The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-07-11
Micc
Simpkins,
Spinster
By ZOE
ANDERSON NORRIS
Copyright, 1901, ny
Zoe Anderson Norris

Y the window Miss Simpkins
sat knitting. The young
girl stood before her.
81 know by the way you're
standing there. Elizabeth"
said she. "a-twisting your apron strings
and a-smiling, lust what you've come
to tell me. You and Ned are engaged.
You're going to get married
81 knew 1t the minute I laid eyes on
you. Well. sit down in that rocking
chair over there. Draw II close and
make yourself comfortable. and excuse
me II ! go right along with my work.
l want to finish this heel. l can kni.
and talk at the same time.
"Now, what 1 want to know Is this:
What makes you young girls come to
me with your love secrets-me. an old
maid, going on forty and alone in the
world? What are you trying to do
make me wish l was young and pretty
again. flirting and frisking and galli-
wanting around with the boys, getting
engaged and buying wedding fnery to
sew on and lay away in presses to
take peeps at when nobody's a-looking? ?
Is that what you're trying to do? Be
cause IL il is you amt succeeding. /
can tell you that. rm glad that I'm
single. I'd rather be Sarah Simpkins.
spinster. nearing forty or thereabout.
Independent and self supporting. look
ing to nobody for nothing. than mar
ried TO the best man living. So there!
You needn't be snickering. It's the
truth"
The busy needles flashed.
Just take look at all the women
my age that married when l was a
young girl" she went on presently
whats happened to 'em? Everything
under the sun that could happen short
of lightning striking 'em dead. There's
Liza Banks. for instance. See how heI
husband up and died and left her with
big family to support and nothing &c
support 'em on. What with working
day in and day out she did manage tc
raise them children. and raise 'em well
Then some OF 'em died and the Others
married. and now there she is all by
herself In two rooms taking in sewing
for a living and lonesomer than / am
IL anything, after all her hard worl
and trouble.
Another Is Sue Chambers. Their,
never was n prettier young girl raised
In these parts than Sue Chambers. She
married one of the handsomest men
here too. We all thought he was q
| catch. and some Of US envied Sue when
| she carried him on We didn't envy
her long. He turned out to be drunk
ard. and now she's taking care Of him
and the children. doing any sort OF
work she can lay her hand to to keel
'em from starvation.
who'd ever have thought Sues hus
band would have turned out to be 9
| drunkard? Nobody, and that's whaI
| I'm trying t0 drill into you. You can
tell a single. solitary thing about &
man from appearances.
Don't set there a-laughing. I know
| what you're thinking-sour grapes-bu
II amt. Why, child, l could have haC
my pick of the best. but I wouldn't
marry a mothers son of 'em, becaus,
| no risks.
Risks, It's worse than shootin,
craps or buying tickets in a lottery o.
fishing in a fish pond at a church so
ciable-this thing OF marrying a man
You can't never tell what you're goinl
for It, | amt been married, but Nv,
sort of set Off and looked on at peopl
what has been, and that's the safes