Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-01-18

Inen came souo I'VE IN nu,es OF IL
bliss for two hearts, and Dolly's teal
We're stopped with caresses. Presently M
Bardell said, in answer to his lady love
lst remark:
Julia! Oh. yes; she is very handsome
but, you see, before 1 saw her l was a
ready ill love it'll you.'
"Why, you saw us both at the sam
time.''
''No; when first saw you, or, rather
the arrangement CT your back hair. yo
were seated on the top of a step-ladde1
giving me distinct orders regarding soa
and scrubbing brushes
"You!" cried Dolly, and certainly Their
was no lack Of color in her cheeks as sh
spoke. you, l thought it was Tom.''
80 it was Tom, my DEAR
cit was too mean"
II lost my heart then and there. an(
sacrificed a pair a lavender kids at thu
shrine OF cleanliness as sure as my name
! was |
TOMB said Dolly, laughing.
| ---->->>
| Extravaganza.
Such extravaganza in living as that
which has characterized our people during
these fifteen years past is unprecedented
In our social history. 1t would seem as il
| the world had been ransacked for objects
| Of luxury. Costly dress, costly wares
costly things to decorate costly houses
and costly things to eat and drink. have
been brought from afar. There are doubt
| less many people who, loosely speaking
can afford all this. But it was impossible
that so much lavishness of outlay should
not beget extravaganza somewhere. 1t IS not
In human nature to withstand the tempta-
ton to keep up with ones neighbors. The
profuseness of the vulgar rich was like an
evil contagiOn. The standard of living
was changed, and false ideas of life be-
came so common that sensible and honest
folks lost their moral bearings. In certain
circles it was necessary to keep ones own
equipage; a little lower down it was con-
Sidered equally vital TO social happiness to
spend the summer in Europe OF at fash
lonable watering place; and the necessity
OF keeping up appearances was shaded
down in the various social degrees until
it reached point where the wife of an
humble mechanic was above ''doing her
own work." and the mechanic found the
plain fare of other times too coarse for his
dainty palate. Here and there are notable
examples of prudence and frugality. But
the general tendency Of the times has
been toward extravaganza. Young men
are brought up in elegant idleness, as if
s'born with silver spoon in their mouth. :"
and manual labor is looked upon as some
thing to be Stunned and abhorred.
1t is easy to see where all this delusion
has led us. Asthetic homes, artistic fur
niture, rare books, fine works Of art, and
much social glitter, cost money. And
when the fool who makes these his life, has
once created about him false atmosphere
of refinement, he is lost He must have
more valuable pictures, more snowy equip
ages, because his neighbors constantly in
cite him to emulation. In 1878 began
period Of shrinkage in values which has
pinched even rich people. Those whose
bubbles were most inflated suffered first.
The picture galleries, yachts, libraries, and
fine equipages that have come under the
auctioneer's hammer these five years past
have told where the pressure has been felt.
But many men, though they have held
none of these costly properties, h ave be.
weakly ashamed to retrench their ex-
penses and sacrifice their glitter. They
Lave "walked in vain show.'' They have
kept up appearances. Some no doubt have
stinted themselves within doors that they
might shine to their neighbors. And some,
rather than give up an expensive house or
hotel, have wrongfully borrowed from
trust funds, from the deposits of custo-
mers, or from the till of their EMPLOYERS.
In all the recent developments of mans
weakness, none are so deplorable az those
which show that he is too weak to be
honest, but bold enoug IA to steal from the
widow, the orphan, the trusting friend and
neighbOr. The commonest vice of the
time is extravaganza living. Keeping up
appearances on borrowed or stolen CAPT.
tai, maintaining style of life which is
beyond ones means, trusting to the NOR
row to redeem the deficiencies of to-day
these are the things which undermine So
ciety and shake our confidence in each
other.