The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-02
sHoDDY.
Lecture at tho Methodist Church.

N. Y, delivered a lecture at the Methodist
church, Wednesday evening, before large
audience, on the subject of "Shoddy."
The term shoddy, he said, was first pop
ulaily employed in this country in connec-
ton with certain army contractors. The
term, like that of copperheud and many
others, implied fraud. In this matter of
fact wolll of ours there is n great deal Of
fiction and falsehood. Every profession
has its auackcry. How much there is OF
incncerily underlying the surface of So
ciety. " hat seems the strongest and ho-
lest attachments are cemented by the most
mercenary motives. True friendship scat
tiers balsamic sweets. He Is u capital fe-
low, he has got money and nice store arc
the highest recommendations. In politics
and government arc not the only men
found who have to do with shoddy ! 10
not considered dishonest to fitch from the
government, but "a little stealing ID a dan
gerous part" 1t is no worse to filch from
your neighbor's pocket than to steal from
the government. The lecturer spoke
strongly againsr the adulteralion of food
Pat was not far out Of the way, who, when
he was told to give the COW that gave the
most milk an extra amount Of hay,
cranmed it into the pump. John
called out the merchant from The
head of the stairs, "haye you sanded the
sugar 2" Yes" "And chalked the eala-
ratus 2" Eyes" "Then you may come up
to prayers The lady who resides below
that minister of the interior-cannOt be
very religious on six dollars q month, and
broken crockery deducted. | do not say
thai every legislator is A. thief, but if |
lived by the side of one ! would not keep
sheep In Washington most OF the politi-
clans are Eastwood, and cul's at that
There are men on the bench that should be
in the prisoners box. Physicians that call
severe colds complicated pneumonia" the
itch "smal pOx," etc to make the most of
the case. Some physicians, like New Eng
land rum, xii every time, as the doctor
who went to the hospital and asked the
nurse how many funerals he had the day
before. "Nine, replied the man. Didn't
| leave ten prescriptions 2" asked the
doctor. Eyes, but one man swore be
would not take his" 1t is amusing to see
the contest going on between physicians.
He felt respecting this struggle as the man
when he saw his wife and the bear fight
without caring which whipped. But he
would leave the medical profession lest
their might bo one of the fraternity among
his hearers. railroad whistle put Sidney
Smith in mind of The last yell a lawyer
would give " hen the devil got hold OF him.
The lecturer next commented on the shQdly
of society. Polished brass looks Ike gold,
and is worn more than most young ladies
are aware. Scarfs at 500 each, bonnets
81 500 each shawls 50 600 each and jew
cry $50 600, is not unheard of in COM
mon lite. The husband has to hire
policeman to walch his wife's part
ner in the dance lest he flches
one of her jewels French flowers are The
largest items Of imported goods. We
seud our gold TO foreign counties and
what do we get for it in return? When
the Roman matron aid aside the simplicity
OF her costume she tell. The pride OF the
American nation is without a parallel
rhe wealth of portion of society is like
their beauty, all borrowed. The warmest
heart does not beat beneath The costliest
laces. A well dressed monkey has more
brains and beauty than q fop. Fancy a
fop leading battalion against rebel bat
terry, or boiling plough in patent leather
boots. 1t is monstruus how some of them
look. elbow do look, Pompey 2" asked
one Of the fashionables in society of his
servant. You look like lion," said the
servant. why Pompey, you never
saw lion!' Yes" said Pompey,
81 cav one in your fathers
yard" "Why, that was jackass
aud the fop. "Well, you look just exac ly
like him." He pictured the shoddy society
woman as one with little brains, false HAIR,
switches, etc, defective in everything but
her tongue. He spoke If The parsim my OF
some as a species of shoddy. y sailor who
had got overheard and had his legs broken
in the mouth of a whale and escaped, was
L.. 4 TO- l 1 a..
whales mouth, replied, inat il seemed to
him the whale would make % barrels. He
had known grocer who would pinch
ralsn in two to secure close weight, and
another who, when he caught mouse in
his flour barrel, shook him over the barrel
so as not to lose any Of the flour. He COM
mented on the way some shoddy
people went TO the ministers do
nation. 4 man would wriggle him.
self IN and worm himself out
aud feed whole family on fifteen cents.
he spoke of shoddy at marriages and at
funerals. A lady not a 1000 miles from
Rutland once sent the minister in the pull
pit note asking him to bring in some
mention that the wreath of flowers on her
husbands coffin was from Boston, and
man at a relatives funeral asked the car
rnges TO string out so as to make as much
show as possible In politics platforms are
studied antiquities. There was little
choice between the two parties. When
Pat found wounded soldier on the
battle field he started for the hos
pital with the man over his shoulder.
On his way a cannon ball, unnotced by
Pat, carried off the soldiers head. He
reached the hospital, and when asked why
he had brought headless body, said,
"The bloody liar said he was only wound
ed in the Leg If there is a good-for.
nothing Ounce in the family he is made a
politician of. Bennett called Ray
mond of the Times Z" the lying
little villain," and Raymond retorted-
such were the courtesies of politics.
Politics reminded him of farmer who
went to a Keokuk hotel with his wife. At
breakfast they had fish balls, and the
farmer, never having seen any supposlng
them TO be biscuit, took one and broke it
open. He cautioned his wife not to touch
them for something had crawled into
them and died." So with Our politics,
something has crawled into it and died. He
dwelt on the shoddy IN the pulpit and in
the pews. The devil was but mistaken
angel The pit of moral deprsvity is hid
den behind silken fringe of rhetoric. lie
told of the man who dreamed he had swal-
lowed q wagon and left the tongue sticking
out of his mouth Exor,ed all TO be them
selves, act out their belief.
The lecture was interspersed with orlgi-
nal practical illusions and kept the audi
ence in good humor, though it required an
hour and half in the delivery