South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-05-15
WHY + NEVER MARRIED
BY AN OLD MAID.

The world At large. especially the
feminine world, is very prone to think
that the unmarried woman remains so
because no man has ask d her to be-
come his wife. This is not 81. Any
woman who Is pleasant to look upon,
cheerful 10 her manners, AMI neat in
her mode OF dressing. has many or.
portunities to marry; VIC oil know of
careless. unatti active, untiiy women
who also marry; therefore, when
somebody says to me-who am forty,
healthy, said to be gooilooLing, WELL
educated, and always well-dressed-
Il wonder why you never married ?
or murmLr, Curious that nobody
ever wanted Miss - [ simply
smile AID wonder that women cam.
see better into the hearts OF other
women.
Ny friends. every woman In this
worli who wants to, can marry. I is
true. she may not get her ideal; 1t is
true, that where she expec ed TO m ar.
ry q rich, handsome nj an, she took in.
stead a poor man, who certainly was
n t 'ta!l @: good looking;' yet that
she can marry if she wants is unde
niable.
Now | will tell you of the men who
have wanted to marry me. and my
reason for not accepting the gracious
offers.
The fir<t is the one whose picture
has remained longest engraven on
ny heart. | was nineteen. he twon.
ty-four; brigh', handsome, with that
wonderful power we Call mguetism
and which so wins women and chill.
dren. II il easy to understand how |
came near loving him enough to be
bis wife. or merry heart, and Xix 3.
ing the society Of his fellows, he had
however. drifted among fast set OF
men, and through my brother came
the knowledge that ne was drinking
very hard. Then l sat Town AMI
thought thought OF the women who
had married mon TO reform them
thought of the wtetched wives. The
miserab e children and the unhappS
homes tba, bad resulted5from suci
marriages, and | knew that the mar
who could not reform before his msr
rlags, for the sake OF his own self.
respect. AMI not just for woman
was not worth my love. SO I wen
away sick Al heart aud with The de
termination to forget that man, az 6
sweetheart aud think OF him only as
friend. 1t took a gear to do II, but
succeeded. He married ano,h her wo-
man and wished her, with a clear
honest heart, all the happiness In til,
world, and there went up from me
silent prayer that God might IN ak,
their welded life a happy one.
The next man who wanted 10 MARI,
me was clergyman of good socia
standing, having a church that va.
called fashionable bigbIy .eulldreC
and Charming in manner and CONVEX
satiOn. How could resist all tbis
Well, thought one way, he though
another, each Of as pretty strong al
Faf as our Wills wen, and putting OF
my thinking cap again, cone ndet
that where two people believed differ
emily, and each was what the world
calls stubborn, there would be sImpI,
q household made where there would
he discotdance and wTelchedness IN.
stead Of that beautiful peace tina
pssseth oil understanding and comes
where love. and love only, regns.
Life bad It's busy side FOR me, tny
parents we're growing old and needed
the cheer OF my society. To welcome
every IL e new conner, that belonged
TO my sisters or brothers, into the
family TO have q los Of little tots
named after Aunt Frances, and 10
listen 20 wondrous stories II dolls
that talked. and birds that sang. an
whole armies Of soldiers that were 10
attack forlresses built IN The nursery
corner, became not only del ght bat
q duty.
IL any Of thorn we're 10 sorrow it
was Frances that they came to, II
there vas Joy Il was tod TO and
laughed over With Frances, and when
death entered the door aud took away
some 81 the little loved ones il was
only Fsanoes' hands that ware per.
miiied 10 battle the little form and
put on the dress IN which IL was to
repose 10 the last s'eep.
Then came the day when my faith
eF died and he was foiiowcd he No