Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-20

their youth, elect themselves to that condi-
ton. Some have imbibed from high culture.
high conception Of the value of life and
Of what they ought to do with their lives:
ana they will not waste the days of their
youth in looking for a husband in order
to begin their work. Others have strong
Individuality, and refuse to give up their
time into another's keeping. The force of
character displayed by such resolutions
naturally leads to celibacy. No one but q
very weak man would be attracted by wo-
would not be tolerated by such strong wo-
men.
The wise and the thoughtful may well
give such voluntary old maids the full
credit OF their purpose for the generality
VIII not believe in resolutions. so much
above their own consciences and intell-
gence. They will still sneer at their condi-
ton. and refuse to admit that IL is of
choice They will throw at them that wea-
risome old fable Of the fox and the
grapes, when they might much more cor
rectly quote Sappho's song of the ripe ap-
pies left on the topmost branches of the
apple trees-"not because they were for
gotten of the gatherers. but because they
were out Of their reach"
In accord with the fresh DEVELOPMENT we
are told that the number of unmarried wo-
men IN the country Is steadily on the in
crease. But this increase will not be
ranged among the silly, the weak. or the
cruel OF the sex. 1t will come from that
class OF women whose eyes have been
OptHeu Dy tDe spread or education and re-
hnement women not afraid to work for
themselves, and who indeed have Thought
fully concluded that their own efforts and
their own company will be far better for
them than the help and company of any
man not perfectly in sympathy with them:
or their inferior, either in moral or mental
caliber. For IL Is not always a duty 10
marry. but II Is always a duty to live up
to our highest conception of what is right
and noble and elevating.
But from whatever canSe the u-ov,ap ~
the present and future generations remain
unmarried they will have no need to dread
the condition. as unmarried women of the
previous generations have had good cause
to do. Every year finds them more indie
pendent. They are constantly invading
fresh trades. and stepping up into more i'm
portant positions. They live In pretty
chambers; they dress charmingly; they
have bank account; they go to the opera
and the theaters in their own protection,
and instead of being the humble poor re,a-
lions OF married sisters and brothers. they
are now their equals: their patrons and
their honored guests. Besides which, old
maids have begun to write novels and in
them they have given us such exquisite
portraits OF their order-women so rich i'm
every womanly grace-that we are almost
compelled to believe the unmarried women
In our midst TO be the salt Of the communi-
ty.
Where the Blame Rightly Belongs.
At any rate We are beginning to shift the
blame and the obliquy of the position to the
old bachelors, where it rightly belongs: and
this is at least r m)vs /" T. gust d,
proper direction. For old bachelors have no
excuse whatever for their condition II we
omit the natural and necessary exceptions
which are few enough, then pure selfishness
and cowardice must account for every other
case. Their despised old bachelorhood is all
their own fault. They have always had the
tremendous privilege of asking for what
they wanted. and half the battle was in
that privilege Men don't have wives be-
cause they don't ask for them. and they
don't ask for them because they don't want
them: and in this condition lies their shame
and their degradation. and the well-deserved
seorn with which the married part of both
sexes regard them.
Men are also much more contemplate and
useless in li.eir ceibacy than are NO.
men. An old maid can generally make her
self OF service to some one. II she is rich
she attaches herself to church work or to
art, or to the children OF brothers and sis
tiers. Or she travels all over the world and
writes a book about her adventures. IL she
Is poor she works hard and saves money
and thus becomes an object of interest and
respect in her own set. Or she is nurse and
helper for all that need her help I'm her vii
lage or her church, or her family At any
rate, she never descends to such depths OF
ennui and se;fishn ass as do The CID ha,.hel.rs
who loll about on the club sofas, or who
dawdle discontentedly at afternoon teas
An old maid may be troublesome in church
business, or particular In household affairs;
but II takes an old bachelor to quarrel with
walters and grumble every one insane about
his dinner menu. An old maid may gossip,
but she will not bore every one to death
about her dyspepsia; and IL she has to