Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-11-08
City versus Country.

have heard good people d.clam against the
social life Of cities A. if there were really some
thing criminal in fondnc>- Tor dinner parties.
receptions, and balls, and a high degree Of yir-
tue in ab~tlning from such pleasures by
those who could not have them II they would.
| have had considerable experience OF life in
rural towns and ~ far il informs me am
willing Ia maintain that life in them i no more
earnest. dignifici with worthy interests and
aims. than lif- in cities. but merely les busy
and iullcr thing The frivolous city girl,
day j. filled with engagements from morning
10 nght.-wth shopping. paving and receiving
visits, driving in the park. and theatre or ball
going in the evening. Her mird i taken up
with these thing~ 10 the exclusion ~ any thing
like intellectual occupation,-for novel reading
does not come under that head. She il ab-
-orhcd in pleasure seeking in all it, various
kinds. The frivolous country cir, has more
time on h.r hands, but doe >lr 10 anything
better with il: She. too. seeks her pleasures
a. many - are 10 he hal. and sigh, that there
are no more Of them. She shops AMI pays calls.
and PLAYS tennis in the afternoon instead Of
driving on the avenue: wishes there Were a
dance for the evening. but since there j. not
STAYS At home and does some fancy-work
finishes her novel. or chats with some
intimate who drops in on her What real
difference in her character is mad,. by the fact
that -he ha- had hut one party to attend during
the week. where the other girl has had six:
l. worldline>- worse because il i on a larger
scale: l. scandal about the last clopcmcnt in
fashionable society more dcnoraliZing than
gossip about ones next-,loor neighbor', son and
the attention he j. paving to Mis- So-and SO:
The virtue Of minding ones own business i
Is not more commonly practiced in rural places
than in larger ones. | know OF city girls who
minge with their pleasures an active care for
the poor and sick. spending a. much thought
and time in charitable work a. those who.
living in country places, have les demand upon
their leisure. Ii il sad to see man or woman
spending life in thoushtles> gaycty; to me. it
j. equally sad TO zee one wasting it in simple,
negatively yirtuou> inanity. | know certain
worthy persons the mere sight Of whom Is
depressing beyond words. The vacancy OF
their minds Expresses me a a suspension in a
strain Of music distreSses the ear: the dullness
traction of the mental and spiritual space they
are shut up in. affects me a> Il positive pain
If il We're an external necessity that com
PEELED TO this way of existence, the case would
be hard enough; but being, a. know it is,
the result Of choice and habit, and that, again.
the outcome Of sluggish temperament and
minds deprived Of proper stimulus, the pity
of it is much the greater. Sometimes such
people do suffer from this species of ~
starvation. yet without knowing ii, or Il; east
without comprehension of the true cause Of
their dull unrest. Perhaps it is just such a
one, of all persons, whom you will hear
speaking i'll disparagement of ''fashionable'
society. In 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
lifel To be pleased with trifes is at least no
crime. but YOU would make it virtue to be
pleased with nothing. atlantic.