Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-12-09
THE OLD MAID OF TO-DAY.
Compared with Tae Venerable sister OF
Former Years.

which prevailed not so very long ago,
the woman who did not marry was a
blighted being. II did not matter
whether she remained single from
choice or necessity; for. since it was
/ considered woman's only manifest
and unalterable destiny to marry. she
must, Of course, be rega rded as q fail
ure in life if she did not do this. And
though she may have refused forty of
fers of marriage, or have had the most
imperative duties of any sort, or devcl-
oped the most decided talent for some
vocation in life other than marriage,
yet neither one nor all of these would
have been accepted Us a valid reason
why she should not follow what society
had decided was the only proper course
in life for her. Failing TO become the
mistress of irer own home she was
doomed TO life of dependence in that
of some friend OF relative, useful crea-
tWTe who took care of children and did
the family mending, but was regarded
with either pity or contempt even by
those who profited most directly from
her labor.
From this condition of things there
arose in literature and the minds of
people in general the typical "old
maid" She was always pictured as
gaunt, angular. and forbdding in APP
pearance; morose and ill-tempered in
disposition, as became blighted and
disappointed being; hating youth and
pleasure of all sorts, with q special
grudge against love-making and lovers.
since they reminded her of her own
vanished youth and the opportunities
which she had never had, or, having,
had neglected. The part which she
had played in the story was usually that
of butt for the other to scratch Jokes
upon; or of u marplot and feminine
william whom all were glad to see dis
comtited in the end.
But VIC have changed all that in these
later days. With the education of wom-
en- and the broadening of their oppor-
tunities in every way, their destinies
have broadened also. A woman is still,
perhaps, expected first to marry. and it
is best for her that she should, provided
her marriage can be happy and suit
able one. But if from her own choice,
or necessity arising from q lack of
appreciation on the part of the other
and more stupid sex, she remains at the
end of her days what some one calls an
unclaimed blessing" she is no longer
considered, from this circumstance
alone, u failure and an unhappy crea-
ture. She is no longer doomed to life
of dependence in the house of another,
for score of vocations are open to her,
in any one of which she may win
livelihood OF even q competence. Con-
sequently she commands respect, and
far from being subject for contempt
or pity, she is more likely the object of
open or secret envy on the part of most
of her married acquaintance.
And so it has come about that the
typical old maid of former times has
passed away, and in the literature of to-
day we find new type conforming to
the new facts in the case, and quite
different from the old. The modern old
maid is not angular and forbidding in
appearance, but plump and pleasing.
She is not morose and ill-tempered, but
jolly and good-natured to an extent
that makes her the best of company. AS
she has never had the all-absorbing
cares which come with marriage, and
has no family of sons and daughters
growing up about her to remind her of
the flight Of years, she has naturally
forgotten to grow old, and young peo-
pie regard her rs one of themselves
when good times are being planned:
while in the matter of lovers and love-
making she has had that experience
which makes her simply invaluable as
contidant and adviser, and she is the
repository of all the secrets of this sort
which exist within the range of her ac-
quaintance. She dresses in exquisite
taste. she pets pug dog Or white rat,
a golden beetle, OF whatever animal
fashion may dictate; she entertains
beautifully; is idolized by her family,
especially her young nephews; has hosts
of admirers, but is discretion and pro-
prlety personited; is the guiding spirit
in orphan asylums, hospital fairs, asso-
ciated charity matters, and other good
works, and, in short, lives out to the
end of her days q happy, useful, we'll
rounded existence
The single woman who has her own
way to make in the world. has and
uses no less opportunities, though they
lie in different directions. She may be
q teacher, earnest, single-hearted hav-
ing formative hand upon the young
minds and hearts of many, and becom-
ing the spiritual mother, perhaps, of
tens, scores, hundreds of sons and
daughters.
She may be scientist, and discover
new wonders in the starry heavens, or
resolve obscure chemical compounds.
She may be writer of books, which
shall entertain Or instruct thousands,
or be privileged to speak the frequent
word of warning, help, encouragement
to mutitudes through the columns of
some great newspaper She may heal
the sick if she have love and aptitude
for that sort of work; or plead the
cause of the oppressed in court, or
preach repentance to sinners. in fact,
there is nothing she may not do, and
the single woman of to-day is NO longer
made TO conform to one angular and
disagreeable type, but is broad and
many-sided, as are her present oppor-
tunities. SO that the '-old maids of to-
day form one of the most positive and
potent forces in our modern civilization.
-A'lwa@kee Sunday Telegraph.