The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-23
THE JOURNAL OF AN OLD MAID.
(From the French.)

April, 1S93.-Yes, 1t Is true that
must be cIassed with "oId maids" Old
maid-it has hard sound. cold and
sad-and for me 1t is Just. have Just
looked long in my mirror, and am
Obliged to confess that see signs Of
age in my face-no wrinkles yet, but
they will come rapidly; there is Just a
somber expression. and my complexion
has lost its freshness.
How sad to grow old! have never
been beautiful, but I have never been
ugly, Indeed, have had compliments
long aEo-but what is the use of re-
Numbering that! was always poor,
and it is only the rich girls who are
sought after now.
NV mirror has said to me, Resign
YOURSELF" and shall do 3d. l, VINO
could have loved SO well, could nave
devoted my life to the happiness OF one
other, must close my heart and re-
main in the solitude Of my little EooHl'
isolated in the midst OF this gay FSrls'
whose pleRsure-seeking throngs are
obiIyIous Of an old maids lonely tears.
October, 1sS7.-During the last week
nous mas come to me which has chang:
aJ Z w whole life. Last year / had
saved up a little money, and oou8nI
some exposition stock as an Invest
ment. II has risen marvelouSly, and +!
have realized 100000 francs. Think OF
III / am rich. /, who have had barely
enough to live on all my ltfel
After the good news came the BAD.
Sorrow will always follow close upon
INV happiness. My sister, Antoinette'
,vj5ov who lived In the country town
where we were born, has Just died,
leaving two little children, Pierre and
Jeanne. without means Of supporting
| Themselves, / learned OF her death IN
n letter from them, which was unoc-
co,intnbly delayed, and now my sister
"a already buried and they are alone l
| shall 20 to them at once ana take
them to live with me. They shall snare
my new fortune. Sc
January, 1S9s.-It is in Badonvillc. my
native place, that write these lines:
| So,'rd NV nephew and niece in pltiful
situation. The little sum that my SIS
ter had managed to put aside had been
used during her Illness and at her
death the children were left In utter
wnnt, They had nothing. absolutely
Jeane is a charming girl Of eighteen
| and Pierre n fine lad OF sixteen. l
love them both already and see that my
mission in life is to care for them 10
be MS much a mother as an aunt can
be. Aunt that is better than o'u
maid" v,.,, =
saw him again after all these years my
bcHrt beat as It used to when was
Girl and saw him often. His father
vas one OF the rich men of the village.
| Kasner was Indifferent to me, and how
I sufFered from his indiRerencel i
thought that this foolishness had LETT
me. but the mere sight Of him set me
trembling and felt that blushed. !
am disguised with myself. must ana
shall overcome this folly.
| have bought a little house-slmple,
but sweet and homelIke. We call II our
little nest in the trees Then. l have
Invested Il. 900 francs in Pierre's name
40 That when he Is Of age he VIII come
into n little money. He is going to col
ie0e soon. His dream Is to be an enGl-
ncer. and he shall be. My niece mean
10 mnrry to some well-to-do- young
man. though she shall never be forced
to marry against her Inclination. .
February, 1851 can hardly see 10
write and my hand tTemblcs Win emu w..
lion. Kasper has Just been here. lie
found me alone and told me what my
heart has ached TO hear all these
years. ,- ,,,,os
me: that he has never forgotten me
during all these years OF absence, ana
that my return has made him happy
He wants me 10 marry him. 10 nc SIN
ccre? have searched my heart Tor IN
answer, and It is, "Ycs!" j.,
< new life opens before me, and
nm very happy. To realize the dream
NJ INV glrihood. to become the wife OF
Kasner DollHusl And to think that
tbls great Joy has come to me!
March. 1881 return to my journal
,,Snro Tho secrets OF my heart find e&-
nresslon. TO write Of this new sorrow
tbSi has come to me. For ono month
bSVc been perfectly happy, and decely-
"a myself by thinking that for me such
happiness could last, The end has come.
Jeanne confessed to me that sho was
6eeply In love with young officer mere
md 10 is in love with her. Jeanne
who seems to me but child. " ~ real
IN a worry beautiful young woman.
II aeenig TINT the young man 10 poor,
too poor to marry unless his wlie