Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-11-24
THE MAN ABOUT TOWN.


Everything bespeaks dull winter
in the social world" said one of Mar
tinsburg's fashion leaders, as we took
out our pencil and paper.
"Why so?
"Well, things appear changed. The
young people are not SO animated as in
previous years. Even the holiday sea-
son, so rapidly approaching, is now
spoken of in listless and languid style.
When 1 was young lady, everything
was different. We had our driving par
ties, fancy balls, tableaux, concerts and
-soirees almost every week. Now. you
know how seldom these occur. And
when such are announced, disappoint-
ment comes to those in attendance. You
have to almost drive them out on the
floor the tableaux are executed by
giggling Misses, who throw no senti-
ment into the representations and such
thing as driving party would be i'm
possible am really angry with the
times"
''But, dear madame, the times change,
and we change with them. The young
folks seem to enjoy themselves in an
hundred ways. At least, complaints of
dearth of enjoyment never reaches u.s."
Eyes, they do enjoy themselves. But
how? Attending skating Kinks, prom
-enading the streets, talking politics-in
a thousand foibles and fancies they find
entertainment. Where are the robust,
jovial, true-hearted men that abounded
when we were girls? And where will
You. find the lighthearted, healthy and
we'll behaved girls of that time Men
now are mere shadows of their former
selves. They have no shape or grace
go stumbling along like cattle. They
are unreliable and tickle. And the girlsl
That's just what they are. Care and
sadness written on their faces sickly
and unsociable !; MASKING the strangers
in town, and wild as March hares. They
are women cohen toe toere girls Indeed
it is dumbfounding and just awful to
watch the antics of even the school girls.
No wonder there is so little of fashion,
and lack of social entertainment. l
feel all out of sorts when think over
the dull and uninteresting promises of
the social worli for the coming winter
season."
*4* ~ *x*
One often meets with just such wo-
men-and men, too. oh =! the grand
old days when they were girls and boysl
How sadly ont of joint the times are.
Now, change is written on the face of
nature and in human nature, changes
are constantly occurring, too. The
boys and girls now, are not like their
''ma's'' and pals" but they are push
ing, and have just as much stick-to-it-
Inverness about them. The more people
in community, the harder they have
to work, and strive, and toll, to meet
the demands of competition. Men are
just as honorable, and as true and as
jovial, as ever. They respect woman
as highly. And, we fail to see where
the girls are any the worse off, because
they are Twenty-Five or thirty years
younger than their parents. What if
they do talk politics, and occasionally
visit the rink, and, perchance, mash
stranger? These are enthusiastically
small blemishes, compared with the
sour looks, Grabbed dispositions and
Puritan strickness of some parents.
Our girls have just as rosy cheeks, too.
And true womanhood beams from many
a laughing eye.
m m M
Then, how many toll at home ? How
many noble. sweet dispositioned, Christ
ian girls, are found with the light heart
ed school children ? They have right
to enjoy themselves. We are in for the
intelligent. worthy, undetermined girls
and boys of the present. Give them
show, and never mind about the dull
ness of the social world. We are dealing
with human beings, not the accidents
and mutations of changing fashion.
~ ~ ~
"Will the lyceum be re.organized this |
winter ?" asked an old friend.