The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-06-01

follow the practice in reference to our
good people that is indulged i'll abroad
IS considered a vulgar impertinence.
AT least such is the cant, for human
nature is about the same the world over;
and that which pleases the rich and
well-born of Europe is acceptable to
all in America.
We learned this the first year of our
experience as a journalist Being a
supplemented, innocent peu-driver, we
took the talk to be sincere, and felt hui
inflated by the column we were forced
to give this subject. We took it upon
ourselves to eliminate certain reports
respecting the doings and dresses of
friends especially alive and loud in their
denunciation of such things as "shame-
full and 8" disreputable'' and "imper-
tinent." After time we found these
friends cool toward u.s. They seemed
to be troubled in their cultured minds.
This continued, puzzling and annoying
us, until in an issue of the Capital we
found long account of an entertain
ment given by one of our most refined
and exclusive female friends-one of
the indignant denunciators of such pub
LEGATION. We investigated at once, and
learned from our foreman that it had
| been given him by Browns Young Man,
and we forthwith investigated him.
"What is the meaning of this?" we
asked Indignantly. "Were you not
told that Mrs. - disliked this sort of
thing, and l had promised that her
name should never appear?"
True, O Chiefr' responded B. Y.
NJ, but that account was written by
the lady herself, and given me for pub
lication in the most confidential man
nern
We began to see. The lady herself
quite opened our eyes few days after
| by saying:
1--WE cannot keep these things out of
the papers, and | have concluded to
see that at least the accounts are cor
rectly given"
Poor, weak, vain, silly human nature.
Here we were, offending all our imme-
date friends by stupidity taking them
at their word. We found that this sort
of cant had come to be regarded as an
evidence of gentility, and they who are
loudest in its use are those whose posi-
tions are the least secure. Some years
since a witty little female pen-driver,
| then connected with the Capital, re-
ceiyed an invitation to reception from
a family of great wealth, and in the in
vitation our friend was informed that
she would be welcome as friend, but
not as reporter, as neither the hostess
nor her guests wished their names and
dresses paraded in the newspaper.
As this family had made its fortune
through successful bookkeeping it en-
abled our little friend to retort in kind,
! by asking since when had this sensl-
tiveness seized the family, as it was
not long ago when guests of their house
were not only published, but the pub
LEGATION paid for.
We have received some curious con-
tidential notes from ladies, eminent in
society as aristocratic leaders, that
would show the true nwardness of this
business, could they have been pub
lished; but of course they were COM
mitted to the flames, being considered
too confidential for even the waste
basket.
1t is no uncommon thing for an au-
| thorlzed account of an entertainment,
or some kindly or complimentary no.
tice of an individual, to come accompa-
MED with sum of money-seldom less
than five dollars, and at rare intervals
as high as twenty. These are B. Y.
M S perq's. Once, however, he re-
ceived an elaborate account of an enter
tainment with twenty-five cents en-
closed. Our young man was full of
wrath. He wrote as follows to the Of
fender, returning the twenty-five cents
and inclosing dollar bill
B. Y. Ms compliments to Mrs -, and one
! dollar and twenty-five cents inclosed. 1t is
| the custom of the Capital to pay for such in
formation, and it is hoped the one dollar will
! be found satisfactory.
We have lived to discover that the
shrinking delicacy of certain refined
| people, who tell us how they suffer from
all this business Of publication, is all
assumed. There is not one, it makes no
difference what the position or preten-
sion is, but that secretly enjoys the
notoriety the social mention confers.
The better class, they of assured posi-
ton, take the matter as something as
sured; and, as we have said, the best
evidences of shoddy and unexpected
petroleum are in the vociferous denun-
| Citations of these so-called scandalous
publications.
Our objection is to the stupidity of the
business. The long list of beautiful
women, charming women, graceful
creatures, with what each one wears,
are the dreariest things in the world.
They are not dreary, we suppose, to the
female mind, or they would not be pub
lished.
Talking of wearing apparel, there is
one fact very amusing to the cynical
lookers-on at the national capital. This
is the gorgeous and costly raiment
which the male and female Jenkinses
make their favorites wear. 1t is all
pure invention. There are, on an aver
age, twenty bellies in society in Wash
ington during the season. Each of the
twenty has a cherished reporter. She
would not be belle without such client
or scribe. 1t is the duty of such sup
porting reporter to clothe his or her
belle with stunning drapery. She has
no end of Worth's dresses, and each
dress is given in detail, in the most raw
ishing manner by the infatuated PEN
driver-creating emulation in other re-
porters and correspondents, each one
with belle to clothe, regardless of ex-