The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-08-15

tireau, Frederika Bremer, Frances
Burney (marrying at 40, and never
afterwards writing anything worth a
cent?, Mary Russell Milford (sup-
porting her selfish spendthrift faith
er by her pen), the three Bronte Sis
ters, Elizabeth Barrett (marrying at
40, and, in my opinion, writing her
best poems before she got mixed up
in Robert Browning's metaphysics) :,
Anne Seward, Maria Edgeworth and
Elizabeth Carter, distinguished
writer on moral subjects, and pro-
nounced by Samuel Johnson the best
Greek scholar in England. Caroline
Letitia Herschel not only assisted her
brother, Sir William Herschel, in his
astronomical studies and discoveries,
but made such discoveries that she
was elected honorary member Of the
Royal Society of England, and
awarded gold medal. And there
have been a good many more similar
ly distinguished old maids. Not 2
few of them have written hymns of
much sweetness, which are n con
slant use amongst us, Adelaide Proc
tor, Anne Steele, Charlotte Eliot
and the Cary sisters being part!cn
larly conspicuous.
The old maids have rendered in
calculable service in teaching. There
is hardly community in the United
States which is not indebted to some
of them; for they have not only
instructed their own sex, but have
also laid the foundation of what
learning most of US men have at
tanned. But their work has been so
unobtrusive that the world has failed
to appreciate its value.
All prohibitionists must honor and
love the memory of Frances E. Will
lard, the one woman thought to de-
serve statue in the Hall of Statu-
ary In the Capitol at Washington.
The old maid, Clara Barton,
brought to us from Europe the Red
Cross organization, established it in
America, and continued, to her 10th
year in active direction of its work.
One of the greatest benefactors of
the human race was Florence Night
ingale, the English old maid, who
began by establishing hospital for
soldiers in the Crimean War, drew
other philanthropic women to her as
sistance (all at her own expense, at
first), and was instrumental, at the
cost of her own health, in saving the
health and the lives of thousands. 1t
is said that, prior to her taking
charge, the mortality among the sick
and wounded men was more than 40
per cent, but that under her man.
agement it fell to 2 or 3 per cent.
When the British parliament voted
her S250,0O0, in recognition of her
services, she applied the whole sum
to the establishment Of a great train
ing school for nurses. Many men
sought her, in marriage, but she lived
out her 90 years of earthly pilgrim
age a virgin devoted to the relief
Of human suffering What man, or
what other woman, has a record
equal to hers?
Finally, if I may be permitted to
indulge in little serious gallantry,
l would add that, personally, l am
very fond of old maids. The rose
bud girl is very charming being, of
course; but for constant intercourse
the mature virgin appears to me pref
cradle. (And this was the case be-
fore l got to be so awfully old.) l am
like the Spaniard Miraflores, as
Charles Greville reports him. While
Ambassador to the British court, ne
was shown a noted young English
beauty. But after viewing her he
remarked, She's too young, too
fresh. | like women a little past the
bloom of youth"-"Elle est trop
jeune, trop fraiche, Jaime les fem
mes un peu passees." We should be
very thankful for the 8,276 old
maids, native whites, unmarried
women of 35 years of age, and over)
whom, according to the last census,
we had in South Carolina in 1910,
and who, by the general rate of in
crease, now probably number 5000,
m y,,oro