Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-01-11

TUg noDg9N sPMUTER.
4 Psea vse ene Usnsrssea.
Hester Stuart In Springfield Republi-
CAM
The s'old maid.r a. she has appeared
on comic valentines, or fornished the
subject for the exercise Of much thin
vit, has commonly been assigned to
one Of too glasses. II to the ssutimen-
tai, she vas usually depicted with one
or two limp curls at either end Of SIM
psrinQ face, breast pin made from the
hair OF tbs departed lover. and With
general adecsation Of giriishness in her
dreas and mannef. She vas excessive
" timid in the matter of mic and dark
halls, and looked upon any and every
man With ave and admiration, eeeinR
in each one a possible and probable
lover. II she Vas assigned 70 the strong
minded olaas, q use the term in the
popular screptauOe). she was tall and
angular; wore her hair twisted fieecely
in q little knot, sooFned useless adorn-
ments of her person, and divided her
time between driving children and AMI
mails from her premises and laundering
her nei0hbors-ber hand against every
Eu6o AU0 0vcly k000 &SfseAo uSkssss>SS 49,
Nov, either the pictures Wero at fault
or the types have passed away, for the
old maid of t0dAy Is quite another per
aou. In the first place, she 10 INST senti-
mental. Indeed. 1 do not know bat she
leans in tho opposite direction, being
cool and practical. However that may
BE-, neither il she . man-hster. For.
having ceased 70 regard men In the
- - sst ka hHRRrSV0RAfI
that they make very good friends,
and it 10 quite likely that
among her acquaintance are
. number whom she regards with q
clear sighted, slightly judicial. bat gen
erous friendship. And with the friend
ship has grown mp certain pity orsym-
patty for, going out into the world
herself, she has gained some idea OF
the burdens men carry and the odds
against which they fight. And on this
footing she meets her brother man in
society or business with frank friend
illness which il very comfortable for
both sides. Secondly, she does not
slander her neiRhb0rs she has other
things 70 engress her tioae and thoughts,
for she 10 q busy woman. II fortune
has been kind to her she keeps mp some
old house in old fashioned state she IL
prominent in church affairs her name
appears among the officers of employ
ment societies aud orphans homes.
Her scrutiny Of cases. 10 rigorous, but
once satisfied, she gives with discreet
liberality. Her advice is solicited and
respected. She Ia q recognized power
in the community. II fortune has been
less generous, and she depends on her
head or hands for support, what work
she does is done faithfully for, being
relieved of the necessity of keeping one
eve ON tho d0or for the coming man, she
is able to devote all her energies to the
business in hand, and it is an establish
ed fact that some of the dearest heads,
quickest wits, and most faoile figures
are found among these same old maids.
After her day of useful work she goes
home to her cosy room (plainly or ele-
Rantly furnished, it is quite sure to be
cosy and homelike) and sits down by
the fire with her magazine or new book,
with none to modest or make her afraid.
No visions of kneeless little trousers or
toeleas stockings fit between her and
the pages !; she has no guilty half-cOn-
sci0usness of . pile of unmade shirts,
whose neck bands will invariably be q
sixteenth Of an inch too long or too
short but she rocks and reads, and
lays up much mental food. She goes
into society. being socially inclined,
where she sometimes opens her mouth
with wisdom aud talks ON subjects out
side the range of the short C0minQs of
servants, the last bit Of scandal, or the
COST of provisions. once heard it
said by very intelligent woman (her-
self married) that she did not enjoy
the society of married women because
they were always talking about the
price of things. Now this seems rather
q harsh criticism on those wives and
mothers whose minds and hearts are
necessarily rack. by the question of
abundance Of their anxieties but the
fact remains that a. staples Of CONVEX
s.tion they are not pleasant or profit
able. and it somesiues happens that a
husband will turn e IN consids .tion
Of theae topics 70 converse with
some woman Who has time and space to
{ ink Of ethsr tnings-which, consider
ing the fxcs that this mental limitation
in his wife has been caused BY marry
ing him, always looks unbeo0ming in
nun. Inc OLD MAID OF today. besides
0eing q worker ana reader, 70 q traveller.
cne taxes little triPe IN the summer.
mountains or seashore. She ranges
from Maine to California-she even
goes abroad, governed only in her pere-
grinations by circumstances OF the
icn9sn OF ner puse-wnicn purse % It
long or shors, 10 hers. her days are
days OF pleasantness, and her nights are
nights OF peace: Sne Roos to bed when
ene pleases, ana does NOS leave one ear
uncovered to listen Tor the Uncertain
steps ana waveltnR might Key OF late
coming husband. Neitner DOES she turn
ressleesly on ner pillow beside Q sober.
snoring spouse. and wonder, wonder,
where the chi!drens school books or the
Ism.y nsnnels ARG 20 como from; bot
sne drops intoe quiet, Poaoefu! alum
oss, 70 dream OF ner cid iove,a wakes
20 W0noet Wnetnor mafr1od life with