The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1869-07-10
Society.

There was occasion recently to
visit palatial residence in the
neighborhood of our city, for the
purpose of inspecting certain
woods of American growth that
had been used in the finish of the
house. Its a huge structure, I'M
exceptional as an architectural eff
fort, but lacking the background
Of wide domain to give it relief.
1t stands like country house
without the country, and affects
one as would a magnificent paint
ing in a poor frame.
Walking through the suberb in
terror, with q servant to throw
open shutters, and lead the visi-
ror from hall to drawing-rooms,
and from drawing-rooms to libra
~, the solitude was congenial to
reflection, and thoughts reyolved
about the question of what good
is there in all this to repay the
heavy expenditure? The proprie-
tor lives in a little counting-room
in the city, with his mind pinned
down on account books. His ex-
cellent wife is doomed to the ter
rible drudgery Of keeping in order
a show place that can not be
SHOWN, through servants that are
not even servants in name.
To have such a residence avail
able one ought to possess an i'm
mense income independent of la
Dor, and the place should be filled
with family and guests, waited on
by small army of servants. Such
is life in Europe, and such are the
appliances for comfort and luxury
in the social structure.
OF these we have none Nhatev-
er. There are no fixed incomes
nor any of the social repose neces-
sary to their enjoyment. We
have no guests, for no one has
leisure or means to be guest,
and as for servants in this blessed
land of liberty, such base Great
ures are unknown. Tom. Jeffer-
son, the one really great man Of
his day, devoted his Virginia soul
to the assertion that all honest
toll was honorable. When on his
death bed, those would have been
his last words, but unfortunately
when they lifted him up he lacked
the wind necessary to their utter
ance. AS it was, he looked them
and died. inherited his teach
ings. We, a nation of laborers,
and the sons Of laborers, .profes-
sing to believe in democratic
form of government, shrink from
honest toll as a shame and a dis.
grace. Rather than black boots
or brush clothes we will cheat,
steal, or rot in a poor-hOuse. Our
servants are foreigners, who soon
learn our weakness and help our
absurdity by initiating their en-
ployers. In struggling to get
above the situation, they end by
sinking below, and by being poor
servants demonstrate that they
are none.
An Englishman in business looks
eagerly for the day when he can
retire, and crafty his bhcolic in
stincts, on a fixed income. A
Frenchman works up to the same
end, differing only in q wish to
die in Paris. The chiefend of an
American is to possess himself of
a stone-front, behind which are
certain rooms Of stunning uphol-
stery, where gentility freezes to
death, and the poor wife fights
moths and miserable servants
Capturing this, he is forced to
continue his business that he may
keep up the social misery.
We are in pursuit Of the al
mighty dollar. Aged men die in
their counting rooms, and theil
sons trot home from the funerals
to keep their notes from going tC
protest. We have no time fol-
study, no taste for art, no capaci
ty for social enjoyment. 1t is one
eternal grind, based ondyspepsia
and ending in naught.
But we come out strongest il
our spasmodic effort at evening
entertainments. Every pdter hav
ing a manageable daughter OF
the market, is forced to MAKE
himself and family miserable a
least once every season. On thes'
occasions the interior of the man
sion undergoes a fearful convul
sion. Not being built for such al
effort, the inner sanctuary is in
vadnd he'd rooms arc t1lrnad inf,