Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1903-07-23
WOMAN'S AGE LIMIT.
Maid.' at Twenty-Five, and ut
Thirty IL Not Hopeless.

Thirty IL Not Hopeless.
A few years ago IS was regarded as
the age at which woman became an
old maid.
The limit has now been set at 80. In
other words, at 80 is the imaginary
line which separates the term Of
spinsterhood into halves, the first
stage being that Of eligibility to mat
rimony and the second that of forced
or voluntary resignation to single
| blessedness.
Although the cry of "old maid" may
still he heard, it has ceased to alarm.
Indeed, there are no old maids in the
sense in which the expression was
once used, and the idea that ma rriage
is the chief aim of woman no longer
exists in the minds of sensible peo-
pie. -
Nor is woman supposed to have
| lost all power of attraction because
she has entered her third decade.
Balzac has laid down the theory that
| a woman at 80 is at her most fascinat-
ing and dangerous age-dangerous,
| that is, to the hearts of men. ~
She cannot boast, perhaps, of a long
train of admirers. Partners at balls
| are less persistent and fewer in num-
Der. The delicate aroma of fattery
has become fainter, and now and then
a very young man may make her feel
like her own grandmother by asking
| advice about his love affairs. Never
theless, many women who have en-
tered the thirties are the center of
drama upon which the curtain is not
likely to fall for many year.
In all womanly honesty, it may be,
she revels in her part of heroine, and
in the disturbances and agitations of
which she is the cause. This kind Of
woman, as Landor puts it, warns
both hands at the fire of life"
1t is not only fact that women
marry later in life than they used to,
but it is equally true that everywhere
the more mature woman is to the fore.
The young and inexperienced bud has
ceased to be the reigning queen of the
hour. She has been forced to yield
her place to the maturer woman, the
woman of broader experience and
wider knowledge.
AS a matter of fact, the woman %
80 or Whereabouts often. has feeling
which is akin to pity, for the sweet
young thing of 1S-a feeling which
would doubtless surprise the wide
| eyed girl in muslin and blue ribbons,
who thinks the whole world lies at her
feet.
Zone thing I am thankful for" says
the bachelor maid, land that is I am
no longer bread-and-b utter miss.
"There is no period of her existence,
I think, wherein woman appears to
less advantage. It is almost impos-
sible for a girl of 10 not to be con-
scious, and she has so little knowledge
of the world that she is unable to hide
her awkwardness.
1T is amusing, even pathetic, to see
the efforts of the poor thing to appear
natural and at her ease and to say her
little say without betraying that she
has prepared it beforehand"
A word to the glorified spinster Of
to-day-let her take her stand boldly,
firmly. Let her never pretend to a
day less than her years really number.
Let her look as pretty as she can and
as young as she can as long as she can.
Let her preserve all the graces and
coquetries of womanhood that possess
so potent an attra ction. This is her
woman's prerogative.
But no kittenishness. No iuvenility,
no shyness. That is not her role.
Shyness in young girl is charming.
But it weakens the position of the I'M
married woman. It makes her seem
apologetic. and this she should never
seem to be, as her position needs no
apology.