The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1903-07-16
WOMAN'S AGE LIMIT.
Mafd' at Twenty-Five, and at
Thirty Is Not Hopeless.

A few years ago 25 was regarded as
the age at which a 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
bIessedness.
Although the cry of "old maid" may
still be 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 marriage
is the chief aim of woman no longer
exists in the minds of sensible peo-
pie.
Nor is a woman supposed to have
lost all power of attraction because
| she has entered her third decade.
| Balzac has laid down the theory that
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 long
train of admirers. Partners at balls
are less persistent and fewer in num-
Der. The delicate aroma of flattery
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
a drama upon which the curtain is not
likely to fall for many a year.
In all womanly honesty, it may be
she revels in her part of heroine, an6
in the disturbances and agitations OF
which she is the cause. This kind OF
woman, as Landor puts it. "warms
both hands at the fire of life"
1t is not only fact that wome,
marry later in life than they used to
but it is equally true that everywher
the more mature woman is to the fore
The young and inexperienced bud ha
ceased to be the reigning queen of tn
hour. She has been forced to yiel
her place to the maturer woman, tn
woman of broader experience an,
wider knowledge.
AS a matter of fact, the woman o
80 or therea bouts often has feelin
which is akin to pity, for the swee
young thing of 1s-a feeling whic
would doubtless surprise the wide
eyed girl in muslin and blue ribbon.
who thinks the whole world lies at he
Il feet.
Gone thing | am thankful for" say
: the bachelor maid, "and that is / al
no longer a bread-and- butter miss.
, There is no period of her existence
: I think, wherein woman appears t
less advantage. 1t is almost impo.
sible for girl of Is not to be col
, scious, and she has so little knowledg
of the world that she is unable to hid
her awkwardness.
''It is amusing, even pathetic, to sc
the efforts of he'poor thing to appea
natural and at her ease and to say he
little say without betraying that 81
has prepared it beforehand"
E A word to the glorified spinster {
to-day-let her take her stand boldl
firmly. Let her never pretend to
!. day less than her years really numbe
: Let her look as pretty as she can ar
as young as she can as long as she ca
E Let her preserve all the graces al
coquetries of womanhood that posse
so potent an attraction. This-is h,
woman's prerogative.
But no kittenishness. No iuvenilit
= no shyness. That is not her rol
Shyness in young girl is charmin
But it weakens the position of the u
: married woman. 1t makes her see
l apologetic, and this she should nev
seem to be, as her position needs ]
= apology.