Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-11-08
VILLAGE ESTHEFICS.
From the Gorham Mountaincerl
No. D.
VILLAGE SOUIErY.

advanced SCHOOLS, churches news
papers, lectures, and concerts to he
in the village. But there is a line Of
social division between the sun BROW
of country outdoor labor aud the
paic-facc Of the sheltered vlliager. |
The larger the more manifest becomes
this social line. The village trader,
the m.lliner, the mechanic, the dOctJr,
and the printer are pale-factd, An
occasional jAnnt, fshing OF camping
out, brings on little rural brown,
but it must leave or be doscd with
cosmetics.
Village society is then white-faced,
What at first came rs mark of their
seclusion FROM the sun finally becomes
| to be demand Of fashion. 1t comes
to the man by working indoors. 1t
comes to the woman from her secluded
Life in parlor and kitchen. 1t comes
to the yourg lady from 4 repression of
Of her life forces to Danish the pink
and rose OF health and gain the
CHASTITY pale Of the village beauty. 1t
comes TO the young man rs Il virtue,
denotlng the absence of the vices that
either flush the face with red or tone it
to bcgrimed sallowneSs. But any
way the skin is the badge Of village
society. There are but two things de-
sirable in this badge, it should have
on it the glow Of health and the glory
of virtue.
The contact enjoyed by the people
in villages, affords the finest social
privileges. Almost the whole COM
munity can be met every day. There
is no loneliness when ncighb0rs on
every side can be eonvc, sed with from
!, 1 the dooryard gate. This facility with
which everybody is known, ami all
their affairs known, makes the village
the paradise Of gosaips. They become
social pests, carrying with them a
contagion made up Of the faults OF
their nei9hbors. They poS II the
social air OF whole streets by simply
passing through them. They should
be d;sintectcd by passing them through
the fire Of public scorn and con empt.
~ the side Of this pesticnt class can
grow up class Of social almoners who
may carry with them healing and com
fort for all. There are sick to be
nursed, poor to be assisted, unfor
tunate to be sympathised with, af-
tlicted to be comlorted, erring to he
restr2ined, and these kind fuced ones
can go like angels of mercy and make
every heart glad by their coming.
What village society needs is to de-
= crease It's NUMBERS Of suc;al busy
5 bodies, and 10 increase the number OF
the social SamarltaNs.
An aristocracy of wealth springs up
in the village. The retired merchant.
the village banker, the ex- Office holder,
the successful lawyer, the journalist,
and the capitalist, take on the ont
ward style of " blue blood" This
0 canpot be prevented. If men wish
q sIaaIl admiration societies they will
form them. If gold based nobility
enjoys that kind OF basis it will or
game in it. But how much better to
d have an arlstocraey Of sympathy and
), kindness. The housewives who al
0 ways have time to take care of the
n sick, the young ladies who always
help the poor, the young men who
assist the unfortunate, the business
men who always have money to give
= the needy, these f rm true village
. aristocracy. AS their facilities fol
doing good increase they can become
a true social nobility. The more
such people had in any village the
c better. They never disturb public
r, harmony, or endang0r the safety o
families. They are an unmixec
blessing
A social gathering for all the people
;" held occasionally would wonderfully
% promote the society finish OF the peo
pie; this should not be q prayer
meeting, or q temperance meeting
" or dance assembly, or dress party
Il. or debating club, or an eating fgs
IS tival, or lecture fraternity, for eithe
of Of these formally announced would q
lc once keep large share Of the villag,
in people at homo. 1t could be a plail
III dressed, free, social gathering, IL
Which nothing offensive to any shouI'
be tolerated, where each should b.
expected to attend on an equal basi,
a. with all others, where each would TT,
Va to make all others feel at home, wber
there should be no bodybuilding, II,
cold shoulders, no snubbng, no turner
r. up noses, no stunning Of anybody
We but all be cordial, social, ll4op lily
en- chatty, kind, Obliging, considerate
s. and happy. This may seem to be a
impracLicablc development of viIlag
socialty, but it could be worked on
he in some measure. At least it coul
te be tried, and if it failed, then matter
he would only remain rs they are now.
Such social and perfect minglin
all elements OF village society woul
have great advantage. The peopl
Us would become acquainted instead {
8 simply knowing each other as now
those OF opposite political, religion
and reformatory notions would lear
tie to esteem the good qualities in eac
he other, now they frequently know ja,
enough Of each other to provoke ev
jealousies. There would grow up
bond Of sympathy between all ID
MS people that would be marvellous. r.
at spect would he created for those win