The Press., 1883-04-26
BROTHER GARDENERS VIEWS.

ssGem'len, I has painful bit O news to spread befo' de meetin'," began the old man, as he- motioned to Elder Toots to put down the alley window sNicodemus Pembroke Scott, a local member of dis lodge, has crossed into Canady an will not reappear among us. Fur de las three months have bin expectin some sich eli max, and dis mawnin', when messenger informed me that he had disappeared, ar ter failin' in an attempt to shoot hisself wid an ole hoss-pistol, war not bit sur prised. He leaves wife an two chill'en an about fifty creditors.
 s'What sent him off? De same reasons dat am daily workin' to bring about an- oder panic-de same reasons dat explain de hundreds ob bizness failures-de same reasons dat am cripplin' de efforts of thous- ands of hard-workin' men to secure homes of deir own--famly extravaganza No, you can't call 1t extravagance foolery am a better name for it. Up to yar ago Brudder Scott was jobbin' aroun' an' mak- in dollar day. Den he got situashin by which he airned fo'teen dollars per week. He was poo off in de house, an had debts hangin' ober him, but heah was de chance to get eben. How was it inn proved? In less dan one month his wife was rigged out wid twenty dollar dress, twelve shillin' kids, five dollar hat an all opera fan. He had no peace ob mine un- less he obeyed her. In six weeks she be- came too high-toned to wash an iron fur odd r folksrs. In two months she wanted 8 better house, wid red parlor carpet an caae-seat chairs all ar un' de room. In three months she had to have black silk dress, gold bracelets, tony bonnet, kid shoes an gold fllin' in hen teef.
 NolQ c.. T l. ] .L- I. TN husband found dat he was runnin' behind, his home was bein' neglected, his wife was bein' gcssiped about, an in despair he has picked up his feet and slid out. It was de nateral result. I tell you, my frens, de tomfoolery of de women ob dis kentry am strainin' on de chalk line till de cord can't stan much mo-, an it am high time dat somebody sot his foot down. De man who airns $25 per week has somehow got de ideah into his head dat de world expects him to dress his wife as if he airned 8 bankers profits. Wives of men who cant keep up wid deir house-rent am canterin' up an down wid seal-skin sacques an six dollar shoes. Wives of men who have to dodge de butcher an grocer an tailor am now selectin' spring carpets an orderin' $3O lambrequins. Wives of men who couldn't raise $50 at de bank to save deir necks am rushin' to balls an parties an havin' deir expensive dresses described fur de benefit ob de public. De so-called so- ciety "f de aige am composed of false hair, ;alse pretenses, debt-dodging an base de- cepshun. Our rich people am distinguish cd by deir plain dress an quiet manners. De snides, an dudes an dodes do all de swaggerin' rush on all de colors an monop- olize de biggest sheer of de street. You wait De man who lives for anoder ten years will h'ar. suthin' drap, an arter de drap takes place de thousands of idiots who low feel ashamed to admit dat dey doan keep but two servant gals in de house will go back to deir cook-stoves and wash tubs an take deir proper places in de purces- shun. "-DetrO5t Free Press.