Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-06-07

Of some mysterious iuexphcabie guidance
in her affairs, hsbitually referred to " them
above" and the every day influences OF
most persons lives are referable to an
equally mystical they" What are TREY
wearing?" is the question that opens the
season Are they using ice plates for
fruit2' Are they getting married In cream
color or white ?" =" Are they using tapestry
curtains2p Are they buying Spanish leather
chairs?' Are they attending Grace Church
or Trinity?" Are they wearing engage
ment rings on the second or first finger 2"
g Are they having their hair curled or
plated ?" Are they using canes in the
street, Do they wear roundabout col
lars or rundown " Do they wear tight
trousers ?" DO they prefer shoulder
straps to decent sleevesp' What are the
colors they are wearing this season? ~
1t is bad enough when these diabolieal
invisibles determine the clothing, coloring
and general behavior of the community,
but it is worse still when they - begin to
"sav" Sometimes it is emphatic, They
do say" or mysterious, Imagine what
they say" or indefinite, We wonder what
they will say" orpositiye, " Oh, you know
they say so and so
Who are they? What are they? Where
are they? What satisfaction it would be
to grind them to powder. We might well
| introduce a new form of htany, From
they deliver us. They are ridiculous
merciless, foolish, but omnipotent There
is no possibility of getting away from their
influence Now and again some heroic
soul, mighty in the, struggle for freedom
declares: g don't care what they say"
But, alas the words are meaningless he
does care; he must care. 1t matters not if
/ he be in society or out Of it, in wealth or
poverty, in sickness or in health, nay, in the
coffin, " they" will pursue him, will mys-
teriously influence his destiny They will
go to the very confines of the grave with
him, and who Knows that they may not ac-
company him to the waters beyond?
What shall we do about it2 Can we do
anything? Can we, mighty in number
and unity, overcome I'D browbeat
this ubiquitous they2" We trow not
Rather let us give up such an attempt. Let
us pander to " they i let Us bow down and
worship they" let us do what they
would have us or stand in terror of our
they disprove of us.
Why do we spend more than we can af-
ford2 Because they" expect it of us
Why do we go TO immoral plays? Why
do We paint and POWDER Why do we
eringe and Gawn? Why do we marry for
money and rue it ever after? Why do We
go to races2 Why do we read Zola and
Ouida?. Why do we quarrel with our ser
wants, and hate our neighbors and turn up
our noses at those who do not wear dia-
nonds? Why do we speculate and make
haste to grow rich by shortcuts and I'M
worthy lodges Why do We put D. D. af-
ter our names without earning it2 Why
do we vote against our conscience? Why
do we imagine so many things? Why are
we morbid and miserable and Contempt
BILE? Why do we shut up our houses and
stay in the back rooms all the summer
Why, in short are we humbugs, every man
and woman among us The answer is
sad, irrepressible, and unfortunately, true.
1t is all because of they" If there were
no they in the world We should-ah
should we be better, more original other,
in short, than what we are2