The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-01-17

and what is there left for man to be socia
on? 1t is my firm belief that salaries paic
in this city are not large enough A man
who is any kind of n man can't get through
a day without spending from five to ten
dollars. If he don't spend that much he i.
not social If he is not social he'll not have
any friends. If he has no friends he canno
sell any goods. If he is not social he vii
not form any valuable acquaintances; al
least, that's what oil the fellows say, and il
must be so. I tried five or six different
places, worked hard. had good salary, but
then, at the present high price of drinks, ]
tell you, plainly, man don't get enough
for his work. When I was pcid sixty dol
lars week, it cost me at least fifteen to live
-couldn't get along with less than twelve
leaving just the merest pittance in the
world for fellow to slosh around with
When fellow don't slosh he is not social
if he is not social he don't have friends; il
he has no friends he can't sell goods; if Inc
don't sell goods he is not worth anything to
his employer; if he is not worth anything
to his employer he can't have salary; il
h e don't have any salary he can't be social.
When came down here, I was in good
health; could run mile without stopping
slept we'll nights; had a good appetite; my
complexion was fresh and clear, and rather
enjoyed life. Now have been here five or
six years, and the worry and annoyance OF
trying to live with ecor omy, so worried me
that my health is not anything compared
with what it used to be. 1 changed board
ing-houses more than fifty times, trying to
find cheap one that would be good 1t is
an outrage to charge man ten or twelve
dollars per week for board 1t is another
outrage for women to charge dollar per
dozen for washing It is an outrage, also,
to charge six cents car fare. At these ex-
tortions, they don't leave anything for a
fellow to slosh around with Now am ont
of situation Nothing to do. T go to
Tom or Jim or any of the old boys I used
to know, and ask them for Il few dollars,
and they haven't it. Their salaries are
small, and they don't have anything to be
social with Got married Thought that
would cheaper up things little. Some
said it was cheaper to keep house than to
board. | would go home at night, and
wife would say that I'd been sloshing around
too much. told her just wanted to be
social. Sometimes she would look bad and
feel bad, and then I would feel bad, and
would go off to find some of the BOYS to be
social with. 1t would be mid d-night when
got home, and perhaps we would have a
row. or scene, or something. And all this
might have been prevented if folks had
given better salaries. Tried to explain to
my wife that it was necessary to be social,
that if you did not invite fellow out to
drink every half hour, you did not amount
to anything. She would cry and said I
thought more of the fellows than L did of
her; said L did not love her. Confound
these women, they never understand these
things as us men do Now, I'm out of q
situation. Nothing to do. Can't even
borrow dollar. One of the boys came
down from the country the same time did.
He was not social like the rest of us. Didn't
make any friends. Didn't go sloshing around
New York. Never had any fun. But by
some luck-I don't know how it was-just
clear luck-he got to be partner in the
house; now he is SO cussed big he can't
speak to anybody. stood on Broadway
the other night, leaning against lamp
post, waiting for the pavement to settle q
little-it being just after the earthquake
and was little afraid. I saw him go by
in his carriage and point to me. He was
lucky; that's NIL there was OF il. 7 worked
harder than he did to be somebody. Went
out with the fellows, spent lots of money,
was social, but there was no luck for me.
II cost .he since I've been in New York over
a VI, 200 year to be social, and that's all
the good it does me. think this is very
ungrateful world. Lots Of men might help
me, but they will not. They are preju-
diced; think [ don't attend to business,
that I'm little unsteady; but I know am
not-just want to be social with the boys,
that's all. If fellow can't be social with
the boys. what's the use of living? Socially
thine, BRICK POMEROY.
Marshall Neil is about to abolish the DO
sition of vivandiere in the French army, on
the Qround of economv Tho c;uond;a.o 90