The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-28
HINTS or 7,HF HOLIDAYS.

New York Tribune: The Christmas
season ia beginning with the ususl rush
and hurry of trade on the streets, and
cherry turmoil indoors. There is one
or two noticeable tpoinis, however, IN
which il is suggestive OF changes in the
social world. For example. there is no
better time 10 apply the thermometer to
popular taste and knowledge Of art than
this. Everybody spends more money
than usual, and everybody i. buying
gifts in the choice Of which they beiray
their own taste or that of their friends.
The display of objects Of art and luxury
Is larger and more complete in the shops
this holiday season than ever before,
but the sales are, it is stated. much
smaller. The fashionable within of the
moment Is simplicity and it seems To be
supplemented by economy. Much
Of the heavy stick Of costly tribes whose
value perishss with the season, Will this
year probably remain ON the shelves of
the dealers. There are slso hints OF u
languishing interest IN pottery and brio
a-bFac in the large cities. The most val
uEbIe collection OF Chinese goods ever
offered in this city, and one or two pri-
Vate COLLECTIONS, were sacrificed few
weeks ago ht one-fourth of their cost,
and sale of old Dutch curiOsIties in u
neIghboring CITY hardly attracted y buy
er. Two years ago Tie sales rooms
,.rn.,id l,axra hos, -~n.ydaI with ar,fhnoi
astic china and lacquer collectors
Either they are tired of the within or
their houses are full and the mania has
not spread to less wealthy classes. who
are satisfied with reproductions of Per
sian carpets and Limoges faience made
Manayunk and Trenton.
There has been, too, for ten years a
tremendous popular awakening in art in
this country. Art schools and museums
in imitation of those at South Kensing-
ton have sprung up as far west as Ore
gOn, and women always eager 10 catch
at any chance of earning money! have
everywhere begun t. draw. AID TO paint
on china, canvas, silk, to initiate the
ancient tapesry and Greek enbrOideries,
and TO push the products of their labor
on the market The result has been
success for very few and defeat and
misery for the many. Each Of these
poor, little embroidered screens or
painted plaques unsold in the shop
windows could tell story of the patient
endeavOr, the hope, the bitter discOur-
agement of some woman in her scanty
efforts is that the pursuit of cheap
mediocre art is not going TO serve AS
profitable lrad. in this country The
class who are educated know the worth
lessness of it's works and those who do
not cannot afford TO buy them.
Another significant hint of the season
is the simplicity and severity OF taste
which just now rule in the higher class.
II is the most healthful and promising
symptom which has appeared in our
social life for many ears. The creed of
manners which leads woman tai dress
quietly in public, to shrink from display
or notice. is one which the average
American has been slow to learn, but
which when once accepted will never be
given up. Nothing can he more natural
than for the man whose sole title to re-
speG il the money he has made, To
thrust that money on the public notice
in every practicable way. But when he
once has learned TO estimate his own
Ie Il value apart from his belongings and
that Of the public notice, he will not fall
again into this slough of Vulearity.