Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-10-28
A Bachelors LAMENT


In the Globe OF recent date was a
reprint of letter entitled "a Bellies
Lament" The fair unknown regrets
seven weary years of social toll. She
is twenty-four, and has been fiattered
and complimented, and with the slight
est encouragement might now have
been loving wife. She says: alt is
lamentably true, that, like many an
othergir my ears havegrown so accus-
toned to compliments that they are
only empty, meaningless sounds, for
despite the victory a woman achieves
every time somebody tells her she is
beautiful, particularly when she knows
there is truth in the assertion, the
fact remains and overwhelms her like
an avalanche from which there is
no escape that among all the
knightly gallants not one of the
praiseful throng has the manli-
ness or courage to ask her hand in
marriage" She points out the folly
and figures the expense OF this futter-
ing ACKNOWLEDGEMENT without-comipg-
to-the-point business and adds: "1sn't
it simply heart-rending for girl of
my years-and nay qualifications, too,
l may add-to contemplate? Is it
any wonder l sit in my room every
day after night of decoilete dressing
and silly Waiting, and shed bitter
tears because, though men fiatter,
they refuse to think well enough of
me to marry me?" l truly sympa-
thize with the young women; but let
me ask: as the lot of the young men
who flatter but dare not wed lovely
damsels OF her stamp any more envi.
ADLER How often have not return
ed from a full-dress rout, Invested my
self of the infallible spike TAIL" es-
consced myself comfortably with my
slippered feet on the mantel, fired the
final cigar-philosophized. Through
the curling smoke see visions of the
fair being upon whom I've expended
my best efforts at persiflage only an
hour since. l think how coy
it would be were she to be
gazing at the dying embers OF
the hearth, sitting on low stool
by my side, and how tenderly I'd kiss
those pretty shoulders that / but an
hour since compared with those ofthe
Venus at the Louvre. The picture is
so enchanting even seriously specu-
late upon the possibility of making it
real. A little sober reasoning end it
is all dissolved into smoke even like
the cigar, the remnants of which
throw among the blackened Goals. I'm
% and struggling barrister. The
battle is not won. I've a reputation
to make--position to gain. Eve'sfair
daughters of to-day do not cast their
lot with struggling young men, win or
lose, rise or 60 under. The young
lady of the period is too well trained
to do anything that is not strictly
good form, don't you know, and it is
not good form to give away to senti.
ment to the extent of marrying man
who has not wealth or position. If it
is not an absolute drinking foreigner
with a title, it is 50-year-old
millionaire, with neck the size
of her waist that can successfully
bid for the favors of the fair
maiden of to-day. She will listen to
your tribute to her beauty. She even
grows connoisseur in the matter OF
the quality of your compliments. She
Is not stupid and you must sharpen
your wits IN order to invent palatable
food for her vanity. She waltzes with
you, fiirts with you, even INDUCES in
tender little scenes with you; but mar.
ry you-dear, no; "he's such a lear
fellow, but then he is so wretchedly
poor, and one must wed a brilliant
party you know" / do not know
where the fault lies; but that marriage
among the better bred people is be.
coming beautifully less cannot be de.
MED. That the effect upon both sex.
es Is demoralizing is equally appa rent.
know scores ofyoung men with brains
and education who shun society and
the fashionable young woman for the
reason that they well know that mar.
rage cannot be thought of until much
later in life with women in her sphere.
and to follow in her wake an admir-,
ing swain is thankless and costly
task fraught with more yexation
than pleasure. The result is that in
most large cities there are lotteries Of
young men--and usually the best ones,
too-who live rather fast lives, and In
consequence when they do marry at a
late day are unfit to be husbands and
fathers. know scores of young men
who would be willing to maryland
In many cases it would be their saliva
tlon-could they find young women
OF equal social attainments who would
brave the struggle with them. The
lives OF most of these young men can
De boiled down as follows: A more
or iess-aecording to disposition-cay
bachelor life, and if not wrecked by
the wayside, when they get fat, flabby
and bald, brilliant wedding with an
ambitious bud, short honeymoon.
mutual disgust, big funeral, .nteresf
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