The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-11-15
City Versus Country.

I have heard good people declaim
against tle social life of cities ~ II there
were really something criminal in .
fondness for dinner parties, receptions
snd balls, and high degree Of virtue in
sustaining from such pleasures by those
who could not have them if they would,
I have had considerable experience Of
life In rural towns, and 90 far Is it in
forms me l am willing to maintain that
fed with worthy interests aud aims,
than life in cities, bnt merely a less busy
and duller thing. The frivolous city
girls day is filed With engagements
from morning to. night-with shopping,
paying and receiving visits, driving in
the park, and theatre or ball going in
the evening. Her mind is taken up
with these things to the exclusion Of
anything like intellectual occupation
novel reading docs not come under that
head. She is absorbed in pleasure-seek-
ing in al its various kinds. The frivei.
GUS country gil has more time On her
hands, but does she do anything better
with it? She, too, seeks her pleasures,
as many AZ are to be had, and signs that
there are no more of them. Size
shops and pays calls, and
plays tennis in the afternoon instead of
driving on the avenue: wishes there
were dance for the evening. but since
there is lot stays ut home and does some
fancy. work, finishes her novel, or chats
with some intimate who "drops i'm on
her. What real difference in her char.
acter is made by the fact that she has
had out one party to attend during the
week, where the other girl ha, had ski
IL wOrldliness worse because it is on q
larger scale? Js scandal about the last
elopement in fashionable society more
demoralizing than gossip about ones
next door neighbours son and the atten.
ton he is paying to Miss So'and-So? The
virtue of lninding ones own business is
not more commonly practiced in rural
places than i'll larger ones. | know of
city girls who mingle with their Dle ,s.
ures an active care for the poor and sick,
spending as much thought and time in
charitable work rs those VINO, living in
country places, have less demand upon
their leisure. 1t is sad to see q man or
woman spending life in thoughtless gay.
ETY.; to me, it is equally sad to zee one
wasting it in simple, negatively virtuous
inanity. l know certain worthy per
SONS the mere sight Of whom is
depressing beyond words. The vacancy
Of their minds Expresses me as suspen.
sion in strain of mus distresses the
ear; the dizziness of thei: undeve oped
sensibilities, the contraction of the mem
tai and spiritual space they are shut up
in, affects me as positive pain. lit
were an external necessity that COM
PEELED to this way of existence, the case
would be hard enough; but being, as
know it is, the res lit OF choice and hab.
it, and that, again. the outcome ofsllg-
gish temperament and minds deprived
Of proper stimulus, the pity of 1t is 80
much the greater. Sometimes such
people do suffer from tue spec'es Of
seif-starvation, vet without knowing it.
or at least without comprehension Of
the true cause Of their dud unrest. Per-
haps it is just such a one Of all persons.
whom YOU will hear speaking in dispar-
agement of fashionable" society. II the
name of reason, one exclaims internally,
is it not better at least to enjoy ones
self than to make an absolute nothing OF
ones lite? To be pleased with trif1es ls
ut least no crime. but you would make
it a virtue. to b.. pleased with nothing.
November Atlantic.