Smyrna times., 1883-02-14
About Young Men.

OofC among charming society women
inds that parties and assembly"
1ances and the opera, and such Ike,
cost more than he can afford, he is
wise if he determines to cut the whole
thing, and brave, too, if he dares to
give his reasons. Here is q case in
point taken from the Providence
JOurRa{
Young Percy Warburton whom
everybody knows as a general favOritc,
among men as well rs women, told
some of his lady friends the other night
that lie would be charmed to dance
g the German with them every night
in the week, but that he couldn't
afford bouquets like the other men,
and if flowers were prime requisite
he would have to give up dancing.
lie said "You know my salary is
small, and | have to dress tolerably
well, and, rs it might seem, expensive
ly; though it is not so very expensive
i'll the long run to get the best mate
rials and have them well made ! am |
fond Of society, and like to show my
friends that | appreciate their kind |
ness; and believe they will respect
me all the more ifI confess my inability
to incur, honestly, what seem to be
necessary expenses for Il society man."
The notion was getting abroad that
the ambition of all the girls who were
coming out was to get the largest pos
sible number Of bouquets; also, no one
was considered worth dancing with
unless hc could provide his partner
with " Jacqueminots," Neils," Bon
Silenes," or Souvenirs" and at the
present price of such flowers it seems
almost criminal, in one who cannot
afiold it, to spend the amount Of
weeks board on a bouquet.
We have not heard how the announ-
cement of his determination was re-
ceivcd by Percy's friends, but we mis-
take in our estimate of the average
sensible woman if he lost caste or favor
by his honest confession. If his eX-
ample were to be followed by others in
circumstances like himself there would
be cause for rejoicing. Here we have
living beyond their incomes, or, at any
rate, not laying by anything for the
future. The class we refer to do not
spend much on themselves, unless
their generosity to others may be call
eel a sort of refined selfshness. They
, go into gay society, and fall into its
r ways. They see other young fellows,
+ who are born to wealth and luxury.
=. spending vast SUMS on mere fancics
! and frivolities now it is ball or
party, concert or a play, an elaborate
!. supper or an expensive excursion
a bOnbons, bouquets, and a score OF
{ other things, which some young women
t seem to demand or expect as natural
3 rights, simply because some young
o men, with more money than brains
Y small community like our own the
Y amount of money which a man on {
It salary has Il right to spend for any
II thing is tolerably we'll known, or yer,
,r nearly guessed at, and if he is though
q to be living beyond his income, Will
10 it makes his lady friends very delicat
v. about receiving his favors, they hardl
of see the way clear to decline and We
10 not hurt his feelings.
O. As we are writing for purpose, w
m may illustrate what we wish to hin
Or by q true story. In large city, nc
of very far away, IL young man latel
So held a position of trust in an extensiv
,o house, and large amounts of none
or passed through his hands daily. II
III had grown up in the business from
to boy, and had been promoted for h
of capacity and honesty until his salal
was large enough to support himsel
.ot his mother and sister very comfortabl
tn The family had been poor for year
re- but they had kept up appearances vel
il well. The son was q man of refine
lot tastes, loved art, music, books al
ns- flowers, dainty dinners and the socie
in of cultivated people, everything viii,
ire a man has right to enjoy if he c;
nix honestly afford it. The small hou
asst was exchanged for a larger one, who
art rooms were bright with pictures, voc
with sweet songs and redolent of t
re- rarest roses. Friends were entertain
a Hospitality, and the sister placed und
asst the care of the best teachers to COZ
ess plete her education. All who knC
I'M him praised his many good qualiti
to and only few were made thought
It by all this lavish expense and gen,
nan osity.
md Strange to say, the last people
know anything about his mode of l
:. were the officers in the institute
where he was employed. He v
always punctual and dilligent, his
o., counts always seemed straight, until
orl, last the crash came. By one of tn
,oso little things which some men {
~, "accidents," and others providence
h;I a heavy. defalcation was found O
tho amounting to thousands of dollars.
sod systematic process of embezzlem
= . had been going ON for some years, ca
Inn. fully hid by skillful fixing of flgul
~ if the loss falling mainly upon poor m
The women and children, who had intru
,ool- ed their small earnings to a con cerr
vor- unstained repute. Swift punishm
,o;s- of the guilty followed on the discolo
and now the offender lives wh
there are few pictures on the walls
tier: the room, where his food is not PREF
rate ed by a famous cook, nor his coat m
5 the by fashionable tailor.
next Such condition of things could '
rarely happen in any other cour
than ours. It would be barely posS