Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-19
The LittleOld Maid

They called her 1.-THE Little Old
Maid"
But the words were never spoken In
the tone so often adopted when an IN
married woman of uncertain age is re-
ferred to as an "old maid" Rather,
the way they were said implied a feel
ing of affection-in measure, OF pity.
The phrase was generally uttered with
the infection of voice that ', e uncon-
sciously adopt when we speak of one
afflicted. or of one for whose condition
we are sorry and with whom we SYM
pathize, or Of some exceptionally de-
lightful child. The Little Old Maid at
tracted everybody who came in contact
with her.
She was nearly so; yet her features,
and the profusion of the silvery hair
coiled about the well-shaped head,
showed how beautiful she must have
been. Her eyes were lovely still, and
quite magnetic when she smiled. But
II was the strangely sweet expression
that lighted up her countenance when
she smoke which made her seem so IRE
sistible, and caused people of all class
es to feel instinctively that they must
come to love her. It was said that old
men In her own rank of life, and some
of much higher rank-she was the
younger daughter of an English baro-
net. whose forefathers had come I'M
scathed through the Wars Of the Roses
often proposed marriage to her still !;
while effete young decadents, who
through dread of ridicule would In the
ordinary course have denied that n
woman no longer youthful could cast a
spell about them, admitted almost en-
Enthusiastically that the Little Old Maid
was "quite exceptionally fascinating"
Often people wondered why she had
never married. Her contemporaries
could recall to mind the days when half
London had, as they truly said, "raved
about her" There were some who sigh
ed when they tried to guess approx
mately the number of proposals of mar
rage she must have received IN those
brilliant days-those days when all
the world was young" Yet, though
partial to mems society, and with an
exceptionally keen sense OF humor that
perhaps rendered her company addi-
tionally attractive to men, the Little
Old Maid had never, even IN the mem.
ory of her oldest and closest friends
met any man she would have wished
to wed. 1t seemed remarkable, more
especially as every woman, the plain
est not excepted, is said to meet once
at least in her lifetime her true af1ni
". and that, failing to marry him, sht
ends by focusing her love upon some
less worthy object. The Little OLD
Maid, however, had no pet dog and NJ
pet cat and no pet bird. 1t Is true that
she loved all children with an intensity
that in some unmarried women Nigh
have seemed unnatural. And children
almost at first sight, reciprocated he
affection.
The Little Old Maid pushed back thu
chair from the antique escritoire =
which she had been writing letters
Then she rose, crossed the room, ant
touched the electric bell. It was Al
afternoon In late autumn. Outside, IL
Onslow square, the fog seemed TO b
thickening, she noticed as she passe'
the window.
John, what time is it?' she asked
as the footman entered.
He said 1t was half-past 8.
please wind the clock and then pos
these letters"
When he had closed the door sh
went back to her writing-table. An &c
dressed envelope lay upon the blottel
Unlocking a little drawer, she too
from 1t two crisp banlnotes, folde
them In a sheet Of paper, slipped theI
into the envelope, and then re-locke
the drawer. Next she lit a small re
candle that stood in silver socket, an
carefully sealed the envelope. Lett
she walked slowly to the corner Of o.
slow Square, and posted the letter
the pillar-bcx there