Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-04-03

IuE STEADY ABSORPTION, Dy our large
cities of 80 large proportion OF the country
population, is undoubtedly growing evil, 1t
is, at the same time, one thatit isapparently I'M
possible lei to check. The monotony Of farmers
life, the love of excitement, the desire for high
wages, and the pleasures ands temptations OF
the city combine to bring about this result
The experience of other countries is similar to
our own. In Great Britain, between 1881 and
ls4l, the agricultural class fell off % per CT,
whilst the number engaged in mechanical in-
dus,ries and business pursuits in the towns,
rose about 46 per ct. The movement OF popu-
lation in France, also is in the direction OF the
cities In view Of these facts, very well con,
sidered article in a Northern paper, headed
"A Warning to Young Men, and based upon
q letter from man of twenty years exper-
character and sound health who, with bis
family, hardly sees his way to his daily bread,
will probably do no good. Our contemporary
remarks
I'VE have little doubt that the common
faults of our young men have brought our cor
respondent, with thousands like him, to his
present unfortunate condition. They spend
on small income as if they had large one.
There is no habit of economy with them. They
forget that few dollars saved every yea will
soon form fund to keep the wolf out OF the
door They have a contempt for petty savings
They eat their cake while they are young: and
expect to have it when they are old Their
cigars, and suppers, and dress and excur-
sions take what would have sheltered them
in a rainy day, and then they blame Providence
or society in general Before their income Is
assured, they marry, and their wives have the
same habits. Silks and satins, carpets and
pianos soon eat away each years surplus
With children, expenses increase, and no saw
ings are behindhand At length, some chance
throws them out of employment, and they
stand with hunger and beggary staring them
in the face.
All lower mercantile positions are too much
crowded already. The competition is Intense
and without influential friends, or some prohta
te talents a young man fresh from the coun-
try stands but poor chance Of success, wheth-
cr it be in New York, Chicago, St. Louis or
elsewhere -Bah. Gazette.
Truth STRANGER THAN FlcToN. Readers
often urged against Dickens novel, BLEAK
House. its glaring impossibihty; they thought
the novelist was going beyond the usual license
when he represented Lady Dediock, the hon
ored wife of man Of hig gh position, and lead
er in fashionable circles, holding her position
and her fame, subject to the threats OF a
TaIkenhcrn and Smallweed. But, as usual,
fiction is less improbable than truth; and the
case of Lady Dcdlock less surprising than that
Of Lady Tairs This lady, described as the
daughter of Polish count, with fortune Of
l23,OOO francs, the wife of the Queen advo-
cate, Sir Travers Tairs, the well.known author
of treaties on International Law, and Vicar
General of the Province of Canterbury, has for
years been covering beneath the threats of a
low, blackmailing attorney. Proceedings were
commenced against this scoundrel on behalf OF
Sir Travers the lady was examined and cross
examined for two days, in which she met every
foolish question put to her by the defendant
with an indignant denial, and an air Of out
ragged virtue; her guardian and other friends
were examined; but, on the fourth day, she
disappears, the prosecution is abandoned, and
the eminent tawy er resigns the high Offices he
had so worthily and brilliantly filed. The
truth of the case will now, perhaps be never
known; or the fate of the ill.fated woman
whose conduct, of late years, has been above
the breath of notwithstanding Progress.
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