The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-06
MEN TOO HUMBLE TO MARRY
DO NOT THINK THEMrsELTEs GOOD
ENOUGH FOR HUSBANDSi

"I Could Not Marry Any Woman Whom L
Did Not Respect, and I Could Not Re-
Me-" the Motto OF O Man who Has Been
Engaged for tho Past Nine Years.
A last I've solved the mystery. at last"
This Is what a tall girl in one Of the new cut
away coats said as she seated herself on one Of
the high stools at a lunch counter reserved
for ladies only"
What mystery? The mystery'of life or love
or death?" asked her companion, q short girl
wearing a sailor blouse.
You needn't beso smart Just because you
are engaged" answered the tall girl. tartly.
THAT'S the way with a woman. She may be
as meek as Moses all her life. and as soon as
she becomes engaged she gets q settled. salts
fled. superior air about her that makes her
very sassy most OF the time"
I'm sure I didn't mean to squelch YOU" de-
olared she of the blouse. sincerely. but you
poke with so much solemnity and delibera-
ton l thought I'd help You out by guessing
what this mystery is that you've solved. Do
tell me. I'm 80 Interested"
The tall girls fondness for the sound OF her
own voice overcame her injured dignity. and
she went on:
well. you know. girls and women. married
and single. never get done talking about why
1t Is that 30 many marriageable men remain
unmarried. I've found out. All this talk
about the extravaganza OF woman. the selfish
ness Of man. 10 stuff. I've solved the mystery
and I don't care II l am nearing the thirtieth
notch. It's a credit to some man. in all likeli-
hood. that I'm not even engaged" with a con-
temptuous stare at the big diamond on the
third left finger of the other girl.
Are you out Of your head?" asked the sailor
waist girl. getting red In the face. I'm think
30 II you don't stop talking such tommyrot
and tell me what this great mystery is that
you've solved"
II told you I'd found out why there are 80
many old maids on earth to-day and SO many
manageable men unmarried. OF course you
know Ned Nomuch and how he has been on
gagged to Faithful Forever nine years. Rumors
have come and rumors have gone with each
changing season that Ned and Faithful would
surely be married that fall or spring. or
whatever It happened to be. The quarter
" report Is being circulated concerning their
fall n~uptials. and 80 when I met Ned the other
day 1 said: See here. old fellow. when are you
going to be marriedf' And I fear l put siRnin-
cant accent on the are What do you suppose
he answered."
There's no guessing" said the short girl.
~ couldn't marry any woman whom / did
not respect, and l could not respect any swo-
man who would marrT me- That was his ex-
act reply. those his very words"
Twas Just like Ned Nomuch to say such q
nasty thing" said the sailor-waist girl. indig-
nantly. and then she burst out laughing. II
have a greater contempt for him than ever.
The idea of an engaged man being guilty Of
such a speechl"
HInnfnmn nj for him for aaufnn fhafltb -
claimed she Of the cutaway coat. why. I
never had SO much respect for him before.
and 1t chanGed my whole attitude toward mar
riageable mon who refuse to marry. Don't
you see the puint2 Man isn't the selfish. self
loving brute that We supposed him to be. after
all. He is good. as good as gold. and as true.
There's no sixteen to one composition in man.
What Ned Nomuch said stands for all mar
riagea5le unmarried mankind. Why. don't
you see? How can you be so stupid2 Now.
let's take Ned and What he said as an example.
has been to Faithful for nine years.
"Qr he has been absolutely faithful to Faith
Interrupted the short girl with a smile
And he feels his SHORTCOMINGS" continued
Miss Cutqway Coat, not defining to notice the
not marry the girl. He says pointedly that
he could not respect q, woman. who would
not able eiR financially IIS'f to give fS iha her What saI she ~ has
been used to In the way OF a home. clothes and
social pleasures; perhaps he realizes that he 10
that he is not. prepared to maintain proper so.
cial and political relations. that he does not
know enough about .he fine arts to satisfy this
to live a complete married life
You think SO. do your" said Miss Sailor
""Let me fnish." answered her companion.
You know women are very hard on men who
mean things about them and attribute all
sorts Of selfish motives to them. and | think
nine times out Of ten that we are wrong In our
eass Of Ned Nomuch. You Enowa little intel
q Judgment. The reason that 90 many men
themselves, they feel that they are not fitted
e mate with q pure W9man; and
mars marry, 'n When Seis s shows 81 that oR the sn4 po sses " SiaS
ideals even II they do not live up TO them.
"I'n perfectly reconciled to he an old maid
an honor to be allowed to remain single.
think a man does me a greater Lonor In not
and should think Faithful Forever would. be
lust a " .I proud . as she he N sogl So be Of having the
n. .Yog "a do do E nStn0 said sy the s otheE r5 Al sSssr,
littiS iDtslls e ISdg fault coT TI1 I'm to vow TG sDeEbd T.
that we have. II is lack OF ability 10 look at .
question from more than one side. Now. III
confess that j can't understand ned Nomuch's
mean remark from your point OF view at all.
aud / think 1t was a thoroughly c~ontemptible
thing for him 20 say, and shows up his intense
Marrlhgeable men do nos remain unmarried
because they have such loyly, opinions OF
themselves and sEch high han and mighty notions
Is ever humble. and man doesn't stay single
because he Is such an imperieet creature In