Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-04-19
M ISCELLA N Y.
Living Beyond Ones Means.

The following article, though taken from the
"money- column" of the Independent, contains
just as good morality as if it had appeared un-
der the regular editorial head:
ave have once or twice, recently, alluded to
practice prevalent among business men, o.
living beyond their mleans-and thus bringing
upon themselves failure which was no fault
of their mode of business, but only of their man
ner of living. 1t is not safe to look only at
mans store to know his standing in business;
YOU must look also at his house. His splendid
profits may entirely merge themselves in his
splendid dwelling, so that, if he should sudden
ly fail his assets would be found 10 consist chief
ly OF carpets, mirrors, trescoes, pictures, marbles
inrniture, and variety of similar articles, all
belonging to the inside of 'brown-sto front.
Now, if what is poured into the top of pitcher
runs out through a hole in the bottom, it will
take continual pouring to keep it full; q sudden
stoppsge will leave it empty and dry. We need
hardly say that it takes o large business to sup
port fine house; and when the fine house tax
es the business TO its utmost, small reverse
which otherwise man would hardly have felt
may now occasion his ruin. The foundation o.
mans fortune is laid on two orner.stones-ont
in his store, the other il his house. If be
builds too heavily on either of these, he viii
have the whole roof down upon him. Many {
mau who has been known as the architect o.
his own fortune has built unwisely upon one OF
other of these foundations, and, has at last beer
surprised with worse fall than the tumbling o
the State Arsenal.
sit is true, the line of difference between liv-
ing within ones means and living beyond them,
may sometimes be difficult to draw, 50 as to give
the greatest proper limit to free expenditure,
For instance, man may be able to keep horse
aud buggy, and live within his means, who If he
were to keep two horses and q carriage, would
be living beyond them. A man may keepa line
house in the city, and be able to afford it, who,
as soon as he builds another in the country, Is
going farther than his money will follow. A
man may give an ice-cream party, and not feel
it, who, when he gives fancy dress ball, Will
suffer for it month afterwards. A man may
pick his teeth on the steps OF the st. Nicholas,
and be living frugally within his means, who II
lie were once to pay for his dinner at the hotel
would not have a cent left for his supper!-
When man is conscious that he is straining q
point for splendid house, or fast horse, or q
grand soiree, or an extrsyagant table, he may be
sure that he is the man who is living beyond
his means'
"The temptations to such extravaganza, in 6
city such as this, are very great. Ia this res.
pect, the improved architectural taste exhibited
in our modern dwelling houses has exerted a
favorable and also an unfavorable influence on
the ommunity-favorable, so far as the progress
of art and the culture of the people are concern
ed but unfavorable in having melted desire
for ambitious display, in which men seek to in
dulge themselves beyond their means. What
| would have been called an elegant residence
10 cd NOR
| common three story house. Compare arstocrat
ic Bleecker ST., with new aristocratic Fifth ave-
nue.! The best houses ip Bleecker street-whicf
were the finest that our fathers or eldest brothers
ever thought of building-are now mere re-
| spectacle brick fronts-nothiDg more! But the
least pretentious houses in Fifth avenue esolit
brown stone, or solid white marble-nothiDe
less This change is, on the whole, AN improve
ment in the Increased beauty of the city; yet il
cannot be denied,that the rage for luxurions anG
ostentatious Lying, melted and fostered by the
introduction of this new element into our pri
vate architecture, has never been so great as
now. In fact nine out of every ten opinions Civ.
en- in accounting for the late commercial crisis
alleged this general extravaganza as the cause
of the revulsion. When one third of the mer-
chants of great city hang one third of their
merely to make a glitter by gas-light at grand
soiree, it is not at all surprising that the ghost
of mercantile crisis should be seen stalking be-
hind the guests after they leave in the dead hour
of night. The expense of well dressed wife OF
daughter, in the simple article of jewelry, for
single evening, is oftentimes as much as
would have originally has bought the entire
island of Manhattan, before the times of Peter
Whom tho Iittla hillo1 f,r fhacc
trfes are sent in and paid, the crisis may be
imagined as bringing up the rear like Banquo's
Ghostl
"We write true eptaph when we say that
many mans failure has resulted, not from loss.
es in his business but losses to which he is blind
because they are hidden in parlor carpets, en-
amelled furniture and glded cornices or in pearl
necklaces, topaz brooches and diamond rings ~