Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1857-09-12
Extravagance-A Word for Women.


about the extravaganza of women, that
popular opinion has almost quite forgot
that men are spendthrifts too. We admit
that it is proper enough TO decry diamonds,
Indian Shawls, French laees, and other
luxuries of the sex, when the wearers OF
these articles exceed their means in buy
ing them. We DO not deny that many
failure may be traced, remotely, TO the ex
travagance Of a wife. We challenge no
journal for asserting that our imports are
excessive, partly on account of the fond
ness of our women for needless foreign
luxuries. But are the ladies the sole Of
tenders Have men no hobbies on
which they squander thousands Do
husbands never waste money Who
pays for the wine and brandes which
make so important figure in our impor-
tations Let the truth be told, OF the
two sexes, ours is, perhaps, the more ex-
travagant. Is il either honest or chival-
rous, therefore, to abuse the ladies', when
the tnen are the greater spendIhrilts OF
the two.
Take the case of a family Of wealth.
The wife likes fine equipage, elegant
furniture, and rich dresses; she gives cost
'ly parties in the winter, and goes to Bar-
atoga or Cape May in summer; she has
her bill al jewellers, her credit at a
fashionable dry goods store, her seats al
the opera. But what, meantime, is her
husband doing! If an epicure, his wine
bill amounts 10 thousands; il picture
fancier, his gallery is a continual drain on
his purse; if he has mania for building,
he is forever buying town-houses, or e.
rectng country-seats. Are horses his
hobby He is never happy unless ira
ding for new span, showing off a fast
lroller, or betting at some private race
course. All these hobbies, however, are
venial, compared with that which some
have for specuIating in stocks. Where
thousands are squandeTed Ey fashionable
women on French luxuries, tens OF thou
sands are wasted by men in this favorIte
pursuit of the idle rich. IN families OF
fortune, nay, even in families of moderate
means, the extravaganza of fathers and
husbands keeps even pace with that OF
wives and daughters.
Among mechanics and operatives il is
the same. The man who makes ten dol
lars week spends more money on tobac-
co and beer than his helpmate, if he has
one, on her personal luXuries. She
works. too. quite as hard as he does. In
household affairs, moreover, her economy
is the sheei-anchOr OF the family. Never,
or ra, ely, does she indulge in what is cal
led pleasure. Yet, if she spends triae
on a ubbon,it is pronounced extravaganza
if she asks for week in the country, ruin
is predicted. The women have not had
fair play. 1t is in the old story Of the
lion who wrote his biography; 70: we men
make newspapers and public opinion, and
we have praised ourselves at the expense
of the other sex. Is il not time that some
of US were more impartial Both sexes,
we are free to admit, spend quite too
much. But in apportioning the sin Of
extravaganza, the men have heretofore
laid all blame on the women. 1t has been
weakness Of our sex, however, brave as
we think ourselves, always 10 shnk os'
share Of the guilt; for even Adam, when
he had eaten the apple, was coward
enough 10 say "ihe woman tempted me
and did eal." And Adams descendants,
true 10 their blood, charge all the exirav-
agance TO women.
"Pa, why don't you buy hen, so we
can have all the eggs we want ?"
-"My dear, one hen would not lay all
the eggs we want.
"Whv yes it wonld, Pa; we only use
dozen eggs day and good hen would
lay that many, certainly"
This young lady is the same one who
thooght milk was pumped out Of cows,
and the tail was the pump-handle.
An Irishman attending a Quaker meet
ing, heard a young friend make the fol-
lowing announcement
"Brelhren and sisters, am going to
marry daughter of the Lord"
1.-The divil We are," sad Pat. "Faith
and be iabers, an it will be long time
before you'll see yer father-in-law =
Did you ever hear of the wife that
wrote 10 her husband in California, and
commenced her letter thus :-"Oh, tell
me not that absence conquers love the
longer you stay away, the better l like
you ?"