The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-21
THREE OLD MAIDS.
All Over a Century, and One Was
Never Kissed.


Never Kissed.
Huntington Qnd) Correspondence of the
ST. Louis Globe-Democrat.
The oldest old maid in the United States
lives Just south of this city. She Is Ia
years of age, and has even at her present
age extreme views on matrimony. Posi-
bly, the state of Indiana, also, has the
distinction of having the second oldest
maid of the nation. She lives at Sparks
vile, and has just turned 1903, and Claims
the distinction of never having been kiss
ed. For several years she claimed the old
maid honor until they were taken away
from her by Aunt Margaret Ann Bailey
of this county. Now she claims second
place on the roll of honor.
Aunt Margaret makes her home with
her grand-niece, Mrs. Maria Bailey, who
owns a farm nine miles southwest OF
Huntington. She was born in Harrison
county. Kentucky, on March 10, 17S5, and
did not come to Indiana until 1865, when
the war was at its hight. When she was
young she was a great favorite-if the
stories told of her are to be credited. She
was Kentucky BELLE and she had admir-
ers from all the blue-gass region, and
was always the star feature al the husk-
ing bees, log-rollings aud 'frolics." But
she never married. That is the only topic
on which she is in the least touchy, and
when it is mentioned she either walks
away or makes curt reply. Her favorite
answer to a direct question on the sub
ject Is, Simply because l did not want
to. Gettin' married is most serious busi-
ness and 1 never wanted to take any
chances. l have seen so much of the sor-
f1Il a of
makes me skeptical on Cupid's work
Then. too, 1 never say any man that
thought / would like we'll enough to mar
ry. I therefore am what they call an OLD
maid
Aunt Margaret comes from a most re-
markable family. Her mother lived to be
1906 her father 1902, and an aunt-Ruth Tay-
lor-reached the age of 1l6. Aunt Mar
garet was the eighth of eleven children.
and except one. she was the last of the
family. She is a remarkable woman She
is still able to get around and attend to
work. She does some cooking OCCASION
ally washes the dishes, and puts in the
rest of her time with the old fashioned
knitting needles and watching the chick
ems. She occasionally MIXED the cows
until a year ago, and she often goes out
now and hunts the eggs. Her eyesght
is not greatly impaired and her nerves
are SteAuN- Ut many gCnlS she mas Deen
addicted 10 the pipe, and she attributes
much of her strong vitality to the moder-
ate use of tobacco
In her old Kentucky home she knew
Henry Clay, and many years later James
G.. Blame when he was a school teacher.
She saw Jefferson Davis and many other
stars OF the Southland She remembers
when Indiana and Ohio and Illinois aud
all North and West was Northwest"
and later Indiana" Territory, and was
occupied by Indians. She saw John Rod
gers Clark and her father was one Of the
men who started out with him TO capture
Fort Charles, and later Vincennes Her
mind Is very active and retentiye, and she
talks most entertainingly OF the pioneer
days, and the good times the young peo-
pie had long years ago.
Mrs. Elizabeth Bowling aged 1Oa who
has never been kissed, Is also Kentucky
bred. She was born on the 18th OF August.
1885 She came 10 Indiana in lsi6-the wear
IL was admitted 10 the unlon-and has
since lived where her parents settied-in
the knobs OF Jackson county She lot only
holds the enviahle record for old-maidship
over which she sets In pride. but she h1s
other records quite AZ interesting Al.
though she resides within a mild Of ths
baltimore ana Ohio Southwestern ana
hears the whistle OF locomotives every dav
she mas never ridden on % train. nor could
she be induced 10. The last time she Wa
out Of her own yard was. it IL clsiraed, IN