Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-12-04

formal preachlngs OF those days, the les
sons that they taught were always those
of prudence and this one ofdoing without
is one which, more than any other, our
people need 10 learn, and now more than
ever For although tendency TO extray-
aggnce and careless expenditure has been
an American trait for quite a generation,
never before was this failing so great or
so widespread as it has been during the
last ten ears. One reason for this was
not TO our shame, but rather to our credit
we could afford to spend at
rate never before in the annals of the
world possible to whole people. Our
prosperity has been very great. 1t was
not confined to the newlyrich men,
whose fortunes rose like exhalations from
the battle-fields Of our great war 1t per
vaded, more or less, all parts of the cOun-
try, all conditions of society We had
thus the right to spend: but it would have
been better for US if we had spent less and
saved more, and if in prosperity we had
been able to believe that adversely was
possible.
And now the pinch is upon US. We
have been prodigal, and we must needs
suffer for our lavishness. There is no
need for US to eat huskS among the swine,
but we must give up our riotous living
THAT means, | suppose" we hear the
beautiful Aurelia exclaim, she who was a
bride hardly three years ago, that | must
do without a second-best bonnet" No,
indeed, fair LADY, il means no such thing;
but rather that you are to do without
first-best bonnet, and do with second.
best. But you make your second best
bonnets yourself? So much the better;
. 81 d.. al.
money isn't wasted; it buys necessary
things; even hard-hearted men must see
that bonnets are necessary; and then if no
one bought bonnet, what is to become
of the poor millnersg A touching query
truly. But the fair Aurelia may better,
with Mr. Ruskin, confine herself to the
useful and the ornamental, for both Of
which she is so admirably fitted, and not
trouble herself with speculation and
the problems of political economy. Let
her do her duty to her husband and her
household, and the sutferings of the
poor conscientious milliners will not
lie at her door. For the whole question
of comfort and safety for some time to
come lies in the willingness to do with
out the tirstbest bonnet, and to do cheer
fully with the second-best. 1t has been
cans that we must have the best What
ever it might be, whether to wear or to
eat or drink, or what not, we must have
the best, if we could possibly compass it,
or, if not, something that looked like the
best. If a lot of young men, poorly paid
clerks and artisans-formed themselves
into military organization, and had
ball. at that ball they must have cham
payne, and truly they would have some
fluid that tizzled out Of champagne bot |
ties. If the wife or the sister of one of
these same young men went with him to
the theater, she would be offended if she
were taken to any but the best-that is the
most eypensive-part of the house, and
she would expect, too, to have everything
done in the best style. They forgot that
personal dsgnity may be very often pre-
served by the ease and the freedom from
anxiety, to say no more, that may be Sc
cured by contented enjoyment of that
which, although not the best may be
good and there is no surer way to the
loss of u certain kind of selt.respoct than
n determination to have the best regard
less of consequences.
And with the tendcrest possible feeling
for the wearers of bonnets, whether first
best or second best, we tell them that they
are mainly, although not entirely, respon-
sible for this tendency toward excessive
expenditure, and they consequently can
do most to check it. Dress, which they
first think of, is not the only, or even the
most important item in the extravaganza
in question, Yet no observant person
can have failed TO see how vastly greater
IN all conditions of life the cost of
dress is among women, who live mostly
indoors, than among men, who must go
out daily, and in all weather and this eX-
cess, therefore, is not in what is necessary
But American women want the best for
their children, for their houses, nay,
sometimes Enough very seldom) for their
husbands. This is but morbid action
Of healthy instinct-that which belongs
to motherhood But with US it takes a
ruinous turn. American families the
head of which has an income that
in any other country would Gin
proportion to the value OF money!
be regarded as making the utmost
economy of means imperative, live here
upon the best and in the most expensive
way. The best that the market affords is
not too good for them, and an intimation
that that which is wholesome and com
loflaOlc, allnougH not inc Cosllltst, Npulu
better become their means, and conduce
in the end more to their real happiness,
would be sure to be resented by mater
flnilias if not by pater. And now is
good time to stop all this, and TO turn over
that new leaf of which we all have heard
so much, but of which SO few of us ever see
the other side. There never was a more
favorable opportunity for us To find out
: IL - far
that we smoke the best cigars or eat al
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