The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-12-07
THE WOMAN OF THIRTY-FI
Thoughts for the Consideration of her
self and Friends.

dangerous, that is to say, to the
hearts of men. Perhaps no writer
understood his own countrywomen
better than Balzab, and perhaps no
writer has contributed to social phi
losophy so many cynical reflections
on the sex in general. But Balzac's
axioms would apply, as a rule, to a
certain type of women, a type less
common, it is to be hoped, in En-
gland than in France. The spin
ster naturally would not enter into
his calculations; and even in this
country the unmarried "girl, who
admits to having passed seven and
twenty, must be exceptionally cir
cumstanced if she can boast of a
large train of adorers. The blush
ing debutante may have things
pretty well her own way, and is
quite capable of seriously capti-
waiting the blase man of the world,
who frequently finds an agreeable
piquancy in bread and butter, milk
and rosebuds. She may indeed
prove more enduring delight to
such man than the frisky married
women with whom the game of fir
tation has hitherto been played with
intense satisfaction. But the old
young girl is neither spring lamb
nor Welsh mutton, and not all the
garnishing possible will disguise
her anomalous flavor or give her
the charm of the daisies and the
meadow. She has lost the freshness
and the ingenious frankness, and
she has not gained the experience
and fneness which would render
her attractive to man; and unless
she be we'll endowed in the matter
of rank or worldly goods, and mat
rimony be solemnly contemplated,
however agreeable an acquisition
she may be to society, she does not
find marked favor in the sight of
the average "masher."
There is a class of women, the
woman who has entered the thirties,
upon whose drama the curtain is
not likely to fall for many years yet
In all womanly honesty, it may be,
she revels in the part Of heroine
and in the disturbances and agita-
tions of which she is the cause.
She will go on indefatigably play
ing her part and enjoying it, while
the lights grow dim and.the audi
ence drops off and the jeune pre-
mier becomes wooden and indiffer-
ent. This kind Of a woman must,
as Landor puts it, warm both hands
at the fire of life." Her keenly
strung temperament, alert sensibil-
ity and magnetic power of attrac-
ton make her the center of per-
feet vortex of emotions. She takes
intense pleasure in the storm and
tumult of feeling that gathers round
her. It gives zest to existence
which, without it, she would find
unexpectedly tame. She does not
mean to be cruel she is not un-
principled. In many cases she her.
self suffers almost as much as her
victims. But excitement, even that
of suffering, is necessity of her
being, and she takes comfort in the
thought that she, too, can exclaim,
like "Egmont," when the end comes,
81 cease to live; but | HAVE lived" !"
And to this woman, thirty-five is
the beginning of the end.
To the ordinary woman Of poetic
tendencies, but no definite inclina-
ton toward the dramatic side of
life, thirty-fve is an age which can
not fail to bring with it a feeling of
melancholy and dissatisfaction. It
is an uncomfortable point of trans
ition when the mind cannot dwell
with any complacency upon past,
present or future. The illusions
have gone, and the solid realities
have not yet quite taken their place.
In dress, demeanor and mental out
look a gradual and subtle readjust-
ment has to be considered. 1t is
felt necessary to practice a certain
sedateness and dignity of bearing,
which must not, however, be over
done, so as to appear affectatious.
which only the other day
might have been attributed to the
influence of personal beauty and
fascination are to-day open at least
% the suspicion of interested mo-
ives. Partners at balls are less
persistent and fewer in number.
The delicate aroma of flattery, once
oreathed as matter Of course, has
become sensibly fainter. Amuse-
nents seems to drag, and the busi-
ness of pleasure generally inspires
1 feeling of langor and depression.
The woman of thirty-fve is not yet
)idden to step out of the arena and
'ange herself among the spectators,
out Nature has disagreeable way
If reminding her that the hour
s approaching. It is as though the
first chill breath Of autumn which
leralds Indian summer were MAX
ng itself felt. She will be FORUM
ate If her autumn of haantu hrinrs