Middletown transcript., 1897-03-20
OLD MAIDS.

In presenting few thoughts on wo-
man, "Old maidsn in particular, do
ot attempt any exhaustive treatment
of the subject, says recent writer in
the New York Press" The whole
history of woman cannot be written in
half an hour, no more than it can be
lived in one. In all ages woman has
been much flattered, and flattery is dis
respect. They have been admired for
their beauty of person rather than the
graces of the soul. There are certain
female charms, which the poet Moore
describes with more glowing pencil
than any other writer, but it is the
woman of high life-not the high wo-
man whom he portrays too nicefor uso
not the mother struggling for bread;
for her orphan children; or the Sister
of Charity soothing the last hours of
the dying. Byron creates the girl of
Is, who thrills us with her beauty, bu t
who wishes to live with her when old
age and wrinkles Gomez Shakespeare's
ideal women, though conceptions of
purity and affection are not women of
active benevolence, as all really good
women must be. Therefore, they are
incomplete. And now the thought |
suggests itself: What is the complete
womanP When does girlhood cease?
In many cases this query is answered |
by girls maidenhood being merged in |
to prosperous and happy matronhood,
which no doubt is the most pleasant
lot that can fall to woman's share.
But, as we are constantly reminded by
the ''lords of creation, )" there is great
prepondernce of the weaker sex; there
fore it stands TO reason that numbers
of "nice girls" must remain without
fitting mates. As in the writer's OPP
inion nice men are greater.rarity than
nice girls and not to be had in large
numbers, necessarily there must be
many old maids. And why should the
term be one of reproachp am sorry
to say that many old maids have them
selves given reason for it.
This brings me to that class of them
that may be placed under the head Of .
'.meddlers" and ''scandal mongers.n
This class is composed of those girls
who are brought up to think that mar
rage is the one aim of life, and, not
succeeding in their efforts, are looked
upon, both Dy their foolish friends and
as failures, not remember
ng that in reality no PERSONS life can {
De spoiled by others unless she herself s
Icquiesces in it. Thus, feeling soured
md disappointed themselves, they try
in every way they can to embitter the
ives of others, especially Of those who
ire younger and more attractive than !
They continually delight .
n making mischief, not by any glar-
ng words or actions that they can be | 4
openly called to account for, but little a
nuendoes aud misrepresentation, +
which very often breed discord and p
Misunderstanding between those who .
therwise would be firm friends, and :
hink the writer of the following lines
must have formed a mind picture of
his class of old maids:
Oh, could there in this world be found
Some little spot of happy ground,
Where vi lage pleasure might be found
Without the village tattling. Il
How doubly blest that place would be o
Where all might dwell in liberty N
Free from the bitter misery D
ofgossip's endless pattling.
Another class of old maids, perhaps
ot quite so obnoxious, consists of :,
hose who seem to thii K that their one .
uty In life is t. set other people right. ,
las some young aud enthusiastic per-
on of their acquaintance got any spec
Il cause for elation, they immsdiately !
o about ''Iaking her doNn' 4; of course
fllrmIilg All the time, and. We wilIl :
haFissblE hore, Lhiakiag & Is fof the : !,