The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1880-03-05
Modern Society.

Modern Society.
in reading OF the manners and GUS
toms Of uncivilzcd people we are
wont to cXclaim, "How horrible i!
What n blessing it is that we arc
civilized !" We look with disgust
upon the half naked and bedaubed
savage, and our ladies would turn
away with shuddcr at the sight of o
woman of the Fiji Islands.r We are Il
civilized nation, but do we act rs
such? or does that portion of us,
which considers itself the nltimatum
not only OF civilization but Of trucst
refinement? This class, designating
| itself as the creme, the bon ton, sets
itself up as an example of inteH
gence: politcncss and refinement, for
the ether Glasses of civilization To
follow. And those who ao follow.
generally become what Darwin en-
dcavored to prove lis TO be at frat.
ohc stloulu strlrc 10 become truly re-
fined, and if the heart is, educated as,
well as the head, we will reach that
true refinement, which is the lounda-
ton of genuine aristocracy but,
what is our modern society? What
are its chief attributes? Vanity, de-
ccit, self-concei', idlcncss, pomDosi-
ty, .cXtravagancc in dress, and
strict observance Of every rule that is
ridiculous and silly. We find no men
in this bogus aristocracy, but q set of
puppets, with more perfumcd locks
than hrains, and more cunning than
wit; who with eye-glass to half clos
eel eyes, smirl and bow to the little
wooden dolls who take the lead in
this circus.
If q man or woman is educated.
will not lie or she converse in an in
tciligihlc way, and not aim to speak
in riddles more difficult 10 solve
than that of the Sphynx7 a lady,
conversing with q gentleman-her
mouth filed with imaginary pebbles
once said: GLOW | do enjoy yow
waw stories. I am snah you must
haye been yarqh gollont soldiah
am no Omazon, yet should deadly
love to participate once in bottle"
"Ah! my dear mahdom," replied the
gallant Qnixotte, "You know nothing
OF wah; never desiaw it. T should
never seek to behold bottle" And
yet this highly educated and refined
"soldiah" often sought and felt the in
1uence of the "bottle." !
The diess of the savage shocks US,
and yet, take one of our society la.
dies, in full costume, and place her
beside CHEF lad Of one of the South
sea islands, and where is the differ
ence. The dress Of our lady is drawn
so tight about her figure, that it
greatly resembles the liku-which is
kind of frinsed band, the train of it
being at the right side-worn bv
those women. In hc, dress she can
move freely, whereas it 81 with great
difficulty that our ladies step. These
savage women wear their hair fright
fully irizzled, falling over the face SO
as TO almost conceal the eyes. Our
ladies dress their hair in tho same
manner. The civilized following the
customs CT the uncivilizet., and then
pride themselves on being the leaders
Of the world
When the guage of society is sense,
and love of knowledge, and men and
women consider that they we're made
Tor somelhing higher than to talk
::!:noth'nss," and disfgure their DO.
dies with what they call fashionable
dress, then, We will not be plagus,,
with "shcdyitcs"and "big- bugs" and
The manners and customs Of polite
society will be worty of imitation.