Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-05
BETWEEN OURSELVES.

Thackeray says the grocer rules the world
now instead of the baron" and we know he's
right, although he has very shocking way of
breaking such truths to us. He said and did the
most unprecedented things in his day-things
that hit US all, and fit us oil, with the most
| awful impartiality, and are likely to describe
our kind while this swinging ball of earth
holds the race, whose past he set before us in
British Humorists and the Georges; which
seem to be continued in Vanity Fair, the New
comes, and Pendennis. 1t is an outcropping
| of the same human nature, whether the per-
sonages be real and notable, or real with q
slight varnish of fiction, as in the masterpieces
of this mighty delineator.
His friendships were of eclectic method, and
his appreciation of individuals had on occa-
sional dash OF hardihood, which
proved that he knew who he
was upon occasions when smaller soul would
be mute to everything save the bold framework
of circumstance, which being suited to the
letter. what need of more?
Now so rare is this admission of that Interior
due, that there are few men who are responsive
| to it.
The writer ia sure Chris. O'Brien has that
| enviable impulse-for he was tested in q way
| that brought his sound head and manly heart
into action-all the harder for him too, that he
could make no pecuuiary return, and had to
depend solely on the fine atonement of the
spirit to friendless and forsaken creature.
Two Of Thackeray's finest volumes are dedi-
Gated to a tailor-M. Aretz of Paris-who trusted
him when he was needy, and not only that, but
offered his goods and services in q way that
touched the great satirist's heart. a tailor
think of Tito send him down the stream of
time, the one immortal of his craft, enshrined
in genius and gratitude by this odd yet august
Englishnan, who. not content with payin g his
bill as far as the money was concerned, still
felt debt which mere money could never
iquidate, and 60 he claps his generous tailors
name where the world may be reminded Of his
kindness.
You see in this, perhaps. a bravado of honesty
and impregnable eandor. Thaekeray knew that
he would pay that con6ding Frenchman,
and while he was beholden to him
he would Just as lief have the whole world
know his Indebtedness, because he probably
cared very little for "genteer' appearances as
the world values them.
But supposing he did care FOX them, and had
no ready money to sustain them-aud suppos-
ing that he was thin skinned at the least suspi-
con of his impecuniosity at any time in his life,
why then Of course we should not have that
outre dedication. proclaiming it. and we might
infer, if We pleased, that be was in complete
sympathy with the pecuniary peccadillos of
his favorites, Goldsmith and Fielding, who
dressed richly at rare and rapturous intervals
and, alas, gayly fouted the unrequited tailor.
Now there are hosts of people apparently
hourishing in a costly sphere, who are well
supplied with all the superficial requirements
of it-and yet we know that it is rather con-
jectural whether they would carry the same
high heads if the items Of the merchants
ledgers were known, and the secret of their
snowy articles laid bare.
There are lots of tine people who cringe to
and supplicate shopkeepers for pecunisry
favors who snub and ''cut'' persons in their
own set. and cut of it, partly because they
haven't the very things they themselves under
60 such untold miseries of suspense and morti-
fication to compass, and largely because they
are tacit rebuke to them. Sometimes they
manage to get out of the shopkeeper's power
and then in any spasm of gratitude for past
trust would they, think you, dedicate anything
to him? Not much. They soon ''quench his
familiar smile with an austere regard of con-
troll. 'Malvolio fashion. These are the towards;
persons with the instincts of the thief, and
the manners OF the monkey in every emergency
of imitation and acquisition.
There are scores who do hourishipg society
business on such basis. Their impecuniosity
is well-knewn, and while people smile, and
ask where the fnery comes from. and specn-
late over every fresh symptom of posses.
sions-the deception is SO general that
they are received as if they were the most
solvent in the world. It is pitiful to think
that their subterfuges are commentary and
laughing stock to the world they move in,
and it is yet more stultifying to see the
make believe yon'r albright" affectation of
the world towards them. There is more con-
summate acting on the worlds stage than any
where else. Be it genteel comedy or high
strung tragedy. the best actors are in private
life.
We know them, and applaude them tacitly.
Why, there has been part played here which
is so blended of lies and sim ulation, and mye-
terry, that there is no more extraordinary act
ing in the world. 1t didn't hang we'll together
and the cues were far-fetohed. In point Oh
fact. the play was unnecessary and the acting
overdone.
The, to them, neither world Of shopkeepers
and servants know the impecunious and the
strategic. That's enough. How much and
how little weight is given to what servants
have to say. Sometimes Mrs. Harris is elated
| when she can get servant who has lived
| with Mrs. Flaneur. Il gives her the prestige
| Of equality, and by many an artfully artless
| method of questioning the interior of that
household is brought under her wistful inspec-
ton. Of course she has her ups and downs of
feeling aa her own points of difference are bet
ter and those of the social magrate worsened.
But when that indefnable favor of something
better than money is given-and trust me- no
one can give it better than eryant-then is
Mrs. Harris unhappy.
While that servant stays with her, be it long
or shorts she will make her feel the ineffable
drawback, and use it accordingly.
The people of all the world who see humani-
ty as it is-are the shopkeepers-and the ser
wants. This is one Interpretation of Thacker-
avs text that the grocer rales the world instead
of the baron.