Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-05-25
SOCIAL AMBITION.

| A EnnIiy Whose Happiness Was Sacrificed
10 tho MoiOGlI OF Fashion.
.Whcn | first inns to New York, F"
said well known physician lately.
"among my friends was family
named Burke. They lived in n modest
little cottage in Orange. Mr. Burke
was cashier in large business house
In the city and drew n small. but as
sured, income. He was an enthusiasts
tic naturalist, and spent his leisure
time collecting specimens OF moths
and insects. His wife was n pretty,
merry little woman, happy in her hus-
band, her children and her home.
They had few educated, congenial
friends, who lived simply like them
selves. They would often ask mo to
spend an evening with them. We
would have a comfortable little sup
per, some good music. and friendly,
intelligent talk. always came home
choered and refreshed.
.In 1870 Mr. Burke's salary was
raised. His wife urged that they
should move into the city. She had
social ambitions. They took apart
mcnts in n cheap, prctontious build
ing; Mrs. Burke's pretty muslins were
replaced by snowy silks; Burke gave
up his moth-hunting and Joined n
dining club. They asked mo to din
ner, occasionally, when 1 was RECALLED
with half-warm dishes from the res
taurateur's instead of Mrs. Burke's
well-cooked suppers, and cheap wine
in place of good coffee A waiter
hired for the occasion. had replaced
tho neat little maid. None of their
old friends were among the guests,
but, instead, few pseudo-fashionable
folk, who talked necessarily OF their
wealthy acquaintance.
Burke soon began to speculate In
stocks and was successful They at
once took house in one of tho side
streets and gave it to an upholsterer
to furnish. Mrs. Burke set up her
own coupe. When. once II year, l
was hidden TO n state dinner, found
the sham fashionable friends had dis
appeared and in their place were the
rich notables of whose acquaintance
they had boosted. Tho dinner was
from Delmonico's but Mrs. Burke's
own footman served it. Burke's in
come, every body knew, would not
half-cover his outlay. But what mat
terP We are making our way into
society," he told me. with haggard,
anxious face which betrayed how great
was the strain upon him.
in 1876 he made large amount by
n speculation. They bought a house
on Murray Hill. and emulated the
wealthiest families of that neighbor-
hood in splendor and extravaganza. l
was once asked 10 n ball in their mag
niiicent house, and saw Mrs. Burke
paying court TO so-called Russian
Prince, whom she had secured as
guest They were still pushing their
way, as anxious and discontinued MS
at first
There was n sudden collapse on
Wall street. Burke lost in week
every dollar he owned. The shock. in
his exhausted. nervous condition,
brought on an incurable cerebral dis
ease. He still lives, almost imbecile,
mere wreck of his former self His wife
would not return TO poverty and SIM
pie modes of living again. She opened
a fashionable clearinghouse and
drags out hard-worked. miserable
life, in debt on every side. Not one OF
her fashionable friends recognize her
on the street, and that is, perhaps, the
bittcrest drop in her cup"
by the time man reaches middle
age" SAYS Jacob Mathurin, 1.-THE his
tories of his contemporaries furnish
him with moral lessons more signif-