The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-09-22
An Old Maids Love Affair.
BY AN OLD MAID.

They tell us there is nothing half
so sad in life as the leaving it. There.
fore we rejoice when a child is born
into the world to battle with its evils
and bear a hand in the struggle for
survival and weep when the conflict
is over and a s0l that found little
zest in living attans the place that
passelh all understanding. We are
strangely and persistently mistaken
in many of our beliefs, it seems to me,
yet who dares 90 against the voice of
the peuplc-which arrogantiy declares
itself the voice Of God,
Yet, do you know, ] really couldn't
f1d it in my heart to sorrow when
heard Aunt Harriet Dacy was dead.
Poor old soul! For twenty years life
had held little enough Of pleasure or
happiness for her. The world had
gone 10y and left her behind. She
bore the burden Of fourscore years.
and it was heaviness and weakness in
deed. Her dreams were of the past:
the names most often upon a new eX-
istence, wherein it is the christians
Joy to believe the limitations Of this
life are forever cast aside.
1t was my happiness to have Aunt
Harriet in her prime. | was hut a
child but | remember her so we'll
even to the gowns she used TO wear,
especially her sacred hest black silk.
1t was stiff enough to stand alone:
you don't see such silks nowadays. Ii
had "a long pointed stomacher, shrred
very full, and wide flowing sleeves Or
namcnted with bands Of velvet rib
bon. The width Of the ribbon in
those days was badge of opulence;
Aunt Harriet seemed to me daugh.
ter of Midas. The velvet on hei
sleeves was full two inches wide. She
wore with it a broad embroidered
muslin collar-tlie work of her own
fingers, which were slender and shape
" in those days-and fastened it with
a topaz brooch. Her hair was light
brown and she wore it over her ears
as the fashion was, with puff combs
behind her ears, and the top Of hel
tortoise she'll comb seemed to add 6
cubit to her stature, so dignided die
it make her appear.
She was very gay and lively, full o
laughter and chat, but even as LONG
ago as that people called her an ole
maid, though she was not yet thirty
Just in her prime we would say now
so much has the worlds thought o
woman changed since those days
remember asking mother what wa
an old maid and on being informed
it was an unmarried woman after
ward am told referred to myself a
one. Whatever Aunt Harriet was
was willing to be in those days. Sh
was very popular in society, and
! used to hear the Others talking of he
4 lovers and specializing on thci
chances, and occasionally cooked m
inquisitive little ears over some ALT
| sion evidently not intended for III
4 comprehension. l understood ther
better after l had been educated b
s reading a few mid-century novels.
!. loved dearly to watch Aunt Ha
i riett spin, In those days women bot
II spun and knit, though they no longt
t wove. Every fall the spinning-whet
was brought down from the attic an
q placed in one special corner OF til
l. roomy old kitchen. There, by til
o west window, framed In eglantln
2 bushes thick set with their ruby re-
6 haws, Aunt Harriet would take ne
station, and with a pile OF snow
"rolls" on the standard of the spin
ning.wllcel, pace back and forth, hold
inr the twisting wool between thum
and finger while with the forcdnge
y Of the other she turned the wheel an
wound the yarn upon the spindle
IShe crooned soft, low song as st