Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-10-23
dead BEATS" or SOCIETY.
A Glass Of Young Men Who Live On
Their Acquaintance.

From the New Orleans Times-D Democrat.
I'm America. living on your
| tradesmen isa difficult matter. An
American tradesman does not take
his customers ancestors into cen.
sideration. He does not deem 1t
an honor to be swindled because
one of the swindler's forefathers
came over in the MayhOwer. For
all he knows the Mayilower carried
steerage passengers. He consld-
ers himself his customers equal
rightly enough, tOO), and demands
bis due. Hence "a young American,
in dealing with the tradesmen here,
cannot fall back on his ancestors,
nor, of course, as there is no en-
tailment of estates, bank on his
remote prospects of some day hav-
ing lands and money, which at the
moment being to some one else,
came to him. And yet there are
any number of young fellows who
live apparently like the sons of
millionaires on the small salaries
they get for 'clerking' in some
Wall street banking house. They
are bowling swells- aud yet don't
make enough money to pay for the
clothes they wear. How do they
do it? you ask. Why, they sponge
on society. You can cOuLt almost
on your fingers the few society peO-
pie who are able to entertain ele-
gantly-the rest are the entertain
ed. To this class belong all the
bowling swells land their number
is vast who live on an income al
most nominal compared to the show
| they make. How can they live as
they do, 90 into society and be-
long to swell club on pittance !
Because by going into society and
belonging to swell club they ac-
| tually econOmize. They thus get
| for nothing what would otherwise
cost them tenfold their income. A
man of good manners who can
get credit for a suit at fash.
ionable tailor's can live for
almost nothing outside his
club dues. He is invited to din.
ner parties during the season on an
average of five times a week. There
fore he lives most of the time on
the fat of the land for nothing. All
the entertainers demand Of him in
return is that when he comes to
them TO be fed he will behave him
self properly and make himself
agreeable. By the same people he
is invited to the opera and the
theater. From his box seat he can
look down upon people far wealth
ier than he-perhaps one of the
partners of the house which pays
him his pittance OF salary. His
holiday in summer he divides be-
tween his friends yachts and conn
try places. \ cruise costs him moth
ing;a fortnight at Newport,only his
travelling expenses there and return.
If he has u small income and does
not have to clerk, so much the
better, for he eau sponge on his
rich society friends all summer in
stead, like the clerking swell, only
choosing his holiday. 1t is in sum-
mer that the 'clerking' swell de-
rives the most benefit from his club
-presupposing, of course, that he
Josen't play cards and run the risk
of being cleaned out in one night
for he can get his meals cheaper
| than at any restaurant.
His club connection has, more.
over, the general utility of enabling
| him to get credit. He can go to a
fashionable tailor and dress far
beyond his means, and yet keep
| the duns at bay by small payments
on account. The same tactics can be
employed with other trades people.
| lie can actually get along and be
| in good standing with tailors,
| haberdashers and florists by pay.
| ing for about 10 per cent. OF what
| he purchases.
| There is another class of bowling
swells, viz Those who, on the
strength of their prosperous ap'
pearance, simply cheek it, and con-
tract debt which they never expect
to pay, and rely for safety on our
| loose laws, which favor the debtor
rather than the creditor. Such a
one gambles-doesn't pay when he
loses, and is sure to collect when
he wins. He is usually lively and
entertaining, and his friends like
| him we'll enough to put up with
his lack of peouniary responsibility
and will lend him a couple OF hun
dred, even if they know that they
will never see it again. They are
simply paying him for amusing
them. The ladies know nothing OF
his loose methods, and 80 his stand
lug in society is not impaired.
Outcast London,
Much excitement has been made
by reports recently published on
the vile condition OF the slums
of London. In one cellar was found
4 l.