The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-10-12


Last week I gave the bachelors .
showing, and find that the article ha
been widely read and variously comment
ed on.
An Atlanta old maid who read livery
carefully was Disguised with some part
Of it, and expressed the opinion that
ought to interview hal. 9 dozen prominent
old maids Of Atlanta and print their rea'
sons for not antsripg tho matrimonial
state.
That's good idea, and I'll just begin
with her. The lady in question is on the
shady sids of forty, and has been earning
her living over since she was young
girl.
She L. not an unattrsctivs woman in
appearance, iu a rapid and very fluent
talker, and is noted for throwing good
deal of ginger into her remarks whsn
dsscanting on the horrors of matrimony'
"Why have you never married" !" I
asked.
"Well, it would take me too long to
give you all the reasons, bat don't
mind telling you few Of them for I'm
satisfied that you will get me down
right.
II nave bson hard-workipg woman
all my life, ard have managed to save a
little something for rainy day-but
my chief reason for not taking 10 my
self q husband il that cannot afford to
support one 81 the average husband now
goes.
"The average husband of the dsy,"
she said, "is very costly article. He
comes high and is correspondingly tri-
Hing-in other words be is no good. As
have neither youth, beauty, brilliancy
nor wealth cannot hope to make what
is called good MATCH but would have
to take, ifI married, the average speci-
men, and as it would require to much
outlay to take care of him properly,
I prefer to sremain single. 1t is
all nonsense that there is no happiness
for woman outside Of the married
match.
"I have always managed to support
myself very nicely, and shall continue to
do so to the end, and consider that am
far better of as an Independent single wo.
man than would be al 8 welded slave,
with, perhaps, some no account fell
low for a husband, to squander my earn
ings.
s'I hold that every woman IL blessed
With talent for some kind of work which
will yield her comfortable income
if she will only begin early and cultivate
it..
'sOf course no matter how superior she
may be to man In the same lire ofbus-
inesa she caanot hope 70 get az much pay
for her work. The reason for this
seems to be simply because she hap
pens to be woman. 1t ir sirgu!arly un-
Just, but is's the way Of she world, you
know.
"Still there is an honest living for every
woman who wishes to remain single if she
will only 60 about getting it in the right
way.
"Ose of the most pitisble objects on
earth to me is that woman who is utter
ly dependent upon some man for a sup
port.
"My pity for such women is only
equalled by my contempt for that other
class of weIl-to-do single women who are
80 foolish 40 to marry worthless husbands
and turn over what little they've got to
them.
"Oh, yes I've had plenty of offers, but
up to this time they came from no &C,
count specimens. I shall never marry
until I can find a man, not only who can
love-but who is my equal in social
position, property and earning capacity
Il shall change for the better or not al
all"
Old maid number two proved to be .
decidedly peculiar specimen. sho
was just on the sunny side Of fifty.
"The more see of men," said she, "tha
more love my cat. I am not exactly Il
man-hatsr, but I'm afraid of men. Mar
riage is lottery, and I have always been
too awfully afraid that might not get q
winning ticket.
"Een are such deceiYers-and you can
never tell how they will turn out ate,
tho ceremony. Most of them, my obssr'
vation teaches me, are quite different ~
husbands from what they are a lovers.
The truth Ii that men as a rule are all
hoyrid creatures. I sometimes think
that all Of thsm are bad lR some respect
If I could find nay ideal suppose
wouly marry-but the prospect Ia very
gloomy.
"I have" ahs concluded, "a comforta'
Bile support, and, as a woman must have
something to love, I am perfectly devo-
ted to my cat, which am sure fully re-
quites my passion.
"He is a charming creature, as you
zee. He never speaks q crosu word Ia
me, gives very little trouble, never gets
drunk, does not belong to any club, al
ways stays at home at might, never shows
any other woman devoted attention, doe
not take my money and spend it foolish
", never storms when breakfast happens
TO be late-but is always kind, gentle
loving, true and amiable.
"He is model animal, much better ir
very many respects than the average nus
band of the day.
elbow do kaow that my husband, i
I should marry, would be as devoted
companionabls and pleasant a. my cat
"Until am perfectly sure that my
husband would be, q: least, as good 81