Widows Live Longest.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXV, Issue 5, 5 August 1905, Page 60

Widows Live Longest.

Widows, according lo statistics recently gathered by the department at Washington, have a good claim to be considered the most fortunate and happiest of women. In fact, they ought to be regarded as constituting a class by themselves, in respect to certain noteworthy advantages which they enjoy over all others of their sex. They receive more attention from men than do the maidens, and their expectation ot marriage is greater. In addition, while possessing a larger freedom and getting more fun out of life, they exhibit a tendency to a superior longevity. Widows, as shown by the official figures, live longer than any other human beings. Matrimonially speaking, widows are the most dangerous enemies against which the maidens are obliged to contend- It is shown by the statistics that for every 1000 bachelors who mate with spinsters, 1025 are married by widows. In other words, -where forty maidens succeed in capturing an equal number of bachelors, as many will fall victims to the bow and spear of the widows, with one in addition—supposing that widows and spinsters are equal numerically. Widow’s marry oftener than spinsters do. and, when it comes to widows between the ages of 20 ami 24, it seems to be almost hopeless for the girls to enter the field against them. LAW TO PROTECT SPINSTERS. Inasmuch as there do not appear to be enough hu-bands to go around, it is obviously unjust that any woman should be allowed to have more than one. It would be a good thing if a law could be passed forbidding widows to remarry. For, as the case stands at present, large numbers of young and attractive female persons, who have already had their fair >hare of male protectors. not only stand as good a chance as their maiden competitors of acquiring other spouses (each one of whom, when captured, is a unit less in the total of obtainable men), but actually enjoys a better prospect—better to the extent of one additional chance in every forty. \\ lien it is realised that every widow married means one old maid, the seriousness of the problem becomes manifest. It is a marvel, indeed, that there has not already been open rebellion on the spinsters’ part against the present condition of affairs. If it be asked why the widows enjoy a better expectation of marriage than the maidens, an explanation is easily offered. A widow has had experience which enables her to play upon and cater lo the weaknesses of the masculine creature. She is able to admit the man to a closer intimacy without exciting gossip than the maiden can. and she is free to take more of the initiative in the wooing. She makes it her business to entertain

the ,nan, whereas the girl expects to be entertained. EFFECT OF DIVORCE ON MARKET. Divorced women, as shown by the statistics, are by no means to be regarded as foes or rivals of the spinsters. Indeed, one might almost say that they are quite the opposite. When a man is judicially parted from his wife he is practically certain to marry again —a fact which, in view of the unfavourable character of his first experience, is the best possible tribute to matrimony as an institution. At all events, the number of available husbands is rather increased than diminished by divorce, inasmuch as fewer divorced women than divorced men remarry. Thus in many instances one man may be said to fill I he place of two or more husbands. There are, according to the Government figures, nearly three times as many widows in this country as widowers. For this fact there are two reasons —first, that women, generally speaking, live longer than men, and, secondly, shat, as a rule, they marry men older than themselves. It is important that spinsters should realise that widowers are the best marrying men. The chances of a widower remarrying are always greater than that of a bachelor’s marrying, and of all men those most disposed to matrimony, as proved by the statistics, are widowers between the ages of 25 and 34. President Roosevelt married his second wife, now the lady of the White House, during that critical period. W IDOW S WIN FAMOUS MEN. Come cynical person, doubtless inspired by a morsel of undigested cabbage or something else that disagreed with him, has said that to marry a widow is like ‘■smoking another man’s pipe.” There could be no greater absurdity, and one lias only to look back through history to find that many of the most famous men have chosen widows for their wives. Martha Custis was a widow when Geo. Washington married her, and so likewise was the beautiful Mrs Robard when she became the bride of Andrew Jackson. The first and last wives of Henry \ 111., Catherine of Aragon, and Mrs Parr, were widows. George IV., while Prince of Wales, made a secret marriage with Mrs Fitzherbert, widow of a country squire, who was known as the “sweet lass of Richmond Hill.” The first wife of the great Bonaparte was Josephine de la Pagerie, widow of Viscount de Beauharnais, who fought with Lafayette in our revolution and was guillotined in 1794. Even Mahomet took a widow for his wife. Her name was .Mme. Khadijah, and she employed him when a youth as her travelling agent. Having handed over to him her business and wealth, she be-

came his first believer. It is possible, indeed, that Mohammedanism as a religion would never have been heard of but for the means which she supplied for the propaganda. FORBID WIDOWS TO WED. if it be true, as is alleged, that the misfurtune of the maidens who fail to secure husbands is due in no small degree to the seductions of more experienced females, who use unscrupulously their trained attractions for the entanglement of unsupecting men, measures ought surely to be taken to reduce the damage attributed to their mischievous activity. The only way to deal with them, obviously, is to pas < a law forbidding them to marry a secund time. They have had their share of husbands, and ought not —at all events, not without some restriction—to be permitted to browse at liberty in tiie matrimonial pasture. It is up to the spinsters to raise a storm of protest that will put a stop to the evil. ft ft ft ft ft