The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-21
FAMILY ExrRAvAGANCE.
What Caused NicodeInus Pembroke Scott to
Leave the Lime-Kiln Club.

Detroit Free Press.
"Gemlen. has painful bit O. news to
spread befo' de meetin'," began the old man
ms he motoned to Elder Toots to put down
the alley window. ''Nicodemus Pembroke
Scott, q local member of dis lod &c, has crossed
into Canady an will not reappear among us,
Fur de las three months / have been ex-
pectin' some SIGH climax, an dis mawnin'
when messenger informed me dat he had
disappeared, arter failin' to shoot hissef wild
mn ole boss pistol, 1 war not biz surprised.
He leaves wife an two chilPen an about
fifty creditors,
What sent him off? De same reasons dat
am daily workin' to bring about anoder
panc-de same reasons dat explain de hun
dreds OF bizness failures-de same reasons
dat am crippln' de efforts of thousands of
hard-workin' men to secure homes of their
own-fam'ly extravaganza. No, You can't
call it extravaganza; foolery am a better
name for it. Up to q var ago Brudder Scott
was jobbin' aroun' and maxim a dollar
day. Den he got n situashun by which he
Armed $14 per week. He was poo off in de
house, an had debts hangin' ober him, but
heah was de chance to get chen. How was it
improved? In less dan one month his wife
was rugged ont with a twenty-dollar dress
twelve-shilin' kids. fve-dolar hat
an ar opera FAM He had no peace OBJ min
onless he obeyed her. In six weeks she be-
came too high-toued to wash Az iron for
q
better house. wild red parler carpet and
cane-seat cha RS all aroun' de room. In three
months she had to have black silk dress
gold bracelets, tony bonnet, kid shoes an
gold film in her teef.
dat foolery has reaped its harvest. De
husband found dat he was running behind.
his home was bein neglected, his wife was
bein' gossiped shout, an in despair he has
picked up mis- feet an slid out. 1t was the
material result. l tell You, my frens de
tonfooery OF de women of dis kentry am
strainin' on the chalk line till de cord can't
stan much mo-, an it am high time dat
Arms S25 per week has somehow got de ideah
into his head dat de world expects him to
dress his wife as if he Armed bankers
profits. Wives OF men who can't keep up
wild der rent am canterin' up an down wild
sealskin sacques an siX-dollar shoes. Wives
of men who have to dod4e de butcher an
grocer an tailor am now selectn' spring
carpets and orierin' $50 lambrequins, Wives
OF men who couldn't raise $50 ut de bank to
save DER necks am rushing to balls an
parties an havin' deir expensive dresses dis
cribed fur de benefit of de public.
"De so-called society of de aige am com.
posed of false hair, false pretenses, debt
lodging and base decepshun. Our rich peo-
pie am distinguished by der plain dress an
quiet manners. De snides am dudes an
dodos do all de swaggerin rush onail de colors
an monopoize de biggest sheer of de street.
You waitl De man who lives fur anoder ten
Vars will h'ar sunthin' drap an arter de drap
takes place de thousands OF idiots who now
feel ashamed to admit dat they doau' keep
but two servant gals in de house will 90 back
to DER cook -stoves an wash-tubes an take
DER proper places in de purceshun."