The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1868-07-01
VERY nEspEcr.BLE PEOPLE.

were those of whom the world had
nothing i'll to say-who lived quietly
and did their duties, and were able to
win respect. Girls who worked for
their daily bread, with no stain upon
their charactcrs-men who toiled at
common employments for the support
of growing and well-trained families,
were all welcomed with the rich to
church-pew and parlor. TO be very
respectable, was to be honest and up
right.
Looking over our church to-day, |
have been asking myself whether /
belong to the respectable ofthe present
time. One of our neighbors lives in a
large white mansion, surrounded by
pleasant walks and charming hooks
for shade on sunny day. Within
everything is costly and tasteful. The
only thing wanting is domestic ielici-
ty. The husband quarrels with his
second wife, the first children quarrel
with their second mother, the wife's
decrcpit father is insultcd, and yet
people call them very respectable.
Another within II stones throw, lives
more elegantly still, is blessed with
several daughters in his own family,
and numerous sons and daughters in
other families, and yet bears an excel
lent name.
A member of our church-onc Of
the best churches in the lands the
gentlemanIy proprietor of a wholesale
liquor store, and neither pastor nor
people have as yet taken any steps to-
ward communicating him.
Another is in the wholesale grocery
business but sells many Y barrel Of
whisiey where he sells one of sugar,
for polite license has in the last few
years made whiskey a grocery article,
daily necessity in living. A very
efficient man has the misfortune to
support three wives and one large
family, two of these wives very fortu-
natcly having no children. The drain
upon his pocket is very heavy and bu-
siness sometimes stagnant, yet he is a
pillar in our neighborhood. Another
loans money to the poor, takes mort
cages on comfortable homes, and fore
closes them at the first good opportu-
nifty. Another keeps large store,
employing several girls as clerks, pay
ing them So per week for work, out of
Which they pay 81 80 for board, claim
ing the privilege Of using any familiar
ity he chooses, or they must lose their
places, and he the husband ola refined
woman, Another, whom we meet
every day, has wife and lovely child
ren, and yet supports one and some
times two Theatre Comique girls.
People say what a fine business man
What u noble face he has and all these
are called very respectable people.
Several Of our neighbors have failed
for large amounts, defrauding the in
noccnt poor, and rumor says these
failures are necessary, that they might
lay by u little for their families to
move in "respectablc society" Many
more never pay their honest debts,
even though they live in afiluence, but
custom has made this allowable.
Y man who used to pack pork with
greasy hands and soiled clothes, and
was very Common fellow" after ac-
quiring money enough to build a fine
house and drive a handsome span,
too illiterate to speak or write
correctly, has become highly esteem
ed citizen.
We have young men in our midst
who drink hard and live fast, and |
have heard young ladies say they were
most respectable associates, and these
same young ladies will ride, and walk,
and talk with them, when they should
be asleep, losing perhaps what no
money can regain.
a family with a good show of sill
yer plate, and silk dresses, lives for
the most part on baked potatoes, and
sometimes few at that, and all this for
the sake of being respectable.
One of our ncighbors was assured
by the spirits whom he consulted that
he and his wife, though living togeth-
er, for a score of years were wrongly
mated. He obtained divorce and
married his congenial spirit, a young
dashing girl, who knew us well how to
spend his money as his former wife
did to savcit. The whole thing would
hardly have looked respectable had
it not happened in first family.
A lady who used to do dressmaking,
having the fortune to marry man of
wealth, has forgotten her old associate
dressmakers, indeed has forgotten how
to make dresses-"thinks it must re-
quire so much skill and patience! ~
Several young ladies whose brothers
have married finely in a pecuniary
sense, and not finely in any other, have
become so elated by it, that their many
airs have given them an immediate
entry into "good society"
Another lady, who had an invalid
husband-for which she is probably
thankful; allows herself to be kissed,
and cloake1, and gallanted by a GER
tain young man. Our neighbors
think it is not prudent, but then her
family stands high.
Another, who dresses elegantly never
puts out her washing to the poor by
the dozen, except they are all the larg-
est pieces, and then under pretense
that many are poorly done, full price
is seldom paid, and yet she attends
church and carries n yerv larpe praver