, 1877-12-23

general rule that every woman ought to look
as well as she can, and that it is aduty sha owes
to herself and those about her to make herself
Us pleasant and attractive to the eye as posi-
bic, and to exhibit taste and refinement in
her dress. She may do all this, however,
without being e1trayagant, and she may
dress at the very height Of although
such taste is questionable, for the height Of
fashion is nearly always vulgar-wlthout be-
ing extravagant. There is another charge in
connection with this extravaganza which our
writer examines, aud it is one which has
been made and denied, which has been writ
ten up and written down, which has been
analysed and picked to pieces, until there is
very little left of it that is not t14readbare,-
and that is, that the extravaganza Of girls
is the chief reason why SO many young
men remain single rather than marry
girls whom they could not sup
port as wives in their ante-mnr-
riage style. There never was more absurd
charge made than this. The average young
man is more extravagant than the average
young woman, and the young man who is
afraid to marry because girls are extravagant
is usually the most extravngant of his class,
and does not desire to marry, because, in
order to support wife and children, he
would have to cut of his extravaganccs. In
the majority Of cases, the wife is the cause
Of actual saving to the husband. Before
marriage he lived clear up to his income,
saved nothing, and owned nothing. After
marriage he saves money, because he is
compelled to, and usually owns the house he
lives in Before marriage he was not obliged
to economical ,sbecause he did not look be-
yond the present, with its enjoyments. After
marriage he is required to economize, be-
cause he has to regard the future, with its
responsibilities. With regard to. the question
of expenses this writer very well says:
"Girls' expenses are confined almost wholly
to their dress; young mems expenses are
confned-no, they are not confined to any
thing; they run wild. A young man Of the
class alluded to will frequently spend as
much in one day or night among his COM
panions as would support wife for week.
FnAS1LH said that One vice will bring up
two children Then, two vices should GER
tainly support one wife, and most of the
young men of the day could easily give up
two and still have a large variety on hand"
The question Of extravaganza is really n
question Of morals rather than of social
Extravaganza is not reached until
passes the limits of income, and
If that is not immoral, it ought to be, be-
cause it entails cheating somebody. 1t is in
yolving debt that cannot Bio discharged; ); I
the creditor must be defraudsd
If his money. That there are women who
trausgress these bounds, as we'll as men, and !
hat there are men who live beyond their in |
comes on account Of women, is unquestion- |
,ble, and extravaganza Of this sort is simply |
criminal. So long, however, as girls are
;atisfed with IN expenditure within legiti- !
nate income there is no ground for charges
# extravaganza. When they exceed those
limits there is no excuse or defense
o be made. It is criminal. The writer of
he article in question closes with a very
patriotic aud gallant declaration, which
S somewhat gushing in it's character. He
I
american girls are exceptionally fast aid ez~
ravagant in every particular charged, the
My way we can judge of the consequences
o themselves or others is BY noting the eff
ect upon their later lives. However wild
nd foolish they may be when girls, it must
9 conceded that marriage or advancing age
hanges the current Of their lives into oui-
ter, steadier stream. Having enjoyed their
hare Of the pleasures, they are the more
'illing to accept their portion of the sor1ows
life." There is certain degree of con-
olation in a1l this; but the writer's conclu-
on would have been more complete had he
one over the whole ground If he had
ono SO, he would have found that some !
omen do not SOW their wild oats until their
usbands are in the Bankruptcy Courts or .
le Penitentiary, aud that this is only being
;onomical BY compulsion and making q
rtue of necessity, and very bitter one at
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