Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-11-04
PIE FOR OLD MAIDS.
;r Faults outweighed by Their Virtues 4
Philadelphia Times

Philadelphia Times.
The period of life at which girlhood
- and old-maidenhood begins is very
tiled acd discordant. Misses of 20
amt toconsider all their unmarried
4r friends who have passed their Both
AZ old maids; those of 30 suppose
ara begins at about 49, and some
men of so lose no opportunity of in
ling that they are still girls, by which
10 be assumed that old-maidism is
..fponed indefinitely, at least in their
But it is fair to suppose that
-5sn single woman has passed her 10th
van she may be considered as standing,
I NOT within the gates, at least on the
1-ssbold which divides youth from age.
Inf it is also true that years have very
-+get TO do with it. Some persons appear
.,5aye been born old, while others seem
have in them the springs of perpetual
.,vth. Ninon de L'Enclos, who was
5sIe III at so, with scores of admiring
lrirbts at her feet, kept in her heart as
h well. as in her face the freshness and
,,-,ghtliness of youth, and never grew
IN despite her crown of years. An old
-ornr maid is a most depressing sight,
1tae young old maid, provided she
1oas not affect infantile skittishness, is
tbe reyerst.
Ills. and seems to have been since the
earliest wears. the fashion to direct the
sings and arrows of ridicule and criti-
,isn al "old maids" That grave inius,
,:ee Is often done the sisterhood there
eon be no doubt. Curiosity, the love of
gossip. acridity and the sourness of tenn
No, and numerous other undesirable
liabilities are attributed 70 them often
g.tsout shadow Of excuse. The fits of
TEMPER ANA the habit OF tittle-tattle so
oftau INDUCED in by narrated women are
f5-giyeu or not thought of at all. while
,bs,ame failings in the maidens of I'M
certain years, acerb,ty engendered by her
Hfa of single blessedness. Now, l am
rat prepared to say that undue interest
III tie affairs Of other people is not pre-
ysiIing Characteristic of old maids. II
would indeed be very remarkable if it
vereuot so. ON the principle that the
mind /. SO constituted that it must be
EMPLOYED The married woman has or
is supposed to have, duties that engross
more or lees of her attention, while the
sinister has no such refuge. Be that as
it may each one must answer for her
own faults and short comings if she
makes -ociety suffer for them society
will uureserycdly mete out just punish.
meut,
The old maid who at1irms that she new
or wishes 10 get married pronounces the
styeges OF satire against her own heart.
AfemaIe who never felt at any period of
her lis a desire TO engage n the duties
or share in the delights of that state to
which all human beings are drawn by
force of nature and reason must be utter
Is devoid of tenderness and the heaven
born instint with which all creation is en-
lowed. do not expect this sentiment to
meet with unqualified indotsement from
piusterhood; but certain it is that in
every true woman's eye there peeps
out q longing to have home, and a hus-
band, and babies of her very own; and it
is no less true that thousands of Old
maids would have made most excellent
wives and mothers. That the instinct is
strong within them is shown by the un-
| affected feeling which they display in
con .-mplating the domestic joys of their
married sriends.
AtIectation is another failing of ancient
m8idens that calls forth frequent satire
the oppressive dread of the appearing
young, and III consequence, assuming the
auenish airs and graces of Is, But in
looking about among my fellow women
have observed quite as many married as
single ones who were victims of this sort
of folly It is the special province OF
Wauau 10 look as pretty as she ean, aIfd
TO hold on to her youth to the utmost i
aerduty but there are ways and ways OF
doing this without making herself a sub
iec' Of ridicule instead of admiration
The autumnal sisterhood" are moreover
disguised for ingenuity patience anc
charity. Not all the good sisters who de
vote their lives 60 works of mercy weal
The hood and gown which prOclaims theil
mission to mankind. They are every
where among US, and without doubt Otter
the butt of sneers and false imputation
from the careless and unthinking. SSme
body has said sit is better to be laughed
ut because You are not married than not tC
be able to laugh because you are" The
saying applies admirably, in many cases
20 tile confusion of scoffers.
A writer Of a century ago tells rs that
iht itlus'rious fathers of the church hello
;-e doctrine that when our progenitor:
We're created it was the intention OF
Heaven that Eve herself should become
aL ola maid. And further that, accord
Ing '0 st. Romwald Eve in the ninety
mint. ear of the world created a religi
9as Order Of Young Women, who were &c
continue virgins and to preserve unex
i1Sa.sasd the fire which had fallen from
Heaven ou the sacrifice Of Abel. The
.I.er myth is identical with that Of the
origin of the Nestal Virgins in Rome
mere ase numerous mythical traditions
g. ..G" character, all showing that old
-AJ- were regarded with honor and re-
ee'l Then there came a period, during
.. .--sn Of the jews, in which no recor,
sound of the existence of any one dis
'At+-aed old maid. The state of spin
sIA9od was also held in disfavor among
17 'faeAs and Romans of that time
"' ai'ef the Christian era there came
wonderful revulsion of feeling, and a
marked increase OF unmarried women OF
-,'.''a-sable age. According to ancient
'''.'.l ah- the whole sex seem TO have
.A med with passion for yirgini-
"'eH was most eagerly fostered 10y
M" the most distinguished fathers
.os church. St. Chrysostom, St. An
-s.-4.. 81 Basil, St. Gregory, and many
wrote passionate and eloquent
.'.r' dies on celibaey as the most honor