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Transcriber’s Note:
The original text noted chapters as 1, 2, 3 etc. in the TOC,
and I, II, III etc. in chapter headers. These have been retained.
THE
LOVE AFFAIRS OF AN OLD MAID
BY
LILIAN BELL
“Some ships reach happy ports that are not steered”
NEW YORK
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
Copyright, 1893, by Harper & Brothers.
All rights reserved.
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated very fondly to my beloved family, who, in theiranxiety to render me material assistance, have offered me such diverseopinions as to its merit that their criticisms radiate from me in as manydirections as there are spokes to a wheel.
This leaves the distraught hub with no opinion of its own, and withflaring, ragged edges.
Nevertheless, thus must it appear before the public, whose opinion will bethe tire which shall enable my wheel to revolve. If it be favorable, onemay look for smooth riding; if unfavorable, one must expect jolts.
PREFACE
It is a pity that there is no prettier term to bestow upon a girl bachelorof any age than Old Maid. “Spinster” is equally uncomfortable, suggesting,as it does, corkscrew curls and immoderate attenuation of frame; while“maiden lady,” which the ultra-punctilious substitute, is entirely toomincing for sensible, whole-souled people to countenance.
I dare say that more women would have the courage to remain unmarried werethere so euphonious a title awaiting them as that of “bachelor,” which,when shorn of its accompanying adjective “old,” simply means unmarried.
The word “bachelor,” too, has somewhat of a jaunty sound, implying to thesensitive ear that its owner could have been married—oh, several timesover—if he had wished. But both “spinster” and “old maid” have narrow,restricted attributes, which, to say the least, imply doubt as to pastopportunity.
Names are covertly responsible for many overt acts. Carlyle, when he said,“The name is the earliest garment you wrap around the earth-visiting me.Names? Not only all common speech, but Science, Poetry itself, if thouconsider it, is no other than a right naming,” sounded a wonderful note inMoral Philosophy, which rings false many a time in real life, when to ringtrue would change the whole face of affairs.
Thus I boldly affirm, that were there a proper sounding title to cover theclass of unmarried women, many a marriage which now takes place, witheither moderate success or distinct failure, would remain in pleasingembryo.
Of the three evils among names for my book, therefore, I leave you todetermine whether I have chosen the greatest or least. The writing of itcame about in this way.
In a conversation concerning modern marriage, the unwisdom people displayin choice, and the complicated affair it has come to be from a pastoralbeginning, I said lightly, “I shall