Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-09-07
Is the Term
middle Aged"
Disappearing?
By sYBIL HOLLAND.

There is a state in the female sex
which is at the present day not al
lowed to exist, although as matter
of course, it must do so, for to most
of us--to all who do not die young
il is bound to come. | allude to the
state Of being middle-aged.
q There is no objection made to child
hood, young womanhood, or old age,
but middle-age---well, we hardly ever
meet middle-aged woman nowadays.
Girls are chaperoned by young moth
ers who often look practically the
same ages as the daughters. There
are also large quantities OF grand
mothers; but the middle-aged mamma
dates back quite ten years. She ex-
listed then, but her day is done.
What in the world becomes OF her
now is mystery; problem, in fact,
that seems almost impossible to solve.
For how is it possible to jump from
summer to winter, leaving autumn out
OF the question altogether 1t re-
minds one OF the little girl, who, hav-
ing for the afternoon been left in
charge OF some rather troublesome
younger brothers and sisters, said she
had decided when she grew up to have
no children, but to wait and have some
grandchildren instead!
We know that miracles are not per-
formed every day, neither do transfor-
nation scenes take place in real life,
and fables, like middle age, are out OF
date. Yet hair is either golden or
white, never the one strcaked with
the other. Compilations are either as
smooth as satin or wrinkled with
years. Limbs retain the supplencss OF
youth or they are stiff and infirm.
There was time when even II face
and figure could not be relied upon
to denote. advancing years, clothes
at least could be to a great extent. 1t
was the fashion for ladies who had
passed their first youth to discard
white satin and diaphanous muslin
garments for the more sedatc brocade
or yeivets. Also fly-away hats gave
place to bonnets, or at any rate
"toques," while Eton jackets were sue
ceeded by "mantles." But how this is
all changed. Dresses Of the lightest
hues and the flimsiest materials are as
popular with mothers as daughters, as
are also picture hats. And young
girls, in their turn, often don "toques'
and trailing velvet gowns.
That age" by common consent, is
usually ignored in ordinary converse
ton, and perhaps just as well. for It
saves few extra fibs from
being born into the world. A lady
who was visiting Monte Carlo for the
first time desired TO try her luck at
the tables, and being undecided as to
what number to choose, she asked
friend to settle for her. Put 1t on
YOU own age" was the reply. So,
accordingly, the louis was placed on
number twenty-five. When the crou-
pier announced, "Quarante,' that poor
Iady's discontinue told its own tale.
There are middlc-aged men, how
ever, and they are greatly sought
after. A girl Is usually much more
by the attention Of man
fifteen or twenty years older than
lerself than by those OF a youth OF her
,gc; for she thinks that she really
must be rather clever person, since
10 one with so wide an experience
should care to talk to her. In such
circumstances she usually starts read
NJ rather, deep books, which she
neither understands nor enjoys, but,
nevertheless, she has the satisfaction
u feeling that she Is charging her
mind, and will therefore be able to dis
,uss intricate subjects with her mid
ile-aged admirer.
But here she is making huge mis-
AXE. The man OF middle age does
not require this conversation in his
moments Of leisure; he has quite
enough OF it at other times. II this
indeed were what he wanted he would
Destow his attentions upon a much
slider woman instead OF on debutante
whose youth, prettiness and Ignorance
are the qualities that he finds so re-
Ireshing
szsz7z