Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-12-27
FASHION AND RELIGION.


al recent wedding in high life ''the vestibule
Of the church was converted into dressing
room for the ladies of the bridal party, and
furnished with mirrors, tables chairs, brushes,
powder and hair-pins" How edifyiug it is to
learn that the pomps and vauities oucc igno.
ranty regarded as pertaining to wicked world
and deprecated from unretned pulpits as repre-
hcuSible irivolites are now brought within the
pale OF the sanctuary, and that religion aud
tl>hiou iu harmonious bonds Interest bearing,
cicourse) are bringing about millennium Of
millinery. How eIevatng to ones moral sense
is the picture Of the wise virgins no longer
in this age Of gas compelled 10 6ll and trim
uasty oil lamps in an anticipation OF the BRIDE
sroom's coming-touching up their snowy
browS with poudre de riz, and securing their
imported coiffeures with prudent prodding of
hair Plus on the very outskirts of the altar
whereat those twain. forsaking all others, are
to assume the solemn obligation of mutual
liberation through poverty and sickness, if
need be, ''for better or worse, until death or
Connecticut divorce court shall part them.
We have been nearing this happy condition
Of affairs by gradual approaches for some years
past First, fashionable sections favored Us
with ecclesiastical concerts at.Which celebrating
operate selections, as per advertised pro-
graDime, might be heard by all who could af
After awhile the eligibility Of sacred edlfces
ior the private matrimonial entertainments of
good society was discovered, and policemen
we're stationed at the church doors to exclude
ali who might seek to cuter without special
cards of admission Then came full dress re-
icarsals Of the wedding ceremony IN order that
MI the actors might be familiar With the stage
business Of the performance when the time ar
rived for them to appear before an audience.
Now we have added dressing room ior the
cops dramatique, and further improvements
will depend upon whether future engagements
are TO be for gcnteel comedy alone, or, as in
purely secular establishments, to include ballet.
Il the latter case, grand galop of the grooms
men and bridesmaids down the centre aisle
from the vestibule to the chancel would be an
enliveniug prelude to tho more sentimental
Scrue of the spectacle which might, approprl-
atcly conclude with German cotlIllon by the
whole strength of the company.
And yet we fear there may be nntashlonabIe
people who will fail to appreciate these church
ward developments of our highest civilization;
who will hold to their straight-laced, antiquated
notions, and affirm mot that their opinions are
of the slightest couscqucnce) that the house
of prayer is not ittlug place for mirrors,
powder puffs, and hair pins. s.-N. Y. World
A MAN III YEARS OLD.-George laBar,
born at Mount Bethel, Northampton county,
Pa, in the autumn of 1868, is still living at
Spragueville, Monroe county, in his hundred
and eleventh year. His biographer, Mr.. A:
B. Burrel, has seen him several times, aud
gives us the following particulars; tie has
voted for every President sluce Washington
has always voted the Democratic ticket. When
he was born there were one million OF people
10 the United States, that has grown to forty
hn, doh IIron and Ir "
prealgrandchildren He has Il son who has the
same number Of grand children.
The following curious Incidents are taken
from Mr. Burrelps book
MIR La Bar has had fourteen children in all.
But, if one throw away three .sevenths Tor
deaths and casualties, we will have four-seveDths
or eight of the fourteen left as producing mem
bers. He had ten such, but we will make
eight the producing stock and the result will
show an army of twelve thousand two hundred
and seventy. This may be too high, but we
should remember that We have been counting
but four generations, whereas there have been
at least FIVE generations since the original
brothers went out from their bachelor cabin.
Again, Georges eight producing children in-
creased by ratio of eight, and We have sixty
four grand children; then throwing away the
three seyenths, we have four-sevenths OF 81
left which increased again by our ratio, we have
one hundred and pinety-six great-erandchilden
most of them yet to be-. Of course, halt
of the LaBar desccndcnts have many different
names coming from the female side, which is
changed by marriage. fnd the LaBar reach
cs into almost every family in Mount Bethel
and Monroe county, and across the river INTO
Warren county, New Jersey. George LaBars
oldest child was born 10 1871, and Is, therefore,
sevcny.uiue years Of age. He was married at
twenty-one to girl of thirteen: Their Oldest
child is now 6fty-six. This is Mr. LaBars
Oldest grandehild. The old son and his young
wife are still living, having raised large FAINT
ly-so it seems to be healthy for girl to mar
ry at thirteen. Their oldest child is less than
fifteen years your ger than his mother, aud his
head is far whter to-day than his old grand
fathers of one hundred and elveu years. =
PhHudefphia Press