Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-06-10
USELESS EXPENSES.

we have often wished that some voice
f kind warning, with power enough to con
. mand attention, could reach our young me-
and especially those of our cities. and induc
!. them to consider the uselessness of many
: their expenses which swallow up their earning
: and destroy their independence and selErespec
E and too often their reputation and their hopes
> We often hear young men complain of tn
; smallness of their salaries, and that they canno
/, support themselves upon what they receive
| We think that labor of young men in our cit,
is literally paid for, compared with that o
; Others, and that with proper habits of expen
fditure they should be able to acquire rapidly
the means of establishing themselves is an in
dependent business. Few, perhaps compared
with the whole, are continually pressed viii
debt, when they ought to be independent, anG
we know from the records of crime which oul
large cities afford us, how many are tempted te
gamble or forge, or engage in some form oi
robbery, to obtain the means of keeping up an
expenditure beyond their earnings, and beyond
every reasonable want. The Strengthened cir
cuHstances of very many arise not from the
1 supply of any read want but from the grati6-
i cation of foolish desires or injurious appetites
4 Thousands of families are supported in COM
/ fort and irespectability, and their sons and
/ daughters are being educated and prepared for
4 usefulness, on smaller sums than many single
young men are receiving, and find the amount
quite too small for their wants, and think them
selves unable to spare anything for the support
of religious institutions, Or for any purpose of
| benevolence.
| To such a course of life, we fear that thou
sands are sacrificing their independence, their
health, and their prospects. We ask attention
te some particulars here. r-a
We think that the great mass of our young
men who are living on moderate salaries, are
too lavish and inconsiderate in their expendi-
lures
Neatness and taste in dress are to be eom-
mended in every one, but young men are en-
! tirely mistaken in supposing that by costly ap-
parel they commend themselves to the
good opinion of any one whose good
opinion is valuable. To pride ones self upon
dress, seems to proclaim that one has no other
basis for reputation to rest upon. A man
who has true selfrespect, and who feels assured
of his position in society, very seldom attracts
attention by his garments. The footman is
generally more carefully dressed than the noble
man. There is, we think, no propriety in q
young mans expending as much for his coat
as if he were man Of independent fortune
1t is often said, unless we expend largely for
dress, We cannot be admitted into good society.
Society really good, cares much less for the
texture of the cloth than for the quality of
head and heart, the attainments one has made,
and the reliability Of his character. Besides,
if young man will set his mark high, and
labor earnestly on, though comparatively IN
noticed for time, he viii win for himself po-
sition at length, and hold the golden key, at
whose touch all the doors of good society will
open before him.
Cigars consume for many sum yearly,
which, if set before them in the aggregate,
would astonish them Habitual attendance at
the theatre, the club rooms, the opera, concerts
billiard tables, driving fast horses, and similar
amusements all of which call for money, con-
sumo large per cent. of many salaries. III
young men would have the courage and hon
esty to set down in note book every expendi-
ture daily, and then examine it at the end of
month or week, it would mortify, perhaps as
tonish, and possibly reform them.
Let them carefully so over such an account, |
and mark every item Of unnecessary expense,
and it would quickly be seen why their salaries
are too small.
But the direct loss of money and the pres
ent Inconvenience. are the least sorrowful of
all the results of such a course.
A young man soon forms for himself thus
a companionship, from which there is no es-
cape. An enchanted circle is drawn round |
him, which he cannot leap over. He is assail- |
ed, perhaps, by ridicule, hints of meanness and |
cowardice are thrown out, of being yet in
leading strings to father or mother, or sneers
about getting sober or religious, hold him firm |
while he writhes inwardly and curses the chain |
that binds him.
He has acquaintance at the theatre, at
drinking saloons, at the stables, at places of |
infamy he is member of free-and-easy clubs, |
he hears religion scoffed at, his moral tone
gradually becomes impaired, his better nature
yields itself to the supremacy Of the lower
propensities. !
He at length, and soon forms habits of
thought and habits of extravagant expenditure |
which absolutely forbid all success, and lead to
crime and disgrace. The memories of early |
training are overborne. He learns to scorn |
the counsels of his childhood, his heart grows
sympathy are sealed, the sanctuary of God is |
deserted, the Sabbath is desecrated, and a |
great sorrow is laid upon parents, brothers and
sisters, and shadow is drawn over their early |
homes.
Life, in this way unless suddenly ended by !
disease, drunkenness, or violent death, seems to |
go on merrily for time until perhaps the age
is reached when the desire arises to establish !
himself in business, and to form connections
for life;
Then the reality is unveiled. What is called
the glorious fun of life has come to an end.
Without money, without habits OF economy,
without the faculty of saving money or using
wisely what is earned with positive habits of
wrong or useless spending, fixed by the practice
of years, and with a reputation corresponding
to his habits, what now shall be done? What
prospects open? AT the very best, with few
exceptions, nothing but an inferior position
for life.
Couple these things with the idle extrava-
giant manner in which so many of only mod
crate means] seem anxious to educate their
daughters, teaching them only to be burthens
to be borne, and we have a state of things
whose sad significance it would be wise to
study.
How are such young men and women to en-
ter into the marriage relation, with any reason
able prospect of happy and prosperous homes
In order to succeed, the first lesson is, to I'M
learn the whole experience of the previous life,
or at least to get rid of its results, thing not
often easily done. The idea of two young per-
sons uniting hearts, hands, and efforts for the
purpose of building up together a home and
fortune, seems to be discarded by most
A home endeared and consecrated by the
memories of early struggles and selfdenials
for each other and their children, followed by