Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-01-20
under thirty

under thirty
Nor do women marry, as formerly. for
the sake ~ home on OF being supported
or 10 escape the odium OF being ''old
maids So many avenues of usefulness
and honor are now open 10 women every.
where that la every rank Ct life women
are more independent than their grand
mothers would have dared 10 be. The
old time lekes about woinans insineer-
ity a. regards her age are rarely pcfl,e-
tratsd now. Up 10 thirty -iise no woman
hesitases 10 acknowledge Ter age. and .
successful novel Of recent years actually
made its heroine an unmarried woman
thirty -soyvn years old.
In Engiirh aud American society. ~
well a. in France. the women Recognised
IA soeial leaders and society bellies are
women ofgener la tho thirties than In
the twcnties. The woman of the world
knows that with years she gains in charm
THAT where in her first seanop she bored
aud irritated the man who took her out
to dinner she has ia her fuller maturity
and experience stimulus and fasci.
nation for him. Women OF society know.
too. that 10 retain their sovereignty they
must cultivate Individuality and be- some.
thing more than reflectors Of the life
around them Hence II happens that IN
stead Of the exceptionally brilliant WON.
an Of the last century the women OF to.
day are Ms u whole women OF wit. Of in.
tclligcnce. Of versatility. Women have
more interests in life than they had in
past years. Literary Clubs. reading cir.
cles. language classes and host Of other
stimulating interests keep the modern
woman young and active. People grow
old not from years. but from want OF
purpose.
Some one has said that the age Of
grandmothers is past and deplores the
Departure Of tho picturesque old ladies
who. adorned with spotless Eerchiefs and
close made caps. formerly occupied the
rocking chairs in the warmest corners
and industriously knitted endless socks.
But If they have gone we have in their
stead worthy successors, OF whom Mrs.
Livermore. Julia Ward Howe, Mrs. Hen.
ry Ward Beecher and Elizabeth Cady
Stanton are illustrious examples. These
women are all past "threescOre years
and ten," and still no one Of them has as
yet laid her scepter down. No one thinks
of these women as old, for their lives are
full Of the fragrance Of eternal youth.
Lives cease to be measured by times
calendars when they rise above the ma.
terisl plane. The women who fear the
years for the wrinkles they may bring
or the lines across beauty which they
may make will never possess the fresh.
ness of spirit which is life's greatest
charm. But the women who stay young
in spite of years are those whose lives
hold many interests. They are the ones
who do not feel that with the attainment
of certain age desuetude Of all the
powers must ensue They never grow
'.too old" to enjoy life and all its stimu.
lating influences.
Fifty years ago it would have been q
most unusual thing to have met women
past thirty as students in any depart.
ment of active effort. Today women Of
all ages are found in every field of activ.
ity. The woman Of forty takes up q
new language or fresh study with al
much zeal as girl of twenty. and thu
world forgets to consider the age of those
who fling over its dusty highways thu
flowers Of new thought and the fragrance
of fresh life LAURA GIDDIKGs