New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-30
LETTERS OF AN OLD MAID.
XVIII
XVIII
TO ANOTHER OLD MAID.

TO ANOTHER OLD MAID.
Dear Grace: Have you been openly com
passionated for the narrowness Of your expert
ence, because Of having missed the event Of mar
rage? I have; but possibly you have escaped
that, as your experience has. in fact, been wider
than mine But It IS popular superstition among
men and married women, that old maid is
sort OF overgrown child. like Mark WiIkins's VII
lage spinEters. and others Of that Tx. In New
England villages I suppose-in fact I know-that
the general uneventfulness OF life tends TO magnify
marriage as the only vivid experience within the
limits OF possibility, except a disappointment in
love. which, Of course would be still more spec
tacular II made public But IL is only when a
sPinster happens 10 be Of genius that
she is counted as g person versed in the art and
practice Of living. and even then her genius is
supposed 10 compensate for her lack Of expert
ence-
I have touched upon this subject before either in
writing 10 you one else-I can't remem-
Der now. But I am reminded OF It again by the
attitude OF a certain Of large expert
ence." who evidently believes that I have not
lived at all. And yet. If were tested by a
prize offered for the keenest analysis Of human
life and human motive. I wonder which Of us
would wtn2 Speaking dspassionately. I would lay
e good wager on myself. or you, and yet
neither OF would lay claim genius. What Is
it. after ALL that makes living? Is it outward ex-
perience OF is it the power Of assimilating expe-
rience? I have known travellers who have gone
10 the ends OF the earth. and yet never got out
side Of the mental horizon Of their own birth
place, and others who have only stayed at home
and read books. and known a few people. and
yet their spiritual boundary is measured by the
stars.
There is q little poem by Mrs a. D. T Whit
ney found IN one OF her books for girls. II is on
The City in Spring" and closes with these two
Iines-I cannot even give the context:
How the whole robe hath grace FOR them
Who only touch the garments hem
7 could hardly tell you how often those two
lines are in my mind. They contain philosophy
OF living. illustrated every day in people whom we
perience. but the assimilation that counts. Much
can happen to Us that the soul never takes hold
gained Again. some slight experience viii open
actual motherhood viii ma the entire soul ex
perfence OF motherhood through her love for an
but Grace. they don't know II is the soul that
lives more than the body; Outward experience
IS only the peg upon which 70 hang soul expert
ence. So the woman who has never loved any
man a SA sc J4iI i've ailu mas ae-
and content herself with less than her ideal has
story and known II in its perfect dawIess realty
SO in the white FIRE outline Of sculpture the
in the completed picture we may miss
am wa ing ~ 700 deepIy Tor mere letter. This
TO see what I nean-that here is nothing small
IN a slight experienced The soul receives the slight
experience as great revelation. The narrower
have seen mothers who took their motherhood as
the animals do. II a matter OF instinct.
They knew nothing Of the meaning of that great
jubiant cry. II have gotten from the Lordr'
And have one person transformed by love
that seemed pttifully commonplace; while another.
VINO had tiodden the highways of passiol left
without gain or glory. Whatever the event may be,
Il IS not what happens that counts II IS only what
M prDens a result Of the event. II
Is the thing that think feel when the event
touches us
Therefore my dear companion spinster. take
heart when you think OF those 70 whom many
Things have happened. know that you have lived.
ana you know that 7 have lived. though. in
the estiulati tor OF many. only touched the
1nent's nem' For had the insight 20 know
that the garment divine. hence We had all its
glory.
tbesnes-or, would yoI say, mystical themes2 Mys
ffco-rnoral ne might call them; modern (Wlth
re s1euiclOn Of q sneer) Is the word ehat would
- fssed nv one % my associates here, who prefers
- r1edipvaI way az taking things. There are
nersons who call everything modern that they
don't understand and th'ak that settles II forever.
r r.ant 20 D. modern. bat not quite up 10 date
.har 10 march IN the middle OF the procession.
,,hcnr. can see back and forward But that is
,nr an0ther ar0Ty-but another theme 20 III resolve
- q rgdence ard strike ny tonic chord again by
eavrg rejoice your broad mental experience re-
s' PRIScILL4A