The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-03-07
tsThey.''

The mysterious beings who exercise
unlimited control over our destinies
have no name They are simply 'they!'
but they are legion. Occasionally
they become them" Dolly Winthrop,
it may be remembered accustomed to
the recognition of some mysterio Il, mex
plicable guidance in her affairs, habitu-
ally referred to them above, " and the
everyday influences of most persons
lives are referable to an equally mystic
al 'they' What are they wearing?'
is the question that opens the season.
care they using ice plates for fruitP"
''Are they getting married in cream
color or white?'' Are they using tap
estry curtains?" Are they buying
Spanish leather chairs?' ''Are they at
tending Grace Church or Trinity"
care they wearing engagement rings
on the second or first finger?" Are
they having their hair curled or plaited?n
''Are they using canes in the street?'
''Do they wear roundabout collars or
turn-down?n ''Do they wear tight
trousers?n ''Do they prefer shoulder
straps to decent sleeves?' What are
the colors they are wearing this sea-
son?''
1t is bad enough when these diaboli-
cal invisibles determine the clothing,
coloring and general behavior of the
community. but it is worse still when
they begin to SAY Sometimes it
is emphatic, they do say" or myste-
rious, Imagine what they say?n or in
definite, 1--WE wonder what they will
say;n or positive, "Oh, you know they
say SO and So
Who are they? What are they?
Where are they? What q satisfaction
it would be to grind them to powder
We might well introduce a new form of
litany-''From they deliver us They
omnipotent. There is 20 possibility of
getting away from their influence. Now
and again some heroic soul, mighty in
the struggle for freedom, declares: Il
don't care what they say" But alas,
the words are meaningless; ho does
care. he must care. 1t matters not Il he
be in society or out of it, in wealth o.
poverty, in sickness or in health, nay,
in the coffin, they will pursue him,
will mysteriously influence his destiny.
They will 90 to the very confines of the
crave with him, and who knows that
they may not accompany him to the
waters beyond!
What shall we do about it? Can We
do ANYTHING? Can We, mighty in num-
Der and unity, overcome and browbeat
this ubiouitous ''they?" We trow not.
Rather let us give up such an attempt. Let
us pander to they let us bow down
and worship they let US do what they
would have US or stand in terror of OuI
reputation, dearer to US than life itself
if they disapproye OF us.
Why do we spend more than We car
afford? Because they expect it of US
Why do we 90 to immoral plays? Why
do we paint and powder? Why do W,
cringe and fawn? Why DO we marry
for money and rue it ever after? Why
do we 60 to races? Why do we reaC
! Zola and Ouida? Why do we quarre
with our servants, and hate our neigh
bors, and turn up our noses at thos'
who do not wear diamonds? Why d.
we speculate, and make haste to grow
, rich bv short cuts and unworthy dodges
Why do we put y. D. after our name
without earning it? Why do we vot
! against onr conscience? Why do W
! imagine SO many things? Why ar
we morbid and miserable and con
t temptible? Why do we shut up GU
4 houses and stay in the back rooms al
the summer? Why, in short, are W
7 humbugs. every man and woman anon
{ us? The answer is sad, irresistible
I and, unfortunately, true. tits all be
1 cause of they" If there were n
''they" in the world we should-al
should we be better; more original, ott
er, in short, than we are?-N. Y. Ma
n and Express.