The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-17
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

In comparison how much more honorable
and how much less unloved and untoving
is the spinsters lott When Wilberforce
was candidate M. P. for Hull his sis
ter offered new gown to each of the
wives of those who voted for her brother
When saluted with Miss WHEREFORE
forever" she pleasantly observed, Il
thank you, gentlemen, but 1 cannot agree
with you, for really 1 do not wish to be
Miss Wilberforce forever" We do not
blame Miss Wilberforce, or any other
young lady, for not wishing to be a
Miss forever; but, if this should be her
fate. she need not consider herself a
failure, or fancy that happiness is be-
yOnd her reach. Let her make a resolu-
ton like that Of Libbie Marsh in Mrs
GaskelIs book, "Libbie Marsh's Three
Eras: AS l know L am never likely tC
have a home of my own, or a husband
that would look to me to make all
straight, or children to watch over or
care for, all which I take to be a wom-
ans natural work, I must not lose time
in fretting and figetting after marriage,
but just look about me for somewhat
else to do. I can see many one misses
it in this way. They will banker after
what is ne'er likely to be theirs, instead
of facing It out, and settling down to be
old maids; and, as old maids, just look
ing round for the odd jobs God leaves
in the world for such as old maids to
do There's plenty of such work, and
there's the blessing of God on them as
does It,"
Slightly altering Shakespeares words,
we may say that there is tide in the
affairs of man, which, taken at the flood,
leads on to marriage. When young peo-
pie omit this tide, thinking that they can
get 1t whenever they like, before they
20 ,air ind fhP0aGn1VPs
in the shadows and miseries Of old bach
elorhood or old maidenhood. Perhaps a
man has made an awkward proposal,
and, having been refused, can never mus
ter up courage for a second venture.
Good-looking girls become old maids be-
cause they are so hard to please. The
way to get married is to take the first
reasonably good opportunity that offers.
After all, one person IS much the same
as another If sound in wind and limb,
and we'll behaved. Those become old
bachelors and old maids who sigh after
the blameless absent possible, and think
that they ought to get perfection.
TAKE A WIFE"
Old Bachelor Patient-Doctor. feel
miserable In mind and body. what shall
I take ?-Doctor (gruffiy)-Take a wife
wife.
Not a. few old DacnelorS dFe III
their secret hearts sorry that they did
not follow a prescription like this. Lord
Beaconsfield used to say that all women
should marry and no men, but l venture
to think that men require the regimen OF
marriage quite as much or even more
than do women. Many old maids take
to good works, but most old bachelors
take to bad ones, or, If they do not GO
so far as this, they acquire absurd and re-
pelling habits which tend to diminish
their usefulness. Whenever you find d
man talking absurdly, oddly dressed, OF
exhibiting any eccentrictty Of manner
you may be sure that he Is not married
If Dr. Johnson's wife had lived there
would have been no boarding up OF
orange peel, no touching all the posts In
walking along the streets, no eating and
drinking with disgusting voracity. II
Goldsmith had been married he would
never have worn that ridiculous and
memorable coat.
And the old bachelor who discovers
that he made mistake In not marrying
cannot comfort himself. as the old maid
often can, by thinking that he could not
have married. Many women cannot
marry. but almost every man can. He
may say that he could not have afforded
the luxury of marriage but perhaps he
was able to afford other luxuries which
TO say the least. were less worthy. No
saying Is truei than that it sometimes
costs less to keep two children than one