The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-24

either by the want Of attractions to a
woman's eye, or by the want of means to
support a wife and family. And yet one
would think that the lot of the unmarriage-
able man who can not find a mate is just as
hard to bear as that of the manageable
but unmarried woman.
Indeed. the anger and bitterness which
the disputants, especially the women, bring
into q discussion OF this kind seem to blind
them entirely to the real facts of the case.
A calm consideration of those facts would
probably convince them that the evil Of
which they complain is an order of things
more or less inevitable. There is nothing,
perhaps. more misleading than. statistics;
but there is one fact which bears directly
upon the case, and which may explain to q
great extent the large number OF unmar-
ried women. There are in England, as it ia
admitted, 897, 900 more manageable women
than manageable mon; very nearly a mill
ion of women condemned to u life of single
blessedness, not because the mon will not
marry them. bat because there are no men
to marry them.
Az long as polygamy is discouraged by
our laws and customs we do not understand
how these women can expect to be mar ried.
The main reason for men being unmar-
1iaeeable is hat they do not exist in suf-
ficient quantities to meet the demands OF
women. Whether this is the result Of tbs
pr~eponderance of female over male births
or the greater mortality among the men or
of the emigration of the men, matters lit
tie: the fact remains that there are in
England nearly 1000, 600 women who can
not be married, whether every man be will
ing to marry or not. Ana or the rest or
manageable men and women, who remain
in equal proportions, there il no evidence
to show their want of union is rather the
fault of the mau than that of the woman.
except the fact that the initiative in pro-
posing lies with the first.
tt may be that "Barkis is wiling" after
all. though Peggottv declares that he is
hanging back; and that, were the positions
reversed, and the onus of proposing laid
upon Peggotty's shoulders, she would show
herself to be more willing than he has
shown himself. We really believe, and the
belief is complimentary to the falrer sex,
that there are no more bachelors than there
are spinsters who remain in that state from
choice. One thing at least we have re-
marked-that though we have heard of
many spinsters who have boosted that they
have refused offers by the dozen, we have
would admit that he had been rejected
more than once; from which we might in
fer that the willingness and the modesty
are all upon one side, and the hardness of
heart upon the other.
The correspondents of the Daily Chroni-
Gle, alLIOuka uAoy bAloW Dub ~ lISAu
upon the question in general, often throw a
good deal of light upon the question as it
affects their wi particular case. "a
Contented Bachelor" IA Wide-awake
Bachelor and 'Another Wide-awake
Bachelor" are signatures that
particular honor either to the wits or the
good feeling Of those who write above
them. No one would be disposed to quar-
rel with such gentlemen because they choose
to remain single. Perhaps the most nota-
BILE letter from one of their sex, though of
a different persuasion, ia that of a clergy
man.
Having been for years. he writes, "a
clergyman in the heart of Belgravia, and in
other districts of varying degrees of gem
tility," he has remarked that his clerical
brethren can only be induced to marry the
richest woman of their congregations.
whether she be noted for piety, or the
REVERSE" whence he sagely opines that
"money is the root of all ovil.' and kindly
gives the necessary reference for that text.
However much the degree of gentility
varied, the degree of the reverend gentle
mans charity seems to have been an I'M
varying factor in his observation of his
neighbors. 4@. -... t
Let us turn to the gentle sex and their
gentle epistles; to the -Four Working
elor. and add to their railing a delightful
postscript-does tho bachelor require
knitted cocks? because they will be glad to
knit him some should he be in want of
them; to the indignant young woman who
complains that young men think too much
mestic Servant" and to the splendid the
toric of the lady who describes .hearts
breaking themselves in lonely agony until
death relieves them," and declares that re-
sponsibls for such u state of things are
our false-to-nnture, ons-sided, man-made
In mo which buya ayer nima1 fran thu ha-
ginning at woman's subsection"
1t is without surprise that one finds the
signature OF Lady Florence Dixie appended
to this outburst of eloquence. Curious
above all others, however, is the contribu-
ton Of "A Curio-Spiuster"-who must be a
very curio- splnster indeed, judging from
the unique character of her confessions.
She is disposed to take her readers into her
complete confidence. II have an oyet-sen-
sitive nature" she informs us, land am
too apt to think that l have been insulted
when, perhaps, no harm was meant, and,
having an unluoky knack OF speaking my
mind. get disliked III consequence. But {
being possessed, perhaps, of more charms
than most women. 4 have slladg many ad-
mirrors and would-be s%uitors, but have
never seen but one man l would change my /
single life for.'' I
This 10 trulysaa vary prope pride. "He {
was my beau ideal, aud yet, though / was )
as much in love an he" ID was not to be. !
AN untimely but we'll meaning friend' {
In just as he was coming to tbs
point, "and 30 he went away, and left
blank that no other oan I'LL" Here Ia both
poetry and pnthos. "Ho Thought me cold :
and would not be snch a J~urpins az To
place his affections upon marble statue" !
And here is prose With a vengeance. But /
what kind OF prose l. a Juggins, and in tho i
name of al that's feminine, what manner I
o. young woman 10 n ''curio. spinsterp" !
Whatever she may be, she docs not despair. !
But everything comes TO those who wait" !
she says; and that Ia philosophy.