Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-12-20
coDrIsn ARIsToCRACY.

CODFISH ARIsTOCRACY.
Two little misses Of twelve or four
teen years Of age. were appointed to can
vass q village to raise funds for a be-
ncvolent objedt. One OF them. more sa-
gacious than the other, FASTENED around
70 the residences whose occupants were
most wealthy aud generous, and obtain
cd quite a sum Of money; the other
more thorough and honest in her can
vass. visited every house, but obtained !
little among the poor, and those who had !
been previously visited by her more for
tunate companion At length. having
called at the residence Of well.to.do
and very respectable family. she gave
vent to her feelings by saying. MARY
has been around to all the first families
and left me nothing but the scrapings.
The remark did not compliment the fam
nv in whose home it was made. but it
furnishes text for this writing.
The expr ssion that fell from this
girls lips, shows that there is an I'M
preston. even among the children of
small town and village. that there are
first families. and what she denominatcd
'.scrupings." The question arises, Who
constitute first families, and who make
up 1.-THE scrapings ?" That class who
make divisions and distinctions III socic-
~ would place those who possess most
wealth. those who have best opportuni-
ties to acquire fashionable education.
and those who follow most closely that
peculiar something. called style. among
FIRST families and. consequently, the
large majority. made up of those of mod
crate means, the labOIers. the poor,
those of foreign birth and all the un-
fortunate. among the "scraplngs." If
the term. FIRST. as applied to families,
means those which are most valuable to
society or most worthy of respect. it is
often sadly misapplied In nearly every
community. thee are those who belong
to The self-constituted aristocracy they
imagine that better blood flows in their
veins than that which reddcns the cheek
Of the laboring plebian; they move in !
sphere more exalted than that occupied
by the mass of mankind. and they lool
down with pity or contempt on wha
they call the sub-strata of society. Blu
really. who are these that make up tn
snobs aud the Goldfish aristocracy ? No
those who have obtained competence O
wealth 10y patient industry and homes
dealings not those who have risen
intellectual eninence by perseverin
study: for they have learned that labc
aud personal sacrifices are the price
wealth aud knowledge. and that q
wealth they have acquired or the know
edge they possess, may be obtained
the poorest Of their fellows. But Il
sell rated aristocrucy are generally tho
who have more self concelt than brain
more cheek than money. They are d
lug business and receiving honors on I
capital aud credit nf others Often I
money that buys their livery or extra
agencies. was stolen from the poor,
borrowed from the economical and he
est capitalist Their lofty flight, thou
admired by a class Of aping fools, CT
as ANONYMOUSLY as that of 4 ne
hedged and high flying beetle bug.
snObs that tlutter and fit about. seek
the society and initiating the style
first families, would often be as nal
as nature. should they surrender
clothing that belongs to other parii
aud as poor as Jobs turkey, if Il
should pay their Indebtedness.
Since there are. aud probably alw
will be. some of the race that will
apes I've do not mean balloons. thor
Darwin claims that these creatures v
our progenitors, but that class Of S
men and women who ape the maui
of others) it would be we'll to have
few Of them in society as possible. II
parents or teachers who are teach
children to admire or honor dress St
wealth or position are making mista
unless they teach the principle thnt
tue aud intelligence are the only
things worthy Of respect aud emuiat
The man who has acquired wealth
honesty and industry is 10 be respe
for his honesty. and to be copied fOi
industry on the other hand, that
or family that is sporting on ill-gc
gains, should be Stunned aud disht