Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-01-15
USES OF OLD BACHELORS.
According to This Authority, They
DO Not Compare in usefulnes.
with the Old MaiIs.

There arises no such question in
regard to old maids, the "unappro-
priated blessings" for they are ever
ready to hold out a helping hand with
q helping bank-note in it to the needy
brother or sister who has rushed into
matrimony and parenthood. and they
are generally equally capable in the
care of the babies, the making of
small garments and in supplying all
sorts OF entertainment and happiness
to small nieces and nephews. In how
many families has a dear old Cor
young) maid aunt been a veritable
fairy ~godmother.
1t is the very exceptional bachelor,
however, who evinces any real or
practical affection for children. The
average single man absolutely re-
fuses to act as a horse or bear for
q youthful trainer; he never dreams
of buying a drum or a pair of over
shoes for a little nephew or a dol!
or a dress for a niece, and he raises
a perfect storm if a sweet little voice
40 10y III ooIS al Ola d.. LIZ. O1i gun
day morning, says American Queen.
Now, a widower, especially if he be
thinking of choosing a successor to
the dear departed, makes the most
delightful friend and companion in
the family circle. He masquerades
as Santa Claus and distributes pres
ents with a free hand; he remembers
all the birthdays and holidays with
gifts and celebrations of some sort,
and yields up not only his cash but
his body as a sacrifice to the fun-lov-
ing propensities of youthful ma
RAIDERS.
Your hardened old bachelor not
only hates children, but includes
women even nor scathingly in his
sinister regard. Whether his cynical
professions are really genuine or not
their disagreeable effect is the same
they might about as well be genu-
inc as feigned-for they win him
scorn, neglect and pity just the
same.
One wonders if old bachelors ara
ever lonely and regret the selfish
course they have chosen, if they wish
that after all they had surrendered
at the right time to a certain piece
of ~femininity that had charms. But
1t is too late now, and they must get
what solace they can out of their
pipes and cigars, their sporting pa
pers and clubs, their independence
and freedom from responsibility, but
ten to one they all in their hearts
conceal a secret envy Of their mar
ried neighbors with their happy
homes, devoted wives and fine chill
dren growing up around them.
Perhaps. after all, the poor old
social failure is more to be pitied
than scorned; possibly he is living,
as he believes, faithful to one whc
as not to be his, and for whom no
other would do; possibly he is de-
barred by disease or constitutional
poverty from fulfilling his duty,
though such exceptions are probably
rare; perhaps he carelessly let his
youth slip away and the girls he
cared for were all captured by more
desirable suitors and he found him
self finally left alone. Really, when
everything is summed up, it is the
rarest old bachelor in the world who
is any good to the world. We have
read about the benevolent one who
lived for others in fiction, but we
have never me him in real life. The
living type is usually the embodiment
of selfshness and uselessness.