Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-11-04
A PILE FOR OLD MAIDS.
Their Faults Outweighed by Their Virtues.
Philadelphia Times.


Philadelphia Times.
The period of life at which girlhood
ends and old-maidenhood begins is very
unsettled acd discordant. Misses of 20
are apt to consider all their unmarried
iadv friends who have passed their Both
wear as old maids; those of 30 suppose
The era begins at about 40; and some
women of 80 lose no opportunity of in
dicating that they are still girls, by which
If is to be assumed that Oid-maidism is
postponed indefinitely, at least in their
cases. But it is fair to suppose that
when single woman has passed her 10th
year she may be considered as standing,
if not within the gates, at least on the
threshold which divides youth from age.
But it is also true that years have very
little to do with it. Some persons appear
to have been born DID, while others seem
TO have in them the springs of perpetual
youth. NinOn de L'Enclos, who was a
belle at at so, with scores of admiring
knights at her feet, kept in her heart as
as well, as in her face the freshness and
1rlghtliness of youth, and never grew
id, despite her crown of years. An old
young maid is a most depressing sight,
while a young old maid, provided she
does not affect infantile skittishness, Is
the reverse.
It is, and seems to have been since the
earliest years, the fashion to direct the
sings and arrows of ridicule and criti-
cism at 'oId maids" That grave in jus
ice is often done the sisterhood there
.an be no doubt Curiosity, the love of
gossip, acridity and the sOurness of tenn
per and numerous other undesirable
qualities are attributed to them often
TufT2CT7f a 81, aIGvv Of pycusp The fits Of
temper and the habit of tittle-tattle so
often INDUCED in by narrated women are
forgiven or not thought of at all, while
the same failings in the maidens of I'M
certain years, acerbity engendered by her
life of single bIessedness. Now, I am
not prepared to say that undue interest
IN the affairs of other people is not pre-
vailing characteristic of old maids. It
would indeed be very remarkable if it
were not so, on the principle that the
mind is 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
spinster has no such refuge. Be that as
il may, each one must answer for her
own faults and short cOmings if she
makes society suffer for them society
viii Unreservedly mete out just punish
ment.
The old maid who afIirms that she new
er wishes to get married prOnounces the
severest of satire against her own heart.
Afemale who never felt at any period of
her life a desire to engage in 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
" devoid of tenderness and the heaven
born instint with which all creation is en-
dOwed. [ do not OK pect this sentiment to
meet with unqualified Endorsement from
spinsterhOOd: but certain it is that in
every true woman's eye there peeps
out longing to have a 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 IN
affected feeling which they display in
contem plating the domestic joys of their
married sriends.
Affectation Is another failing of ancient
maidens that calls forth frequent satire
the oppressive dread of the appearing
young, and IN consequence, assuming the
kittenish 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. 1t is the special province of
waman to look as pretty as she can, and
to hold on to her youth to the utmost is
her duty; but there are ways and ways of
doing this without making herself a sub
jec5 of ridicule instead of admiration.
The aUtumnal sisterhoOd" are moreover
Ydisguised for ingenuity, patience and
charity. Not all the good sisters who de-
vote their lives to works of mercy wear
the hood and gown which prOclaims their
mission to mankind. They are every
where among US, and without doubt often
the butt of sneers and false imputations
from the careless and unthinking. Some
body has said cit is better to be laughed
at because you are not married than not to
be able to laugh because you are" The
saying applies admirably, in many cases,
to the confusion of scOffers.
writer Of a century ago tells US that
the illustriOus fathers of the church held
the doctrine that when our progenitors
were created it was the intention of
Heaven that Eve herself should become
an old maid. And further that, accord
ing to st. RomwaId, Eve in the ninety
ninth year of the world created a religi-
Gus Order of Young Women, who were to
continue virgins and to preserve unex-
tinguished the fire which had fallen from
Heaven on the sacrifice of Abel. The
latter myth is Identical with that Of the
origin of the Vestal Virgins IL Rome.
There are numerous mythical traditions
OF like character, all showing that old
maids were regarded with honor and re-
spect. Then there came period, during
the reign of the jews, in which no record
IS found of the existence of any one dis
tlnguished old maid. The state Of spin
sterhood was also held in disfavor among
the Greeks and Romans of that time.
But after the Christian era there came
wonderful revulsion of feeling, and
marked increase of unmarried women of
manageable age. According to ancient
historians the whole sex seem to have
been infamed with passion for virgini-
ty which was most eagerly fostered by
many of the most distinguished fathers
of the church. st. Chrysostom, st. An