The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-01
OLD MAIDS AND OLD BACHELORS.

VIII S"<HkfSS ~ O1D DhSElELOIDs
Why the Latter II In Favor as q Friend of
the Family" While the Formers Visits
arc Apt to Re visitatious-How spinsters
Might Discount the Bachelors Popularity
There is one preroeativs exclusively exer-
cised by the bachelor OF uncertain age that the
old maid OF uncertain age covets more than
the franchise that Of friend Of the family.
Every one knows this bachelor friend. Papa
gives him hearty greeting. even II stocks have
gone down and the butchers bill is too large.
Mamma smiles warmest welcome. though she
knows there Isn't soup enough and that she Is
the one who will have to go without. The
children climb into his lap. and the young
girls ofthe household futter about him In sweet
devotedness. Now why not the old maid friend
as well? She Is a gentle, refined. and charm
ingly cultured woman Of the world. The
Respondent, dependent, apologetic. blighted
being without q mate Is an old edition-out Of
print and only found occasionally in college
towns and ld-fashioned hamlets. The fin de
steele old maid probably has AS large an in
come or earns as big a salary as the old bache-
lor himself. She has moro money to spend
Just as she likes than half the married women
she visits. She has time to read tho new
books. She sees the latest play. She keeps
up with the magazines. Nothing in music or
art escapes her notice. She brings with her an
air OF rennement and culture united with sweet
womanly tact and sympathy that Is refreshing
to a degree. that is II she Is the right kind Of
an old maid that every man wonders why som
other fellow doesn't marry.
One trouble with the old maid in establish
ing herself as friend Of the family is that 1t
is hard for her to realize and acknowledge that
she is an old maid. The transition from girl
hood to womanhood is brought about SO un-
oopcoioualv in her caaa TINT aha daaap,t
The eirl shat marries assumes with
t SliIt,es s't oi w2lIiehoo%as. da% The the maiden 5ss pS%sd
deter@ines the dawn Of womanhood. She is
said !. In the soul Of every anwo N woman there
S SSlsSts t. s,T s;fv :l f: q se sISs E En- Dl ssisass s sRs
Use & i, FL ssS .fSi XIII ss5y y e sn =: sI ls:ssns ~
the unconscious grace, Of beauty and fra
GRANGE. But the woman's life means service:
Is Is i wat sse sA cd Sai 4 d Ss%saG una ss9da; dn at
ways. She gets disgruntled and gloomy
because she Is neglected; when It is as
takes. grant more than she expects, as the
bachelor a shade more conceited than he is
now.o one might counsel the old maid to take q
take the last book she has finished to the man
Of the, house. or re,nembers a good story for
him she has heard. or perhaps reads un an
ested in and asks his advice about t.. Mover
know it all yourself when you are talking to a
tsIIins s's yeu all Aa about A'% t and he ne will ii
a Sn c What that a,5 y9p a r Hsna im~ oi res.s s so tSs
Women' like those ilittiIe attentions from a
peculiar, satisfaction in having the kind Of de-
votion that is supposed to be expressed in q
Gons Tor the girls Just as we'll as the old bach
elor can; and remember the Kind they ike.
S Soa K [.1,IS h knisf ihe Gesse dGs 5ss t sni!d is4s
sumptuously every day at home Just dote on
being taken out to lunch where they can
d a.ns s'l' y]oa + fo% a ii.tl you BIT ns so t .aSs a 10
married woman who entertains at all. She
must return in full measure every favor she
receives from the day she is married. though
often means. to gs without the dainty little
eleEnncies OF the toilet. the matinee tickets,
i Means ms" too S.V to go s"" down sD'i into nttnH q hot I Kitchen
where yesterdays cabbage and onions fight
t tTr p Tifs H.Tve rs saoPs and Il im msass w wais:
resses as Jacob wrestled with the ANGEL,
o only longer saa It means .nd Nervous c1rss bn! head
c S'SH tie situation. So YOU see 1t IS not the
IL mf there SIS is another readable page in the
old bachelor,s book. only no Is so nn1eL up
with hf, vanity anti it Is too 6sd Ito to cal nfd Sssn p n to It;
has any, troubles or vexations to rehearse2 II
bis stocks have gone down he never says any.
| claret cold and his champagne hot. il she
f~rizzles his boefsteak 70 q crisp and gives him
n mus m"n'f II his hH,R Tailor %e is. exc esorb 'HS ia" and his lis
laundress stal ches his handkerchief more
than she does his dress shirts. you never know
II. That's why hos such a Jolly good fellow.
That's why, everybody Is so delighted to see
him.. That's why he doesn't get any Of The
i; WY people arc not continualIy asking him
why he doesn't get married, II is jtst IKE the
s shnnt t AZ m men are re st%aSs 'G rmhsin ,Ge, wi Mlost
friction or, annoyance. or course the club
cook never leaves because he has such an OBJ
the crocer's SUPPLIES. and the buffers can
never secure 40 much wine without paying 9
those model clubs know. il they dared tell.
that there is nothing but CONFUSION worse
S con Sissasa,d In a 'n9 f man al tRs Time.
So with. tho enviahls OLD bnchelor's ex-
i~stence, However grievous its discopforts; he
never airs his tale Of woo at dinner. Now the
old maid has infinitely the advantage Of him
after she learns how much more interesting
| hear the account of some other persons mis-
fortune The old maid who. OF course. never
has ANYTHING to o tr9a snts hs ros fan n, become sSs,H the
secrets in the household. The wife can con;
hds to her things that she Is too proud
to have another married woman know. The
| young girls can whisper their shy secrets that
uney can't quite tell mamma because mamma
has forgotten how sweet and sacred and mystic.
things. She has found what nonsense 1t ali
is. any way. But the old maid lives. In the
dream Of 1T still. And the big, bashful boys
uncertain voices, And even the man Of the
family likes to talk over the little speculation
with her that he doesn't quite dare tell his
wife for fear 1t may como out. wrong. you
know, and he would never hear the last OF her
Oh. yes. lust the right kind OF an old maid
could double discount the old bachelor as a
friend OF the family. The only difficulty is
that this sort of an old maid 10 apt to get mar
risd herself and spoil 1t all.