The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-12-23
RICHMOND,
OUR SATURDAY NIGHT.
About Masks.

- i
come dressed in silks, furs, satins,
broadcloth, diamonds, jcwelry and
other evidences of wealth. We
know Of one house in this city to-
night where lives man of wealth, /
reputed very rich. Passers-bY
look up to the elegant door with it's
carved figures-to the lace cur
tains and artificial flowers in the
windows-to the silvered bell-pull
1.-The appearance of comfort, ele-
gance and happiness.
The man who lives here goes
and comes in carriage. His wife,
with her servants in livery, rides
hither and yon On the avenues and
in he parks to show her equipage.
an makes other ladies envious OF
he and her gorgeous apparel. At
parties she is said by reporters to
bs beautiful. Certain it is that but
few are moro enyied than her of
the beautiful palace home and
wealth in abundance.
Yet within there is q skeleton.
But 9 few days since We learned
it. And to learn was TO think Of
others. The rich husband oft and
often is brought home drunk.
maudlin. ugly, disgusting. Then
the children are told that papa is
sick. The we'll ll.trained servants are
taught TO say their master is ill,
or out, or away rom the city. and
the family physician is sent for.
Then comes tiale Of sadness for
the wife, who has no mere influ-
ence over her husband than over
q rock by the wayside.
The elegant mansion and its
furniture is the price lie pays for
that freedom ne uses to such dis.
advantage for himself. One OF
the sons of the drunken husband
and dressy wife sis growing up to
follow IN the path of the father.
for fathers can do no harm! So II
comes, as we know, that the face
we see on the street, so smiling,
and painted, and powdered, Is the
same face tha. was lined with 60
much agony last night. The eyes 80
heavy and rose watered for the
public, many o day and night at
home arc tear-blistered. for hearts
will not die at command. no mat
ter who bids.
The beautiful lady of the ele-
gant house lives q sad, sad lie.
Her husband is not of her or with
her in heart or sympathy. He is
lost in his bonds, his hank, his
horses, his wine suppers and his
club companions. She is his wife,
not in heart, but in the eyes Of the
world! She is the legalized keep
|; er OF his fine establishment up
: town. She is his moral cover
while he lives only for effect, and
for that position so desired by
those who live only surface lives,
=
Not many blocks away, In q tcne
ment house, lives a poor man
Here he is at home. He lives and
!. loves--lives witt those he loves,
and is happy. Lie with him il
life, Indeed. When he comes from
his labor, there is always JOY and
generous welcome. The wife hi
? SO loves, honors and respects i:
: happy when his work is done and
Y with her he can rest. The ittl,
!, ones run to romp with their p,pa
; and tell him little stories Of theil
plays, and for his sympathy ovel
their falls, tumbles and accidents
From each day he extracts happi
;, ness, AS does q bee from ever]
d flower. There is no skeleton il
'e lis house. No drunken hours o
|" sickness from dcbauch. His vii
1t locks like the sweet, mcllow-heart
z ed, loving, devoted wife she reall.
:" is. On her face is none Of tina
tired, heart-sick, weary, longin
look 70 lie seen on the face OF til
uptown lady, who would not b
seen in company with her poore
'. clad but thousand happier neigh
30 Dor.
AS with housee, so with me
and women. Not always the bal
piest men in the finest houses. Nc
always the best, bravest and pal
r. est spirit in the less attractiv
ed body. We know men and womc
s. who are poor in this worlds goods
but rich in love. faith, honesty an
good will. AS men live in houses
80 live epi,its in bodies. So d
live in hodics till born again I'll
nd entering upon new life. Bodie
ug are hut houses. A corpse is n
more than hou deserted by il
owner. Because the house was AT
tractivc, the owner might not hay
been Because man is poor. G
r. less in stature. than his neighhc
No because woman is less attrac
eel tive in form and shape aud s:yl
than her neighbor, is no proof .h.
her spirit-the occupant Of i
earthly tenement-was not bes!,
than thousand of others.
ur So we never know Of the inns
ho of house till we know him. S
'th we never know Of the spirit with
". " the man till we have looked dee
ity into aud past the outer gates
'er into the heart aud down into Il
su soul. MK
ay Because house is small, or oil
or rscked. or partly in ruins,
will not do to say there is no hom
honor, happiness there. Becan
man or woman may be poor, oil
at Young, ragged, hardpalmed, be