Smyrna times., 1876-07-19
Fashionable Extravaganza.

| say plainly, that as a whole the Ameri-
can people are tinctured decidedly too
| much with what may be rightly termed
fashionable extravaganza; and anything,
whether in practice or theory, that will
tend to check this hitherto growing evil,
Will be of substantial benefit to us all. If
l mistake not, We are experiencing some
sad examples of what the evil is doing in
our midst, and if it will set us to thinking
IN the right direction; if these examples
are allowed to become beacon lights of
warning, they cannot fail of having 4
sanitary effect upon all classes, and espe-
clally those who are now gradually drift.
| ing toward the vortex where so many have
been engulfcd.
We do not read single newspaper
without finding in its columns the sad in.
telligcncc of the dark operations performed
by forgers, defaulters, bribe takers, robbers.
swindlers, and kindred characters, the
snevitable result of fast living, fashionable
entertainments, and desire to dazzle and
SHINE and get above somebody else. This
thirst after riches and notoriety, this
misguided idea that if one can only pnt
| ahead in the race, no matter bv what
means, is one Of the greatest curses that
| befalls us as social communities. Once
launched upon this uncertain sea, it must
be followed to the end by those who have
not the moral courage to break from its
powerful grasp. If the income or salary
IS not sufficient to support its extravacant
claims, then step over it andacccpt bribe.
or forge papers, or swindlo, or commit
robbery. Fashionable society demands
fashionable extravaganza, and it must be
carried forward till it results in full and
complete ruin
Fashionable society demands of the
merchant moro than his income will meet.
and so he must call upon the capital he
has in trade in order to deep up appear
ances. Gradually the capital grows
smaller and smaller and of course the in.
come less; failure follows, and with a
crash he goes down. The government
official finds that fashionable society has
demands upon him greater than his salary
will possibly allow; he must therefore
resort to bribery or corruption in some
| form to meet the demands. 1t is but n
question of time with him, and sooner or
later his dishonest schemes come to the
surface, and disgraced he steps down and
| out. The clerk finds that he cannot koen
up and be fashinablo on the salery he re-
celves, and he too must resort to some
other source for funds to meet extrayagant
bills. He commences in small wav TO
purloin from his employer, and that mo-
ment his downfall begins There is hope
at hrst-even an eXpectation-that his
salary will be raised, and he will replace
that which is now taken. That expecta
ton IS OF course never realized, and fash
lonable extravaganza drags him to ruin.
Nor is the desire to crafty an Unsuitable
thirst for dress, for notoriety, for selfish
aggrandizement confined to the National
and State capitals, nor to our cities; but
1t pervades the smaller villages and the
rural communities as well. Failures are
taking place daily around us, caused by
undue extravaganza, by living above what
the means will afford. Say what we NAV
to the contrary, it is the truth neyertbc.
less, that the majority will look to out
ward show, to wealth and fashion, rather
than intellectual ability, education and
straightforward maniiness. The education
of the classes has tendency that wav
No sooner does the child reach that age
when it is supposed to make new acouaint.
ances and see something of the world.
whom there is instilled into its mind a pro.
pensity to dress and to be fashionable. II
must equal If not surpass its mates in dress
and show, whether it does in intellectual
growth or not; hence the continual race
to get ahead, the constant struggle to out.
shine among the younger classer of society.
Many are the farmers and mechanics
and common laborers and professional
men also, who will tell you that they find
1t impossible to meet their bills and give
anything for praiseworthy purposes, when
at the very same time they allow their
children to dress to extravaganza in order
that they may have an equal standing with
the more wealthy in fashionable society.
Shame upon the false theory that so
many advocate through their actions, that
bacause l have not the wealth that INV
neighbors possess, and consequently cannot
dress my family in such style, must not
consider myself an equal in society.
Myself and family must therefore stay in
the class where we belonged. But let us
rather glory in that grand and beautiful
expression of gifted poet, "He most lives
who thinks the most, feels the noblest, acts
the best"
FRIENDs.-Never give up old friends for
new ones. Make new ones if you like. and
when you have learned that you can trust
them, love them if you will, but remember
the old ones still. Do not forge. they have
been merry with you in time of pleasure,
and when sorrow came to you they
sorrowed also No matter if they have
gone down in the social scale, and you up /;