The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-05-20
Social Extrayagance.

Never in the history of this republic
has wealth been able to procure such an
infinite variety of matter to please the
eye. adorn the person and tickle the pal
ate as now. The newly-rich man who
could have spread bis table in 1866 as a
rich man can spread his in 1880, would
have so far outshown all his comrades
that they would have been ready to die
with envy. The devices now employed
for the display of wealth were utterly
unknown ten years ago. "The newest
thing in what we may call social art
sets the town agog only for a day To-
morrow brings a fresher and more cost
ly invention to spur the jaded fancy.
The trades that live on the extravagant
whims and the vanity of men and wom-
en- thrive apace. Professional caterers
say that there never has been q season in
New York in which SO tfiafy costly dim
ners and similar entertainments have
taken place as that which has just now
passed. The customary old-fashioned
dinner party has given place to what is
called a fete. The guests sit down to a
table which is an elaborate work of art.
The decorations and service are brought
| together from the four quarters of the
| globe, and, above all, they must be diff
| ferent from anything ever seen OF heard
of before. There is limit to eating and
drinking as well as to the variety of the
| provision. Every social rounder''
knows the everlasting and invariable re-
currence of oysters, soup, fish, roast, en-
trees, sorbet and game. The changes are
rung on these courses with needless
multiplication and " damnable itera-
tion," from December to Easter, with
scarcely pause for the pretended fasts
OF Lent But lack of novelty in the menu
S made up by the prodigality and gor-
geousness OF table adornments. The bill
OF fare is painted on satin, and each guest
is provided with a souvenir of the festiv-
ity which takes the shape of work of
decorative art. In some instances, as if
in despair of being able otherwise to out
do the latest extravaganza, the guest is
presented with gay knickknacks, artistic
trltles, and even articles of jewelry.
Favors for the german are made to
puzzle the good sense of their recipients
with bits of costly bijouterie, the accept
ance OF which will make high-spirited
people blush with modification. Or at
some festivity the host, amid other ex-
cellent fooling, invests his company with
crowns, robes, stars and garters, making
little carnival of what might have been
a pleasant social reunion. Ladies' lunch
parties, or dejeaners as they are delicate
ly called, are made to outvie the heavier
feats OF mere men, for the lovelest of
Gods creation refuses to be distanced in
any possible extravaganza. Children's
parties are quite as sumptuous as those
OF the grown people. Though these may
be held in the day time. they must be
under an artificial light; and the tender
darlings who should be nourished on
simple food, and dressed in comfortable
attire. are decked in silks and laces, be-
wigged and becurled, diamoned, gloyed
and laced " within an inch of their lives"
To these poor little butterflies will be fed
the same sort of indigestible stuff which
their elders regale themselves withal.
When these wretched children are grown
up, if they survive this cruelty, life will
have been exhausted for them. They
will sqneeze the orange dry before they
are out of leading strings.
Extravaganza is always vulgarizing.
The tendency of the time in which SEN
suous pleasures dominate is inevitably
downward in respect to manners, morals
and real refinement The painted, gild-
ed, art-decorated and notoriety
social extravaganza of the present time
has nothing to commend it but the poor
plea that sit makes business for some-
body. and keeps money in circulation
But the evil influence of such an unnat-
ural condition Of things far outweighs this
doubtful good. Example leads to uni
versal imitation. The millionaire who
ostentatiously orders priceless Johannis-
berger at his club will be faithfully,
though remotely, initiated by somebody
who is very far from being millionaire.
He was well-intentioned Cresus, who.
hearing one OF the .jeunesse doree propose
great piece of extravaganza, promptly
said: 81 can not afford to Join in it,
But aside from the malign influence of
example, the vulgar prodigality of the
time is destroying all the finer graces of
life. Ostentation and display are fatal
to the social virtues. There can be no
sweet home life, no sacred domesticity,
no rational comfort, in family which
has once been invaded by the desire to
shine, and outshine, in society When
the demon of social discomfort comes in
at the door of brown-stone front, all
the better angels of our nature fly out of
the attic windows. The grace and beau
ty OF life are gone forever-N. Y. Times.
Hand in Hand at the Golden Gates.