Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-10-01
From th9 Memphis Avalanche.
Snobbish High Life.

The country is running wild. Extrava-
gance, folly, and fraud are tho great pre-
valling vices of the timcs-the grand char
actcrstics of the age. 1t is manifestly
more or less in our cities and villages, and
Its influence is seen III the debasement of
men and women, and the complete ruin of
children. Every successful speculator or
fortunate operator must initiate, and if nos
sible excel. his neighbor, the lucky banker
or the moncy making grocer; and to do
this, without regard to expense, away they
20 into the marble and satin, the rosewood
and silver, keep extravagant carriages with
horses to match, and give parties where
brussels aud Wil'on outvie in color their
silks and the vino which make up
the chief part of the entertainment. Up
goes the new house, with all the decoration
which vulgar or a refined taste NAV suc-
gcst. Up it goes into tho air, huge pile
or a fantastic residence, but not n room in
it for the comfort of the owner or family
all of it for show and the public gazc. The
women flaunt about in lace and laziucss, or
recline upon soft cushions in fine carriages.
neither knowing whether the money that
Keeps them up be stolen or honestly gained.
They are happy in the fact that they dash
as much as tie richest of their nciyhbors
For an American of fortune-real solid
toitunc--to dash into all this extravaganza,
ls folly; but that man is guilty of down
right wickcdncss who, upon little money,
goes to vast and foolish expense; for he
must rob somebody to carry out his plans :;
or II he has enough to warrant it all, his
phlIIrnn w hnI, l,io fN- {; 1. 1
them will have ali the silly and extravagant
notions Of their father without the money
to give them reality. Out Of ali this mis-
ernblc life there spring evils worse than
bankruptcy. The sins of the father are
visited upon the children to the third cen
cr"tion. OF what use to society are the
children Of such people? Sons who have
been educated to believe that all this splen.
dor constitutes the best of life and that
fast horses and champagne are cmblcmatic
OF high life. Daughters brought up BY IL
silly. ridiculous mother, who glories in her
carpets and curtains her carriage aud her
pnrtlcs, and the fashionable training of her
children.
Nice creatures these for life battle in
a~worId where energy and industry and
endurance are worth to them more than all
the airs, glHccs, and style that they learned
in the patcrnnl drawing of foreign masters
Out ofthis struggle t, excel in this sort of
lite there spring, too, fraud nnd chicanery.
and all manner of crime for in the contest.
gold, gold, is the end and aim of all--thc
means arc not regarded The sensible
part OF the community laugh at this folly.
and hugh loudly too, at coarse vulgarity
parnding itself in gay equipages, and mov.
ing about with all the airs and affections
OF snobbish high life-people elevated
above their fellows by stock operation or
rise in town lots, and rejoicing thcreaf-
ter in fashy and in gaudy houses.
If they made fools of themselves alone.
it would all be proper enough. But the
effect upon their families and upon society
is most to he dreaded.
In country where the law divides
among a mans heirs all his estate after
death, unless disposed Of by will, and when
the chances are that the property will not
remain in the family beyond the second
generation. it is utter folly to build paa-
ccs to live in; far better would it be to
eXpend the same money in building schools
or founding asylums, the benefit of which
the rich mans heirs may need. On; on,
goes our American life Helter-sketcr
hurly- -bury-on it goes Dasb-make a
sensntlon--get money-honestly if you can
got money; but educate children after
the same fashion, and then die and be for
gotten.
HORRIBLE AFFAm.-A correspondent
of the Sacramento Union, writing from
Forks of Butte on the 10th of July, gives
particulars of most atrocious deed
which makes the blood curdle with indie,
nation against the mn. 'ering white friends;
Some Indians, camping apout two miles
from there on the ridge in the direction of
Chica creek, were surprised by party of
white men, printed, who fired upon and
killed une of the Indians. Wounded several
others, and robbed them of $50 or go in
money, and whatever eise 6f value they
could lay their fiendsh hands upon. OF
the killed, two were chiIdre1, two women
four of the meu were sick, one of whom
was blind, one aged, and With one e&cep-
ton, all were helpless. The only ibn vio.