Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-22
MAID AND BACHELOR.
HE ALWAYS THE WELCOME
FRIEND OF A FAMILY.
She COvcts the Same Standing
Hard for Her to Realize
She Is an "Old Maid"

There is one prerogative exclusively
exercised by the bachelor Of uncertain
age that the old maid Of uncertain age
coyets more than the franchise-that oil
friend of the family, says the New York
Sun.
Every one knows this bachelor friend.
Papa gives him hearty greeting, even II
stocks have gone down and the butcher
bill is too large.
Mamma smiles warmest welcome
though she knows there isn't soup
enough and that she is the one who VIII
have to go without. :. ,,
The children climb into his lap ana
the young girls of the household tiutter
about him in sweet devotedness.
Now, why not the old-maid friend as
well |?
She is o gentle, refined. and charm
inplv.cultured woman OF the world.
The respondent, dependent, apollo
getic, blighted being without q mate Is
an old edition-out of print and only
found occasionally in college towns anu
old-fashioned hamlets.
The fin dc steele old maid probably
has as large an income or earns as DIG ="
salary as the old bachelor himself.
She has more money to spend JUST as
she likes than half the married women
she visits. She has time to read the new 1',
books. She sees the latest play. She
keeps ND with the magazines. Nolhih8
in music or art escapes her notice.
She brings with her an air OF reiine'
ment and culture united with sweet wo-
manly tact and sympathy that is refresh
inc TO a degree-that is, II she IS the
right kind of an old maid-that every
man wonders why some other Ieiio"
doesn't marry her.
One trouble with the old maid in es-
tab,isbipg herself as a friend OF the
foniIv il that it is hard for her to realize
and acknowledge that she is an old maid.
The transition from girlhood to woman
hood is brought about so unconsclousiy
in her case that she doesn't understand
Just when it takes place.
wIFEHoOD.
The Girl that marries assumes with the
title of madam the responsibilities OF
wifehood. The maiden unwed has no
epoch-making period in her life which
determines the dawn of womanhood.
She is in her heart perennially a girl.
As some one has said, Gin the soul Of
every unwon woman there abides eter-
nal youth.
Now. the world was created to serve
the young girl. Friends and parents
strive alike to We her pleasure. She
needs not to g.. but to be in the first
freshness OF her girlhood. No one ex-
poets any more of her than they 90 OF
the rosebuds-the unconscious grace OF
beauty and fragrance.
But the woman's life means service !;
it involves sacrifice it demands effort.
That is what the old maid doesn't under
stand always. She gets disgruntled and
gloomy because she is neglected, when
it is as natural an evolution as the sue
cesson of the seasons.
She must give out more than she
takes. grant more than she expects, as
the years 10 vi. II ~ hClO NV III
making the old bachelor a shade more
conceited than he is now, one might
counsel the old maid to take a leaf out
of his book.
Suppose she is careful to take the last
book she has finished to the man of the
house. or remembers a good story for
him she has heard, or perhaps reads up
al article ON the particular subject he Is
interested in and asks his advice aboutit.
Never know it all yourself when you
are talking with man, Ymenber, I'M
less YOU want to get yourself dlsliked.
Make him think that he is telling you all
about il, and he will decide that you are
immensely clever
And what about handful of roses to
the hostess. or n bunch of pinks for the
dinner? Women like those little at
tentions from woman as well as from a
man.
There is a peculiar satisfaction in
having the kind of devotion that is sup
posed to be expressed in a woman's
gift of flowers. You can buy bon-bons
for the girls Just as well as the Old bache-
lor can, and remember the kinds they
like, and little knickknacks for the chill
dren.
FARE SUMPTUOUSLY.
You know half the housekeepers that
.I, o,.ar,, 10 ~ homo met