The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-05-23

anu give um q try,
At the Register Book Store, handy,
Tn sartiE'f you see one you'll buy"
Living With Windows Open.
More than any other people in the
world, Americans live with their windows
open. Less than any people who have
homes do they regard their homes as
sacredly private. Every family knows
its neighbor's affairs and nothing trans
pires concerning the most private relations
that is not Immediately noised abroad,
discussed, and Judged by meddling and
gossiping communities. Homes that should
be guarded with the most jealous care are
Of easy access to strangers, who come
with the fimsicst credentials, or with
none at all ; and every year produces its
crop Of ofpersonal and social disasters which
this unwise exposure of the soil gives to
reckless or villainous sowing. IF man
should wish to see how Americans differ
in this thing from other nations, let him
try to get into German or English fam
lily, or even into French family, abroad.
He will at once discover that he has un.
dertaken to do very difficult thing. No
man can obtain an inside view of the
economies and habits of foreign home,
and share in its communion, who does not
enter it with record or an introduction
and Endorsement which place him above
suspicion. Students who go to continent
al Europe to study language, with the
natural expectation to accomplish their
purpose by entering French or a Ger
man family, find, to their surprise, that
nothing but necessity will induce any
family to open its sancities to them.
1t will naturally be said that old or
mature communities are conservative in this
as in other matters but we do not see
that, as America grows older, it mends in
this respect. Indeed, it is certainly and
swiftly growing worse The greed for
personalities - the taste for everything
relating to the life of individuals - and
the base desire to be talked about, were
never more prevalent that now. We have
only to take up fashionable paper tc
learn who has had parties, who ATTENDED
the parties, who were the bellies of thu
parties, and how they were dressed and
We know while we read that the ladie.
who gave the parties gave also the infor
nation concerning them, and were glad
to see the reports in print. Weddings
which should be sacred to kindred aud
closest friends, are turned into public
shows; and trousseaus are inventoried by
the daily prints and spread before tht
country. 1t is not enough that ones mar
riage be published when it takes place
but the engagement must bruited in Jen
kins Journal, jenkins having previousl,
been assured that the announcement woulc
not be offensive, and subsequently repaid
by an order for extra papers. The inan
tiles Of the Court Journal, over whicl
Americans were in the habit of laughiu.
dozen years ago, are more than match
ed by the daily report of the movement
OF every man Of title, or place, or notori
ETY.. When woman lectures, the report
ers understand that the first thing peopl,
wish to learn about her relates to he
face, figure, and dress and that is tn,
first thing they write about. The womei
of the platform-being all very scnsibl,
women,a and too wise to be vain-are o
course offended by this treatment; but i
somehow happens that the reports are gen
orally of aattering character.
1t would be possible to get along will
all this. A man may become used t.
smothering his sense OF humiliation an.
disgust when reading the public record 0
private life,so long as that record is mad
with the consent, or at the wish, of thos
to whom it relates but it happens tha
we have in America now prowling,pry
ing, far-seeing, vivacious, loquacious, vo
racious being known as the Local Editor
who must get living, and who lives onl
upon items. If man sneezes twice il
his presence, the local column of tn
morning paper will contain the announce
ment that "our esteemed citizen
is suffering from a severe cold. If a maj
lose his hat in a high wind, it cxcites tn
the mirth of the local editor to the cx
tent of dozen lines. lie amplifies a,
accident that kills,or scandal that ruin
with marvellous minuteness of detail
His eye is at every mans back door, t,
see and report who and what 20 and conc
There is nothing safe from his peu. Al
the private affairs Of the community fo
which he writes are published to tha
community every day. If a man shoot
"A dog,or catches string Of trout, or ride
out for his health, or is seen mystcriousl,
leaving town Oh an evening train, or sell
a horse, or buys a COW, or gives a dinner
party, or looks sallow, or grows fat, o.
smiles upon 4 widow, or reuews the wall
paper of his house, he gives the local ed
itor an item. The local editor turns tn,
houses Of the community inside out ever,
day and keeps the windows open by whiei
the secrets and sanctities of every hom,
are exposed to public view.
The local editor is, we regret to say
not without excuse. Occasionally som,
indignant victim of his prying and pub
fishing propensities scourges or scold
!. him hut IN ronat ho oncoaaoI .-ssl =.