Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-05-30
WOmQn,s Life and LOue
WIN Is q Bachelor Maid?
By wINIFRED HARPER COOLEY

cake and eat it, too - That is, the,
have nearly all the joys of matrimony
without any of its responsibilities
They have escorts to evening entertain
ments: men companions dining ant
visiting with them in their studios
They are the recipients of ardent dec
larations of love which delight then
senses and please their vanity. They
may have little nephews aud niece,
whom they lavish affection on. AL
this is not quite the real thing-no'
real love nnd married companionshir
and maternity--but it Is substitute
And in satisfying themselves with TINS
sham love and domesticity they are
keeping fast hold of their independence
and freedom. They can enjoy variety
they can have different lovers!
We are not condcmning them. People
must work out their own salvation and
live according to the demands of their
own natures so long us they do not
bring sorrow to others. Many a mar :
ried woman who has dull life and
an Indifferent or unfaithful husband
may envy her sister who is a Bachelor
Maid. Many a wife who shrinks from
asking man for every cent she
spends may sigh for nn earning capac-
ity. Many q mother who has sick or
peevish children, or whose children fail
her or 60 wrong, may bitterly envy the
independent Bachelor Girl.
And yet-is not she missing a most
vital experience in life?
Why Is she unwed? Perhaps she is
waiting--waiting- that impossible
he, the hero of her dreams. Perhaps
she flies her standards too high. Not
being obliged to marry to get home,
as all girls used to be, she has waited
for the ideal mah, but waited in vain |!
Her sister has been an opportunist !;
she has compromised with Fate. Fail
ing to Gnd that perfect combination Of
motion picture beauty hero and a
gentle, thoughtful man, Of q ''good
provider" with scintillating love-
maker. she has settled down on q plain,
substantial sort, who Is all wool and
yard wide, and pretty satisfying-as
men go.
But the Bachelor Maid is romantic
and exacting. One man Is an ardent
wooer but an improvident, impossible
creature, with whom she could not live
with any comfort. Another Is a fine,
substantial business man, but lacking in
humor, and q talker Of "bromides," so
that he would drive one mad. And so
WI. IL oHt JuoJ uletJ Lueul hll up
into one Some husband
l know of many professional women
in big cities who live alone. Some
profess to enjoy it. Others arc frankly
lonely. Others gather around them a
clientele Of congenial friends. and be-
lievc that they are leading an ideal ex-
istence. l cannot help thinking this is
hut a narcotic; they are drugging their
sense Of desire for the real need of life
love.
Two charming girls I know, in the
early thirties. Each is at the head of
her profession, artist and commercial
writer. Each has an immense earning
capacity. One supports an invalid
mother. but lives alone in her studio.
She keeps Il car and chauffeur. She
is vain and selfish, but charming and
sought after by many men. Some
times she gets engaged, but she cam
rot quite believe that the man and
marriage will add enough to her happi-
ness to compensate for many sacrifices
She may have to make. The other girl
has a normal longing for home and II
baby. She has been in love with q man
for years. 1t chances that he does not
want to marry. Other men are wholly
although amusing ms
beaux: There usually is "a reason" for
most Bachelor Maids!