Smyrna times., 1859-03-10
The Underlife of Fashion.

toiu' 1et, lneFe Is lesson TO Oe read IN tnt
Sckles-Key tragedy. We regard the disgrac ct
OF Mrs. Sckes and the murder OF her destroy e1
as Legitimate fruits of the underIife of Fashion
IN Washington. There are probably, says the
Lancaster .Erpress. one hundred cases in the
same circle at Washington this day just IA,
bad, all that is wanting in them to starIlr the
public being discovery and summary retriJu
tion. Of this, there is no doubt among those
most familiar with the underlIfe of Fashion at
Washington.
| Another case, an equally good illustration e
the wantonness of Fashion in its " highlfe'
phases, represented in the Fry Divorce case
which is convulsing the fashionable world in
Philadelphia and New York, all the details uI
which have appeared in the Police Gazettp,
and one or two other papers, which would fill
several numbers Of our paper entire. The fac
OF the case are thus briefly stated
Mr.. Horace B. Fry, respectable brokers
was married last summer to Miss Enlly l..
Grigg, daughter Of Mr.. John Grgg, ii retired
bookseller-all OF Philadelphia. Mr.. Grrgg Is
understood to be wealthy; Mr.. Fry in moder:
ate circumstances, but unembarrassed, aud do
ing well. The lady had no property in her own
right but was young and beautiful. The en-
gagement was deemed a fit aud happy one, and
was made with the entire apprnhltlon of the
lady's parents. The acqualntaacc was not
recent one; the mrrrlaJe was ua icrstnou to he
one based on affection purely. and, juIging su
perfcally, none ever seemed more likely to re
suit IN the lasting happiness of the plrues.-
They were married at the house of the brides
father, whence they Immediately set out on
wedding tour, which terminated at West Point
where they remllned some two wptks, when
circumstances were brought to tIe knowledge
OF Mr.. Fry which lmpcllcd him t. luslst on an
immediate return to Philadelphia.
a correspondent ensued between the lady
and cadet whose acquaintance she hud made
at West Point, which melted or aggravated
difference betweenthe husba nd and wltr, which
ended in the abrupt withdrawal ., The lady
from her husbands to her fathers residence,
and the termination of all amicable intercourse
between Mr. and Mrs. Fry, whose married ltf.
lad lasted little less than a month. Mrs. Fry
thereuPon prays the Legislature of Penasylva
MIA to grant her divorce, alleging that her
case is a peculiar one, and not one that could be
maintained in court of Justice, though she
charges Mr.. Fry with manifestations of ungov.
ernable temper, threats of violence, acts OF
harshness, Sc, during their honeymoon. which,
It substantiated, would prove him either lnsunc
or demon. Mr.. Fry, in his answer, soemnly
and calmly denies these allegations, except
that Che admits in single instance he was
provoked by his wife to use rude expression.
for which he Immediately asked and obtained
her pardon. lie protests against any action by
the Legislature in the premises, insisting thai
he alone is the injured party, and that The case
Is one of conflicting statements of fact which
can only be property sted by court of jus.
tlce, to which he purposes in due time to ap.
peal.
Both these cases, extremes Of their kind so
far as public notoriety is concerned, may be
traced, IN their inception and development, To
the influences which pervade the social circles
in which the parties moved. Their manner OF
living aims a deadly blow at all real home en-.
joyment. The ball. the theatre, the levee, and
other scenes OF excitement and exlravagance-
parade and tFtatioI-are the centres around
which the wife aud mother are taught TO move
and shine, like SO many bright particular
stars" Mrs. SIckles was q comet in the world
Of fashion. Sac shone with great brllancy at
Washington for season, aud then dIsa ppeared
in the ackness of m sr1l mldnls sht. When she
should have been al home, di5dharging the sa.
cred duties of wife and mother, she was engaged
10 midnight revelry and fashionable excess, ab-
so!uteIy, by her efforts at displaying the " art
of cnptivating," inviting the advances Of temp.
lation.
Nor was the erring wife altogether to blame
1t seems that he sanctioned her dissipation aud
neglect at home, even cOunivcd at her hrla-
tons with Key, so long he was blind enough
TO regard 1t as an innocent hIrtaton'-lust
if such a thing as firtatiOa in a wife could be
called innocent SO long as husbands encour.
age fashionable frivoli y and dssi patton, to the
neglect Of home duties, and fathers connive at
it in their daughters they need not be surprised
if they are at last stung by the social serpent
thus warmed into life in the domestic BOSOM
Mr.. Sickles helped to SOW the wind-he now
reaps the whrlwind
| The Fry case grew out of similar Causes
Dotng father-spoiod pet of a daughter
glitteriug dispay-seeking that pleasure in
the society Of branless fops and flirting womer
which lives only ia the happy quiet home
" innocent frtation"-temptaton and ruin
disgrace, divorce, murder-these are the fruits
Of the unIerlfe of the fashionable world.
o. DR.. Il. G. Rogers, OF Willow Grove, Del
ectured in Wards Hall, on Wednesday even
ing last. to coed audience. Subject, " Eth
nology, or the Negro Distinct Species" Th