Barbour Jeffersonian

A Voluntary Old Maid.

There is no sweeter and interesting character, whether in fiction or real life, than the spinster who has for some good reason refused a lover's proposal, and being now past the flower of her youth, cheerfully accepts the part of an old maid. The ordeal through which she has passed seems to have refined her feelings, and of itself insensibly draws to her the regard of all who know her history. Such a one is eminently lovely and sympathetic, forward in all good works, the warm friend of married men and women, the confidant of many a tender passion. Age does but mellow the beauty of her disposition. She never slanders, never retails ill-natured gossip; nor on the other hand, though prompt to put in a seasonable word in a crisis, does not deem it her mission to set all the people around her right. She makes an admirable aunt, and is very necessary to the comfort of a large circle of cousins. Many a young fellow on the threshold of life owes a kindly remembrance of her for the good nature and tact with which she helped him to steer clear of the shoals where he might otherwise have been wrecked. A refusal founded on reason, therefore, seems often productive of more good than evil in the nature of things. And after all, no one ever heard of a man dying from a broken heart. No consideration of wounded feelings, no agonized affections, and the like, ought to restrain a lady, if there is good cause for it, from saying to her suitor, No.