Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-23


for # one may Judge by historic records,
the bachelor was not always the pe.'cu
individual Of to-day. In that time OF ms
tory which may yet repeat ITSELF ule
bachelor was viewed with distinct as
favor as a fellow who had failed III hls
duty to his country.
Centuries ago Plato condemned all
single men to be fined, and / shudder 10
think of those Spartan bachelors VINO
were not only fined, but flayed, ana at
stated periods were driven in body 10
the q'ornnle of Hercules and there publicly
chastised by the women. l think l should
have quickly welded Che woman VINO
paid my bachelor fines in that way, and
afterward-!
Rome in it's PALMER days, imposed
calling restrictions upon the men who
declined matrimony, and often excluded
them from public Office. They were, be-
sides. debarred from inheriting the estate
of any person not a citizen or Rome. IN
the early DAYS OF the French settlers in
Canada bachelors were restricted In
trade privileges and were also subject 10
heavy taxation. In Massachusetts, the
bachelors evil destiny singled them out
in n comical way. In the seventeenth
century law was framed requiring every
unmarried man to kill six blackbirds and
three crows yearly of which the scalps
were 10 be delivered by the bachelors
themselves as proof of their obedience
one can imagine the shouts Of merriment
that would follow the hapless man, nor
doubt but that he would be seeking other
game before he brought that string Of
blackbirds in a second time.
There was an old law in Maryland
which imposed an annual tax OF shil-
lings upon all bachelors over 80, and l
do, hut female
makers Of Wyoming may have copied
| from it's statutes, with an increase, pro-
! badly, in the amount, because ahil-
| lings to-day wouldn't pay for a marriage
| license. let alone a folded bank bill for
the minister and wedding fayors for the
| bridesmaids.
A GREAT LUXURY.
7 heard an argument recently, that II
there was a being in this world who
should be compelled TO pay for the boon
! Of living, it was the bachelor. The man
who said IT, l call 10 mind, had been a
widower with five children. and married
a widow with six reminders of her first
| husband, and the twain had increased the
/ States census by five children OF their
ownl 1t Is just possible, therefore, that
this man may have been prejudiced.
However, while j differ in opinion, his
words were worthy OF weight.
Celibacy, he claimed. was a great
| luxury, and II tobacco and whiskey-
other luxuries-are taxed. why should we
hesitate to make the bachelor pay round
! ly for his privilegesl
There may be no condition of life quite
so careless as that which the single mar
! enjoys. and yet where are the dainty
darlings Of the world? If we are to tan
the bachelors for the celibacy, let's be
impartial and tax the women for being
married.. e.. the butterflies Of Hymen.
The odds are for the women, anyhow
| and the advantage lasts longer, because
they outline the men.
The masculine share in the hard things
OF life Is a little like the old woman:
in the song.
.she bake de bread an gimme de crus'
She eat de- corn an gimme de hus'
She fry de meat an make me walt
Old Aunt Chloe, at de garden gate!
SEX COMPARISONS.
II YOU want a new dictionary on sc,
comparisons here it is:
Who dresses in silks, velvets, and laces
Woman. charming woman.
Who wears coarse garments, ugly anc
shapeless?
Man. wretched man. be he benedict oil
bachelor.
who has the sweetest coffee. the light
est rolls. the tenderest steak?
| Woman.
who goes to all the matinees and ope
ras?
Woman.
Who pays for the tickets?
| Man.
Who works hard?
Unfortunate man, who spends eight o.
ten hours every day bending over desk
standing behind counters, rolling parreis
buying or selling stocks, editing papers
or pleading law
Arrayed more brilliantly than solomon
In all his glory, the fin-de-slecie ulin'
! goes forth to "shop," TO visit 10 Eosslp
10 promenade. TO see the latest iaSn'o"s
and spend her husbands money an,
i Or, il at h9me, IN the soi'es' u sun