The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-07-01

| lcSIcN ucT influence anu SUOMI SO much II
awe Of her wealth and position that the,
dared not openly denounce her, and they
also feared that such q course pursued BY
such woman might become fashiona
BILE, and then, having no real merits o.
their own to rely upon, how should they
maintain q supremacy?
"What would you and Mrs. Delaney
have me do?" asked Mrs. Harwood, look.
ing at her visitor with an amused expires.
sion.
Why, be more exclusive in your asso.
Citations. Society makes distinctions to
which you pay no regard whatever; but !
suppose it is on account of your Western
education, and when you are better &C.
quaiated with the usages of Eastern So
ciety feel confident that you will gladly
conform to its rules. When you are in
Rome you must do as Rome does, you
know"
81 shall be glad to initiate Rome in
every good and worthy example she sets
before me-"
81 knew you would; and now shall 1
proceed to point out to you a few instances
! where your Western customs seriously
conflict with the usages of fashionable So
cietys' 49,.
whenever you convince me that evil re-
suits will follow any of my practices, I
assure you that I will gladly abandon
them"
~ am really happy to see that you are
| going to take my remarks in the spirit in
which they are offered, and now let me
ask if you remember that, when we at
tended the State fair, you disengagedyo your
self from our party, the elite of this fash
ionable and wealthy city, and wandered
off among the farmers wives and daugh-
tiers, as though you really enjoyed their
society," Now please tell me why you did
So"
cit was because really enjoyed the
conversation of good, honest and useful
women. regard such people as the real
essential element of society. The world
could exist without the fashionable lady,
but how should we dispense with the use
full people?'
II admit that there is a place for every
one, but the trouble is, that we must make
these people know their places"
Have you any more right to decide
where another's place is than they have
to assign you to any particular position
not in accordance with your will and quail
ifcations ~
"Oh, society has settled all these mat
to conform to its requirements.
"Have you any standard by which to
Judge people except the measure of dol
lars and cents?'
Certainly; I do not claim that wealth
is everything.'
What. then, are the other necessary
qualifications"
"A lady should be educated, accom-
plished and refined"
"Supposing she is coarse, ignorant and |
narrow minded, but wealthy, will society |
close its doors against her?'
81 must admit that wealth covers a |
multitude of sins.''
"Suppose that another possesses all the |
other qualifications, will she be admitted |
as an equal of the first if she earns her
own living, and thus makes herself useful
to the community in which she resides ~
Fashionable ladies would not recog-
niZe her,
Personal merit, then, is entitled to no
consideration unless backed by the more
powerful influence of wealth.
1--WE cannot expect to obtain perfection
in these matters.'' :
II have observed as much, and when I
see that which l regard as an unjust dis
elimination do not feel that am under
any obligation to endure it. Ifreal merit,
intelligence and morality were made the
standard, Mrs. Delaney would rank far
below the people whom she affects to de-
spise. You know as we'll as that she
was one of the working girls in a large
manufacturing establishment before she
eloped with and married the youthful son
of her employer; and now if she was en-
gagged in trying to better the condition of
the poor girls from whose lot she has es.
capped, in spite of her ignorance and vanity,
I could look upon her with feelings of re-
spect; but this disposition to crush down
and trample upon our fellow-beings
ennobles no one. In my opinion,
true philanthropy consists in trying
to elevate and to benefit the hui
man race, to inspire higher aspira- I.
tons, nobler impulses and purer natures
not in assigning to them positions be-
meath us and then trying to compel them
to remain there, as though we feared their
superior talents might eclipse our own if
there were no social barrier to prevent.
bounds of your own social circle how are
you to learn anything of the great, living,
throbbing heart of the universe, as it man
ifests itself through the grand motive
power of honest labor? learned more of
true usefulness of the real life and soul of
the nation in the few hours that passed
among these honest, worthy and intelli-
gent people, whose energy in developing
the resources of our country was so
grandly exhibited at the fairs, than l
could in as many days in circles where
dress and fashion are the absorbing topics"
II see that it is useless to argue with
you,' said Mrs. Lindsay with an air of
II hope that have not given offense
by my earnest manner, but hope that no
lady will forfeit her responsibility by rec
ognlzing me if an adherence to my prin-
ciples makes me odious to her clique. l
would rather that you would leave me out
ooh, we cannot afford to do that; if we
cannot have you without these singular
opinions, we must have you with them"
Mrs. Lindsay felt that she had gained
no victory, but there was something so
kind, so amiable and benevolent in Mrs.
Harwood's manner that she was not
departure to report the result of her visit
to Mrs. Delaney.
"The stubborn woman, }" cried Mrs. D.;
Sc instead of doing as Rome does, she
wants Rome to do as she does"
"No, she only claims the right Of act
ing in accordance with her own views, and
makes no attempt to dictate to Others"
"She ought to be entirely banished from
society; what can we do with
herr"
"AI that we can afford to do is to let
her alone; don't you remember how sew
eral of the ladies had determined to treat
her with decided GOODNESS at the fair? But
when they saw Gov. - and wife treat
ing her with such marked attention, how
they all changed their minds. Suppose
that she should strike our names from her
list of invitations to her reception next
week."