Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-04-17
society Young men.


The society young mans dress is
generally iaultless. he wears neat
fitting shoes, with toe that would
puncture pineapple. His pants are
very tight, or very loose; a monkey
coat, a tight shirt collar, with a dainty
hat neatly set on q. small head. In
matters of dress, however. the highest
mental strain is attained in adjusting
the eravat. Being such a nice little
fellow, be is always admired by the
ladies'. He calls, makes fashionable
calls, talks about the weather, Mrs.
So and Sos party, how lovely the
ladies looked, how charmingly Miss
Parrott was dressed, and how every
thing is altogether lovely. He patron,
ICES livery stables. drives, drinks,
and plays billiards, smokes cigarettes,
parts his hair in the middle,
and plays on the piano. Sometimes he
belongs to the Young Meu's Christian
Association, and travels for a vinegar
house or a match factory His brow
is never wrinkled with care,and hence
he always looks youthful. He is a
boy that never gets to be man, and
sustains about the same relation to men
that ponies do to horses. The service
he undertakes to perform, it any, is
light, aud the pay from $50 to $75 pei
month, and if this is short of expen-
ses, he borrows or goes in debt.
When set and adjusted to society
wants and requirements, he does not
show a vicious nature, but on the
other hand is so agreeable, and such
nice young man, that the ladies want
to kiss him. He revels in pastures
green, and although he has not
dollar ahead, and often is many
behind, he is not altogether devoid of
ambition, and that ambition is to get
comfortably married. 1t he has beer
supported by his parents, he thinks
something may turn up. He has
beard Of the old folks dying of, and
the children succeeding to the inheri
lance, and he don't know but such =
thing might happen in his case. In
fact, he has made up his mind to
marry, and in a few months some
thoughtless, happy girl becomes the
victim. The fry or seventy>fve dol
lars per month, the allowance made by
parents, when there are two to pro.
gide for, refuse to do double duty,
and very soon the gay and festive
youth Of smiles and fulsome batteries
wears the look of defendant. Mar
wing has not answered his expecta-
tons. Before he had thought that,
With the ideal of his heart, he would
be satisfied to live On.bread and water.
Now the idea has suggested itself
to his mind, that if his wife would
furnish the bread, he might
rustic around and furnish the water.
He becomes coarse. cross, and tyran-
nical. There is no place in his men
tai repository for the finer feelings
and affections of the human heart.
There is neither mountain nor meadow
in that little head Of his, for them to
sprout, let alone grow. Fraud and
failure are written all over his counte.
nance. and mothers who would have
been glad to have had him marry their
daughters are beginning TO entertain
serious doubts about his being made
in the exact image Of his maker. They
also begin to realize the broad fact
the young man who could not make
living for himselfI when single, cannot
when married make living for him
self and family. Young girls need
never fear becoming old maids, for
there is always generous supply Of
society Young men who can be had on
reasonable terms, who can borrow
enough Of money for a wedding tour
which is often about the only thing
thought Of in catching on to one Of the
birds Of beautiful plumage.
The wedding trips brief and home
ward they come, taking quarters at a
hotel. From circumstances over which
the young husband has no control, the
bills are not paid, and next comes a
cheap boarding house, but here the
bills are punctually presented and
have to be met. Keeping house is
the next shift and soon the young
couple are having their domestic
unpleasantness under their own
vine and fig tree, where things
go on from bad to worse, and the
partnership in the human affections.
which was to have lasted for life. IL
dissolved, he going forth in the world
TO FIJI bis true place in society, OF.
rather, outside Of society; while that
child wife, who a year before had
comfortable home. becomes teacher.
a housekeeper, seamstress, OF failing
in these, sometimes drifts down
ward and downward 10 the dark and
misty water Of the sea Of death
To one who has made so fatal mis-.
take In the most important relation
| Of life, the world is cruel as death
insatiate as the grave, and she is left
socially, companioBless as the last
cloud Of an expiring storm. She has
not even sent forth her affections
upon venture for, in the lottery Of
husbands in such a case no prizes are
, drawn.
1t is not expected that young girls or
even old girls will know exactly how
/ 70 avoid every trap, and snare. and
pittall that may beset them on their
: pathway through life. Yet there me-
{ some things even they may know with
Just as much certainty as thew dr
know that when the trees put forth
their tender leaves summer Is pieb
q or when they Wither and die. wlpts,
/ is at hand. And that is when The,
n marry a society young man who wear,
a a small hat on bullet head. with ,
I monkey jacket on his back who bs,
4 never evidenced any capacity In an,
man y pursuit, that into the laws q
d death, lotto the gates of hell" woul,
a be a paradise compared With tbei
!. life, after having married seoiet,
. VOunO man 1900