The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1882-10-05
APPEARANCES.

Much stress is placed upon the
matter Of keeping up appearances
by many people, says the Columbus
Enquirer. To be out of the fash
ion is considered by many to be
equivalent to being out of the world.
Former customs must be kept up
and former modes Of living adhered
! to, eventhough one can i'll afford the
extravaganza and perchance others
may be forced to suffer. It seems
to be one of the hardest lessons in
life to learn that income ought to
regulate expenditures regardless of
what people may say or think
While ell should strive legitimately
to better their conditions, yet con.
tentment with ones lot in life, af-
fords the only true basis of happiness
The effort to keep up appearance.
by vieiDg with more fortunate and
successful neighbors has been ruins
Gus to many otherwise excellent
families. Appearances go for a
good deal, and often probably for
more than they are worth, but they
are only commendable so far as
they represent integrity and honor.
Good living may be enjoyed with-
out luxurious habits, and persons
in silks and satns are not always
the best dressed. The desire for
good living and dressing is common
to most people and is not to be ig-
nored when people can afford such
qualifications without injustice to
others. Men aud women are imita-
tive cratures, and the humber class.
es are prone to vie with more favor>
able ones in tho1e matters considers
cd necessary to the keeping up ap>
pearauces. In order to do 80 there
is necessarily strain on the hnan"
cial nerve, which often creates en-
barassments at home, and loss to
merchants and traders. There is no
sound reason why Mrs. A., whose
husband is worth $4,000 should
rank higher in responsibility than
Mrs. b., whose husband is worth on
ly one thousand, all things else be-
ing equal. What might be termed
shoddy aristocracy are the greatest
adherents to appearances" and to
the cad experience of many they
have of late years done much to res
tard the healthy prosperity and
progress of our section, in their
apish desires to maintain court reg
ulations atIthe expense OF somebody
else's pocket. There are others
raised in poverty, who, after a sud,
den change of luck, tiod themselves
the possessors of a few thousand,
which they imagine gives them pre-"
eminence over formor associates,-
Those also exert a hurtful influence
in the scale of appearances. They
are wont to 'snub' their former
equals, and the latter, to keep in
line, resort to "tricks that are dark
and ways that are vain," to main~
tain becoming regard for appear
ances. 1t is high time that sensible
people we're learning that appear
ances are not true index to char.
acter, and that dress does not al
ways make the man. Fine gar.
ments have been known to cover
many a villain, while not few gen
tlemen have been encountered hero
and there in unprctending apparel.
The appearances which all might
proftably strive to maintain are
those alone which pertain to true
gantiIity and honest, truthful man
hood and womanhood. Those who
ineulcate superiority in the minds OF
their children over others not 10 the
same strata, are performing q hurts
fuI work, and one which promises
no fruits of beneficial influence.
Honest labor, high moral, and intel
lectual culture, a just recognition of
the rights and merits of others, hu-
mility with regard to self, and the
exalted purpose to accomplish
worthy aims in life, are the on
ly Appearances" worthy of the cons
sideration of true gentlemen and la
dies.