The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-02
. For the Womcn.

SSSSSS~~~S~SSz~-SS
I had the discernment to see the bad
taste of that sort of thing There was
an afternoon entertainment of some
sort at our house one day and my old
maid aunt was one of the guests. 1
suppose every family has an old maid
aunt If it hasn't it's out of luck. Our
old maid aunt is verify one of the salt
of the earth. She is the most capa BILE,
clever and attractive woman l ever
knew She is a newspaper woman, edi-
tor of the WOman's department of a
metropolitan daily, has supported her
self and ali her poor kin for thirty years
and has saved money beside. She was
by far the most superior woman in the
company that day-the most distin-
gulshed looking. the best dressed, the
best informed and the most attractive.
But something was said about being
afraid and when she discIaimed any
nervousness about staying alone at
night one woman asked. Why, Miss
FRANCES everyone called her Miss
Frances--don't you look under the bed
for mani and all the other women
laughed uprOariOusly as though the
funniest sort of thing had been said. My
aunt laughed too, but she flushed, and
il was plain to me that she didn't like
It. l suppose the other women noticed
il and they probably thought she was
sore at the reference to her spinster-
hood, but knew it wasn't that. 1t was
simply that she was Disguised with
their poor taste in laughing at such a
foolish. antiquated joke and bored be-
cause it was prOba bly, the thousandth
time IN her life that she had passed
through similar experience. I have
never forgotten that incident and since
l am older I remember with scorn and
amusement how those miserable mar
row. minded. useless women giggled at
and patrOnized her all on account of a
life interest in some ordinary, plug men,
any one Of whom my aunt could have
bought out with a years salary.
However we hear less of that sort of
thing than we used to and the old maid
age limit has been extended until
woman IS in the neighbOrhoOd of 80 be-
fore she suffers a great deal from the
anxiety OF her friends. It is more and
more the tendency to treat the old maid
with some of the respect commonly
supposed to be due a woman, especially
since she has become to so great de-
gree self-supporting. If you go back
far enough you can trace every indsg-
nifty to the root of all evil and no doubt
the oblOquy in which the unmarried
woman was formerly held was largely
owing to the fact of her economic de-
pendence. Nowadays the old maid is
self-sGppOrting and the early marriage
has not only become decidedly unpopu-
lar but the old maid actually threatens
to become the fashion The young mat
rOns are Just now the leaders, even the
widows giving them precedence. but
up-to-date old maid q don't care for
the term bachelor girl) will be It
Did you see that stunning Maryland
woman who visited Mrs. Wool this
winter? An old maid. not a day under
80 and all the men crazy about her.
She's a prize beauty, jolly good fell
low and her people have nothing but
money Imagine the faded. dowdy wife
of some poverty stricken clerk patron
izing her because she hasn't husbanG
I a i- n he <
4 old-fashioned a possession as bicycle
4 They'll be giving them away with bak-
I ing powder in a few years"
Dear me" said the Visiting Girl
/ glancing at her engagement ring, per
haps Id better put it off another year"
But what shall 1 do with mine. now
I have him2" walled the Young Mat
ron.
20. you'n be all right" answered the
/ Oracle. Grass widows never go entire
! ~ out of fashion. They're always good
/ form"
Hats off to Miss Manysummersl" ex-
/ claimed the Debutante
Well said the Old Girl speaking
| for the first time since she started her
unfortunate question, its not only the
women who remind the old maid of her
4 lonely condition and intimate that the
reason she isn't married is because she
/ was never asked. The men just as bad.
/ Indeed the worst thing I ever had 10
! endure III that line was from a man
I who had grovelled in my path for five
4 years begging me to wipe my feet on
him if 1 wouldn't take any other no.
tice of him. OF course the worm I'm
ally turned and you know a man never
/ iorgives a woman for not loving him.
/ But after one has refused man on an
+ average of six times a year for FIVE
} years it is amusing to say the least, to
! have him suggest that you are an old
maid from necessity rather than
choice"
~ dare say that is what the Old Re
( liable. Ubiquitous and Inevitable win be
telling me one of these days" unused
the young woman in black.
The fashionable shopping hours in the
Rue de Ia PAX and the other streets
about which make the fashionable shop@
ping district Of Paris are from 3 TO S
o'clock in the afternoon IN the morn
ing the shops are comparatively desert
ed except for foreign buyers, who choose
/ 70 get through what is to them serl~
Gus business before luncheon. but the
French mondaine make the selection Of
/ her wardrobe a social as well as a BUSH
ness function. IN the afternoon the Rue
le la Paix is thick with slowly NOV
( ing line Of elegant carriages and the
/ sidewalks are lined with liveried foOS.
! men. The Partisan women choose this
1 hour to meet their friends at their