Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-27
OLD MAIDS IN FRANCE.
Those Of First Families Never Go In
Social World.

From the Gentlewoman.
Are there any old maids In France? Tho
pilgrim and stranger from another land.
glancing around him in French society.
would promptly affirm that the French
spinster did not exist. One may go into
French society for years and never once
meet a single woman-that Is to say
| woman who is old or growing old. without
a wedding ring on her left hand.
There is no equivalent in French society
for the unmarried English gentlewoman.
with her handsome establishment, her gar
deners. her carriages and her maids. all
under first-claSs management. all betoken-
ing complete independence and a wide out
look life. The feminine world OF fashion
in France generally hides Its gray hairs
and lost illusions in the convent or convent
boarding house. Here and there devotion
and philanthropy outside such walls are
resorted to-never social distractions or &C
tive life. In the upper ranks cel1bate
| womanhood effaces itself Tens of thou
sands of Frenchwomen virtually retire
from the world simply because they happen
to be unmarried.
Much is to be said for their point of view.
Take the matter of money. for instance.
So long as her mother lives. an unmarried
daughter, matter her age, Is treated ike
child. In France it Is the parent who
pays for everything. New Years gifts tax
ing the place of pocket money.
The effect upon the French single woman
of this system of pecuniary dependence Is
not only calling COR would be If she had
ever known anything differently. but stulti-
flying as we'll, and renders her quite unit
for the future conduct of practical affairs.
French old maids of thirty or even more
must have no innocent little secrets. no
private generosities, no harmless mysteries.
The French unmarried woman. in the eyes
of the law and of her family, remains n
perpetual minor. And then her bringing
up has totally untitled her for an indie
pendent life. Never accustomed to walk
out or travel alone, always chaperoned
when paying visits. her reading. amuse-
ments, friends chosen for her. her notions
OF etiquette in harmony with restrictions
she finds insupportable. no wonder that she
regards her life as failure-that the con-
vent or convent pension is looked upon as
harbor of re: uge.
Many girl takes the veil before cross
ing the Rubicon, her twenty nth birthday
But to the 'old maid Of thirty or over.
whose dowry or personal attractions have
not secured a life partner for her, the con-
vent offers the cheapest possible provision.
Ten THOUSAND francs. f40O paid down, and
the recluse is housed. fed. clothed and
cared for until the end of her days. The
step is invariably approved OF.
How differently the Gallo and the Anglo
Saxon minds regard questions OF this sort
Is proved by the reasons which often lead
French girl who is 'in society" yet with
out matrimonial prospects. to bury herself
alive. Family considerations are potent
factors in these sacrifices of home, friends
ana "a 6Ii may 81 iAto a
convent it seems, from unselfish desire
to further the opportunities of a younger
sister or a younger brother. The recluse
who is actuated by family piety of this kind
Is especially praised. And the reason why
she seems SO praisewOrthy ts because in
France no sacrifice can be too great for
la famille.
We must bear in mind the fact that In
the upper ranks, in what Is called la So
ciete, no girl has any chances whatever of
marrying without sufficient dowry. Real
izing the absolute necessity of a dowry,
then. an elder sister will sometimes betake
herself to a convent in order that a younger
may make brilliant or suitable marriage.
Quite possibly, also she may act thus on
brothers behalf. enabling him by the same
means to add to family wealth and pres
tige.
In 1900. it is said. the appalling number
of $4,000 women were immured for life
within convent walls in France. Among
the middle and working classes healthier
conditions prevail. Unmarried women and
girls without dowries who are so fortunate
as not to have been born in society take
up medicine art, music and teaching. read
what they like. see what plays they fancy
and actually receive men callers-on their
at-home days, that Is. The year 1850.
which saw "a, 900 ladies committed to the
of them, of course. unmarried, teaching In
the public schools-only 10000 less than the
number of men professors and teachers
| The career OF French schOOlmarm in a
! state school may not be brilliant. nor yet
| the fulhllment Of youthful dreams-it GER
tainly cannot be included among get-rich-
quick schemes-but it Is useful. sufficiently
| dignifled and usually happy and contented
Whether the woman who retires to clofs-
| ter that her family may be relieved from
| her future support or the woman who
spends her life in school room teaching
| little children renders the greatest service
! to her country Is. OF course. question
which people will answer according to
| their social and religious prejudices. To
l - tonv CIR hos nnt "a
| career will seem particularly attractive