The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-10-05
OLD BACHELORS.
gomo OK the Reasons why Men stick to
Single Blessedness.
From, the atlanta Johrnd

propose TO ngnt TO- Gay ll9tle paltle
for bachelordom-for Atlanta bachelor
dom.
There are good many bachelors lying
around loose in the Gate City aud you
often hear people wondering why more
of them don't get married.
Now, the average Atlanta bachelor is
not as hard case as some folks-partic-
ularly marriageable young ladies-may
imagine. The fact is that some of the
most sensible people in the country are
to be found right here in the ranks of our
single gentlemen.
have had sober talks with three rep
resentativs Atlanta bachelors recently
all brought about by me asking this ques-
ton,
"Why don't you marryf"
And the three little interviews given
below will clear up some of the reasons
why men stick to single blessedness in
Atlanta.
1T am glad you asked me that ques-
tion," said bachelor No. 1, "for it will not
only give me an opportunity to set myself
right in the eyes Of the fair sex, but will
also enable me to say few kind words for
number of the brethren in the same
boat.
"To begin WITH" said he, zone of the
most expensive-if not the most expen-
sive-luxury of the present day is wo-
man, that is to say the kind of a wife that
if was marrying man, would like to
have.
snow, l." continued he, Sin common
with number of my single male friends
would have passed under the orange fes.
toons long ago, but for the fact that ne are
sslarisd men-and you know very we'll
how small is the pay Of the average At
lanta salaried man.
"While most of US can got along pretty
comfortably on our salaries in the single
state, we dare not approach the altar of
Hymen for fear that the means would be
wanting to take care of our wives as ne
would like to take care of them.
"There may be tinge of selhshness in
this view-but We are ofthe opinion that
it is better for men of our limited income
to remain single and support ourselves in
fairly good style and comfort than to get
better. halves whose expenses would out
run our financial condition, bringing us
down to the verge of uncomfortable living
and perhaps to debt and family dis
tress.
"We are great admirers ofthe fair sex"
he concluded, "and ore, of course, ren.
dered restless and to some extent unhap.
py, when we see men amply able to sup.
port their wives in proper style getting
married all around us, but cannot but
realize that man who gets only about
enough salary to feed and clothe him
self and indulge in moderate amusement
had better live single than to take to
himself wife, and while thus adding to
his liabilities and responsibilities, run
the risk of putting the family nose to the
grindstone aud holding it there for an in.
definite number of years. It is better,
ne think, to be bachelors with comfort
and few luxuries now and then, and
keep out of debt, when to marry would
most probably introduce us and our
wives to the harder condition Of mere ne.
cessities. TO make long story short,
re can afford to live single-but our slen.
der salaries forbid the luxury of matri-
mony."
~ think" remarked bachelor number
two, "that there would be far fever bach
elors in Atlanta if there were more mar
riageable working women. The great
trouble is that the majority of women
who get married expect to be supported
by their husbands without adding any
thing in the way of money help to the
conysnture. Now, great many poor
men are not able to properly take care Of
this class of wives, and therefore remain
single. The women are not to blame,
for in very many cases they are encouraged
by custom to that when they get hus.
bsLds their earning days are over
and all that they have to do is to attend
to the duties of the household, and be
supported; and if the income of the hus
band is inadequate to what the wife con.
siders proper support, right there the
seeds of domestic dissatisfaction are sown
and they sprout very rapidly.
"Now," said he, "things would be in
better shape for poor, but hardworking,
bachelors to get the right kind of wives
lfthe great majority of women should be
trained to earn something while they are
growing and keep up the lick after the
ceremony.
"Let me illustrate.
"Ifa bachelor is earning, say fifty
dollars month, it would be trihe
hazardous for him to marry with the
hope of maintaining wife and pros
pective family On that sum-but if he
should marry woman whose earning
capacity is thirty dollars q month, by
proper economy the couple could not
only get along pretty comfortably, but
might save enough in q few years to buy
little home.
Bachelors, like other people, are apt
to take warning from observation. Many
ofus are frightened away from matrimony
by what We see.
"When we look around and observe
men who are earning good support for
themselves rush into matrimony, mar
ryipg women with no earning capacity,
lzk