Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-12-09
PLEA FOR OLD MAIDS.
Their Faults Moroly Those of
Other Mortal Females.
fashionable aud Cruel sneers at Women
Who Have Remslned Unmarried
Old Maids Who Welded Ihem-
selves to Good AMI Great Works.

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ends and old.maidcnhood begins is
very unsettled and diScordant. Misses
of twenty are apt to consider all their
unmarried lady friends who have
passed their thirtieih year as abSo-
lutely old maids. those of thirty sup
pose the era begins at about foriy-iiye;
and some women Of fifty lose no OPP
portuni,y OF Indicating that they are
still girls, by which it il To be assumed
that old-maidi,m Is postponed indch-
nitcly. q, least in their cases. But II i
fair to suppose that when a single
women has passed her fcrticth wear.
she NAV be considered aS standing. If
not within the gates, ~ least on the
threshold which divides youth from age.
But IL i also true that years have very
little TO 10 with it. Some persons APP
pear 10 have been born old, while
Others seem 10 have in them the springs
Of perpetual youth. Ninon dc LIN
clos. who was q bell a, eighty. with
scores OF admiring knights at her feet.
kept in her heart as well ~ in her face.
the frcShnc., and sprightlincSs of
youth. and never grew old. despite her
crown OF years An old young maid
is most depressing sight, while u
young old maid. provided she does not
affect infantilc Skitti,hnc>s. is quite the
reverse.
II j., aud SccmSio have been since
the earliest years, the fashion TO direct
the sting ana arrows Of ridiculc ana
criticism at "uld maid>.' That grave
Injustice is often done the >istcrhool,
there can be- no doubt. Curiosity, the
love of gossip, acr.dity, and sourneNs OF
temper and Numerous Other undcSir-
able qualities are attributed to them
often without the shadow of excuse.
The ii;s of temper and the habi, OF
ii,tlc.,altlc 81 often indulgcd in hy mar
ricd women are forgiven. ornot thought
of nj all. while the same fail.ngS in the
maiIcns Of uncertain wears are set down
60 the accrbity cngendcrcd by her life
Of single blcsscdncs>. Now, | am not
prepared To say that undue interest in
the affairs of other people is no; pro-
vailing characteristic o! old maids. IL
would indeed be very remarkable If It
were no, so, on the principle that the
mind il 30 constituted that il must DC
employed. The married woman has.
or is supposed to have. duties that en-
gross more or less Of her attention,
while the spinStcr has no such refuge.
lie that as il may, each one must an
swcr for her own faults and >hortcom-
ings. and il she makes society suffer for
them. society will unrescrvcdly mete
out jus: punishment.
The old maid who alirms that she
never wished To marry pronounces the
sevcrcst of satire against her own
heart. A female who never felt at any
period Of her life 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- utterly devoid of tender
ness and the IIcayen-born instinct with
which all creation is rightinlly en-
dpwed. do not expect that this sem
iiment will meet with unqualified in
dorsemcnt from the spinsterhood; but
certain 1t is that in every true wom-
ans eye there peeps out longing to
hayp home. and husband, and
babies OF her very own; and 1t 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 unaffected
feeling which they display in contem-
plating the domestic joys Of their mar
sied friends.
Ailectation is another failing of an
Gent maidens that calls forth frequent
ss,irc--the oppressive dread of not
appearing young. and. in consequence.
assuming the dress rs well as the
ki,tenish airs and graces OF eighteen.
But in looking about among my fel-
qow.women. have observed quite as
many married as single ones who were
victims of this sort of folly. 1t is the
special province of woman to look as
.pretiy as she can, aud to hold on to
her youth to the utmost Is ber duty;
hut there are ways and ways of doing
this without making herself a subject
O, ridicule instead Of admiration.
The ..au,umnal sis,srhood" are more