Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-10-17
a SENSIBLE LECTURE ON
STYLE"
DY AN OLD NAN.

on this varigated flower garden on which we
live. One of these mean things is chestnut
burs, and the other is the habit many people
have of taking style" There are folks, my
boy, who can't stand prosperity. 1t hardens
them, as boiling water hsrdens an egg. It
spOis them. They succeed ever so little, and
at once take more style than man could rise
even with a balloon. Not one in ten score,
my boy, were ever intended to prosper, and it
tooks bad, 10 see success, even by accident,
crowning their efforts. How it looks my boy
for poor man to take style, put on airs, saw
his wood down cellar for fear people will see
him laboting; 60 without stockings for the sake
of wearing gloves, just TO make show ofgen-
tility, when there is not pinch Of SALT or half
potatoe in his whole cellar, kitchen and pan
try. Yes, it shows a very thin stock of brains
when man is poor and ashamed Of labor
When a person is above his business he is use
less except to try a new hearse with. Every
day, my boy, we see such men. They wear
pinch back jewelry TO show off at night. and
take style in all sorts of ways by putting on
airs and tulkiDg big to honest men.
And, my boy, when you see young man
from the country who has learned the fast gait
ofrhe city, going back on his mother for wear
ing colored stockings, and tieing her shoes
with calf-skn Strings, and is ashamed TO visit
her or her visit him, believe u.s. my boy, that
he has taken style too deep. And when he
becomes ashamed Of his father. who comes in
town by the side of an OK team with cabbage.
butter, wheat, wool or other produce TO sell,
believe US, my boy, that he has been taking
stvle of the most contemplate and despicabe
kind. There are lots of such boys.
And there are girls who style until they had
sooner take their chance with the itch, salt
rheum, canker, rash, measles, whooping cough
or lung fever, than be seen in a kitchen over a
wash tub, or wearing smile except in the
parlor, when the "feller'' who does their kiss
ing comes around. Shun all such people, my
boy, as you would hot horse shoe in 4 black
smiths shop.
And there are men, my boy, who take style
as soon as elected to some petty office; appoint
ed to some insignificant clerkship; smiled upon
by some handsome woman; surprised by leg
acy, or who have swindled some tailor out ola
handsome suit of clothes, till you can't rest
where they are.
And there are men who have worked their
wav to riches, prominence and position, who
all of a sudden take style and forget their car
ly friends, forget who stood by them through
thick and thin; forget who made them, and
who will deign to speak to nothing in the
shape Of humanity unless done up in silk or
broadclOth. Such folks, my boy, are humbugs.
They take style too thick, and so far US good
opinion goes, they play out" Twenty pounds
of prosperity to the square foot will squeeze
/ Il l. ant Of
Style and sense are different. my boy. Sense
wears well. but too many people take in pref
| ereI ce. Let us not do ii, my, boy, as style
will change every time. Brief authority is a
hard testing machine, and the man who can
stand its pressure and not get stiff in the back
aud forget to look low enough TO see his friends
| is worth hiiching to. We are made of flesh,
/ bones and blood, my boy. We all must die.
| and then, unless we have minded our own bu-
siness and stuck to our stand, even if we did
not sell cents worth, people will say we were
a good fellow until s'yle made levy.
If You are a man-ir you are Il butcher, roll
up Your sleeves, my boy, and stick to your
business. If you are poor, don't be ashamed
of it. If you have business, stick to it like a
man. Ii you have no business, 6nd one. II
| you SACSCu III IT. u'u ~ I'toua anu 50 NeNN
on early friends.
This is queer world, my boy. People get
drcadfuIly mixed up. People do not inherit
Office in this country. Election day comes
quite often. and rotation in ofice is the word
BE Just what you can. There are different
kinds of timbcr-aIl useful. If poor, don't
take style to deceive folks; if rich, don't take
style to disgust them; if in authority, don't bt
hog, because it is easier to grunt than talk
and never get above your business. We are
all of US, my boy, more alike than we are will
ing to acknowledge. This habit Of taking
style and putting on airs is like sticking pine
limbs into the ground on gala days, to make
country folks think they are trees without th'
root, and summer sun soon dispeis the illusion
In this country, my boy, where one man i
inst as good another, where the priest anc
murderer walk to the galows fide by side; tax
ing style over summer clothes, small feet, cur
" hair, rich relations, petty offices, or position
others helped you to, is very silly. Rather
nv boy, be man, and let fools take style
There are packages marked honest, so we vii
not have to open them to find out the con
, tents Aud they are the kind, Walter, m
: boy.