The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-05-01
MODERN OLD MAID
Many Women Now Remain Single
From Choice.
The Repetlent Picture Of Old Maidcnhood
Not So Much In Evidence as It
Was Only Few
Years Ago.

Here is what an enthusiastic admirer
of the spinster of to-day says:
''The disagreeable maiden lady so
| frequently encountered in the books Of
half century ago is no longer recog-
nized as type of spinsterhood. How
did she originate? She was pictured as
fading or faded in appearance, angular
and sinewy, prim and 'faddy.' protect
ing herself by rather chilly isolation,
narrow minded, soured, keen-eyed to
other peoples faults. misunderstanding
her soul shriveled by disappointment.
Sometimes these qualities were al
lied with unconquerable vanity and
hungry pursuit of any chance of at
tracing tie attention of the monster,
man. 1t is repelling picture; but
there can be no doubt that in former
days, and even now in certain classes,
some approach to it may be seen in the
women who, having made marriage
their object in life, fail to attain it.
''But all this is changed by the open
ing out of life for women independ-
ent of marriage, and by the proofs that
are every day before our eyes that
woman may be perfectly happy, self
possessed and contented without aim
ing at it. She is capable of independ-
ence; she is more the slave of love than
man is. This is the growing idea that
is gradually lifting the reproach from
the unmarried woman's life. 1t has al
ready made it possible for a woman to
be old, yet not an old maid. She is only
thought of as an old maid now when
she succumbs to the disagreeable quail
tiles of one.
Age, indeed, hardly comes into the
question. Who thinks of CHASING
bright, capable women anywhere under
fve-and-forty old maids? There Is no
more reason why they should not be
married than there was when they were
twenty-one. They have not allowed
their life to run into groove; they are
not narrow, arbitrary, petty and jeal-
o1s; but are women of the world, who
have had too much practical work to
think of to be able to moon over their
private affairs.
at is women of this class who are
raising the age at which women marry
in certain circles of society. They are
setting up a sentiment in favor of real
women. as compared with the mex
perienced, sentimental chits whom the
novelists married off almost before they
left the schoolroom.
The girl of to-day is in no haste to
wed; she need not marry for home,
because she is capable of earning one
for herself. If she Is left behind when
he loves and rides away she need not
pine away and die from sheer want of
something else to think about. No; she
can work out a career of her own, re-
side in residential chambers, and be-
come a lady bachelor. She can have,
in fact, much the same as the ma jority
of men would who had been badly
treated by member of the fair sex.
THE positions. in fact, have become
more equal. With the dread Of being
left burden upon relatives and to en-
dure all sorts of Sights and insults, the
worst sting of old maidenhood' has
vanished; SO much so, indeed, that it
was lately matter of comment in
noted publication that many women
are actually living In single blessedness
from choice"