when
they get to Idaho they might not like the
| looks of the bachelors, who are probably
pretty rough fellows, on the average.
| The truth Is the demand for wives in
Idaho is comparatively very small, so small
| that we should be cruel II we raised the hopes
| of maidens on account Of 1t. And the bust
ness OF the Idaho bachelors is to go in search
| Of wives They cannot expect desirable
| women to journey thither to offer them
selves. II they make the Territory a COM
| Portable place to live in, establish attractive
| homes, and do not let the frontier roughen
them too much they will not find 1t hard to
| get mates suitable for them-matcs who
| would best be women who are drawn there
| naturally, not those who force themselves
| into the region in quest Of husbands. The
class Of women who respond to advertise
ments for wives, and who would push their
| way to Idaho in spite Of every obstacle be-
| cause they imagined tho matrimonial mar
| ket was good there, are not likely to make
valuable helpmeets for miners or farmers.
| 1t Is enough for the bachelors out there
who are anxious to get married to know that
| there are thousands OF madcns to the east OF
them who have the same desire, and who are
waiting impatiently to DO asked by the right
sort Of men. Any bachelor in the Territory
| tit to have such wife, and able to support
her in comfort, can get good helpmeet
| whenever he is ready To sacrifice littlctim
to come in search OF that priceless blessing.
1t may not always be the easiest thing in the
world to bring the demand and the supply
| together in such case; but man who does
not know how to go TO work to get wife
when the multitude of lovely girls is so
| great does not deserve to have one. We do
not believe, therefore, that the Idaho bach
elors are so anxious TO get wives as they
pretend they are. They would put them
selves where they could win them, instead of
begging that the women should come to
Idaho in search of husbands, II they were
thoroughly in earnest.
How quick is the response to such an init
nation as that from Idaho, that wives are
wanted our columns have shown. The in
ducements offered were certainly not in
vitng to any woman who had led sheltered
life, and yet, rather than remain single,
many snatched ut the hope OF finding hus-
bands in that PARKWAY Territory, in which
civilization as yet has hardly got firm hold,
and where the climate in winter and tho
hardships of the frontier the year through
might we'll appal the feminine imagination.
| Here, for instance is the letter OF Southern
woman who is ready to leave a comfortable
situation there to endure the trials of exist
cnce far up toward tho British line, provided
she can get one OF those Idaho bachelors a
woman OF education and: refinement too,
and one Of a shrinking disposition:
~ am an old maid, past 1870 you see have been
long endurng-a teacher and while not having risen to
distinction in my profession have acquired avery good
local reputation for eanes,ness and zeal in my work In
fact, that was about all wanted, feeling con
yiction that Providence never designed me for a
teacher, and that some day my release would come
in the shape Of u kind husband and home OF my
won But, as said, l am now old, and, while /
am blessed with such good health that have never
suffered the usual ills that flesh is heir TO, dread
a dependent old age, dread appearing in class with
spectacles which will soon have to do dread the
indifference and sights old people meet from the young
and thoughtcss long to retire TO private life want
to run away to be housekecper or companion-if am
to be 80 fortunate as to have home and husband
OF my own-for somebody else.
Cant you help met Fortune favors the brave,
know; but all the bravery have appears on paper. ]
constitutiOnaly bashful and tmid and neither time
nor circumstance can make me anything else.
THE call in your paper from Idaho where women of
all ages are in demand, suggested this letter have
often longed to go out West, but women
hedged about and fettered have grown home
while longing for change"
The truth is, our correspondent would go
to Idaho, would go anywhere to escape dying
an old maid. And yet it is manifest that she
is just the sort of woman who ought TO re-
main where she Is among friends, end in an
occupation To which she has adapted herself.
OF course it Is not agreeable to grow old,
either for n man or II woman, and no one
enjoys seeing other people looking on him
as n venerable character, unless it be when
he has got as old as PETER COOPER, for in
stance, and has become little vain of his
remarkable longevity. And especially to an
unmarried woman the discovery of incrcas-
ing gray hairs Is more or less painful. But
she cannot stop time in its course, and If she
Is sensible she does not try to fight against
fate or spend time in Watching her wrinkles.
Old people do not meet with the sights our
correspondent imagines, unless they invite
them, II they deserve consideration, re-
1.