The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-07-23
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We copy as follows from the Londo
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We copy as follows from the London
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1t seems te US that nothing could be
better calculated to hinder marriage
than the present system of domestic
economy, ettiquette and .hospitalit'es
In the first place, the excessive luxury
and display in which upper and mid
die ranks indulge forbids anything like
easy intercourse between young people.
What, with the warton costli1ess otdress'
entertainments and other family items
very little remains to be spent on every
day comforts and everyday enjoyment.
In large per centage of cases there is
nc doubt that the balance is ON the wrong
side, and that the people not only live
up to the utmost they can.afford, but afford
themselves just a trife more than they
can pay for Consequently a certain
,stereotyped scale of living is adhered
to, at what costs the victims Of conveu-
tionalism and the worshipers Of fashion
only know7 and much more rational
qualifications are sacrificed. ~.
The diversity of family interests,
moreover, is an ofshoot of the self-same
evil; While girls lives have SO little in
common with the lives of their brothers
| and fathers, who can wonder at the OBJ.
jectionable way in which some of them
find amusement for themselves +? The
Germans express the diverse interests
and upsympathetic existence ofa family
circle in one way: " Unzusammengho
rfskeit," which, literally translated, is
altogether belongingness, and is just
this that we complain Of in large sense
Not only as members of families, but ot
society, our nnzusammenghokeat is 6
growing evil against which every one
ought, to struggle.
It is impossible to enjoy the society
of cultivated woman unless she wear:
dress decdllete exceedingly and Ii
man not to be considered clothed anc
in his right mind who is not habite'
in black trousers and swallowtail coat
All this is absurd enough, and generate
serious Inconvenience and extravaganza
And would it not be wise to adopt ;
more sensible style of evening .,dres
which would enable people walk to
each others houses There can be NJ
doubt but that the low gowns and cttm
brous head.dresses of ladies Of the pres
ent day, or rather night; are relics Of
barbarous age, and must some time o
othe, give way to more sensible cos
tune
| There is yet another point to consid
er. A man often remains unmarried
not because he prefers single life. bu
because he is too conscientious and to
unselfish to condemn a. young woman
nursed in luxury to poverty and tn
anxieties of an uncertain livlihood.
seems to MS that grievous responsibiit
rests upon parents. Lii this matter. {
least they should take a. heed for tn
morrow, and consider their daughter:
not as mere playtbings in the hous'
but as rational beings, who will, soone
or later, fare the hard realities of lif
and it msg be. unaided and alone:
3 is nonsense to affirm that the extrav'
gance of the age is obligatory. "
! could do our duty as citizens, parent
: and Christians, quite as well, and pc
t haps better, if we resolutely adhere
7 the principle of living within our income
= no matter how small We could me-
/. old age twice as cheertully, and VIII
J, to parents is harder still-the middle az
), of our unmarried daughters; if we ha
: : placed them beyond the reach Of Fl
penury that depressed, the disappoin
meut that sours, and the independent
that demoraiizes.