Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-02-10

] pfAutl dpllltdAlou ih'N NOuhA lfilNhdho hho
world that they are perfectly Indifferent TO
! public opinion. They are more proud OF be-
! ing "Out OF fashion" than others are OF being
/ In. They are utterly and universally dis
| agreeable Their rough corners have never
| been worn oil. They prefer "A hedgehog 10 a
/ lamb.
The accomplishments Of life are In no wise
productive Of cilcminacy or eneryatlOn.
/ Good manners and respect for the tastes OF
| others are Indispensable. The Good Book
| speaks favOraby of those who are a "pecu-
! liar' people; but that does not sanction the
behavior Of queer people. There is no excuse
! under any Circumstances for not being and
| acting the lady or gentleman. Rudeness Is
| sin We have no words too ardent 10 eX-
| press our admiration FOR the reinements or
society. There is no law, moral or divine, 10
! forbid elegance OF demeanOr or ornaments OF
] gold, or gems for the person, artistic display
| In the dwelling, graceiulncss OF gait aud
| bearing, polite salut'Ou or honest cOmpl-
ments; and he who is shocked or offended by
these had better, like the old scythians, wear
| tiger skins aud take Hne wild leap back into
midnight barbarsn. AS Christianity adyan-
ces there will be better apparel, higher styles
OF architecture, more exquisite adOrnments
sweeter music, grander pictures more cor
rect behavior and more thorough ladies and
gentleman.
But there Is another story TO be told
Wrong fashion Is TO be charged with many Of
the worst evils OF society, aud its path has
IL has often set up false standard by which
people are 10 be judged Our common sense.
as well as all the divine limitations on the sub
Ject, teaches US that people ought 10 be es-
teemed according 20 their individual aud
moral Attachments. The man who has the
most nobility Of soul should be first and he
who has the least Of such qualities should
stand last. No crest, or shield, or escutcheOn
can ind cate ones moral peerage. Titles OF
duke lord, esquire earl, vIscOunt or patrician
nIIUht rail- IN N frat upIr
Some OF the mca>lest men | have ever known
had at the end Of their name ID. d., LII. ID.
and f. K :. Truth, honor. charity herosm
and self-sacriiice should win highest favor;
but inordnaie fashion says: Count not
woman's virtues; count her adOrnmens:"
Look not AT the contour If the head, but see
the way she combs her hair;n Ask not what
noble deeds have been accomplished by that
mans hand but is IL white and sOftp ASK
not what good sense is In her conversation,
but in what was she dressedp ASK not
whether there was hospitality and cheerful
ness In the house, but la what style do they
liver
THE POWER OF SOCIETY
As consequence, some oi the most ignor-
ant aud vicious men are al the top aud some
OF the most virtuOus and intelligent at the
bottom. During the last war we suddenly saw
men hurled up into the highest social posi-
tions. Had they suddenly reformed from evil
habits or graduated In science, or achieved
had obtained "A government contract. This
accounts for the utter chagrin which people
feel al the treatment they receive when they
lose their property. Hold up vour head amid
financial disaster Ike Christian. Fifty
thousand subtracted from a good man leaves
how muchi Honor truth. faith in God,
Triumphant hope and a kingdom OF ineffable
glory, over which He is to reign forever and
ever. II the owner OF millions should lose a
penny out OF h 5 pocket would he sit down on
"a CIrhsfpnp and shall a
sessed Of everlasting fortunes wear himself
out with grief because he has lost worldly
treasured You have only lost that In which
hundreds OF wretched misers surpass you;
and you have saved that which the Caesars
and the Pharaohs and the Alexandcrs could
never afford.
And yet society thinks differently and you
see the most intimate friendships broken up
as the consequence Of financial emblrrass-
ment- You say TO some one, Glow is your
frlendl" The man looks bcwillered and saws,
81 do not know" You reply: 'Why, YOU
used 10 be intimate" "Well saws the man,
"our friendship has been dropped. The man
has failed
Proclamation has gone forth: "velvet
must go up and plain apparel must come
down" aud the question OF how does the
coat fitl' and not WHO wears III" The
power that bears the tides OF excited popula-
ton up aud down our streets aud rocks the
world OF commerce and thrills all nations,
transatlantic aud csatantic, is clothes II
decides the last office of respect, ami how
long the dress shall be totally black, and
when It may subsde into spots OF grief on
silk. calico or bingham. Men die I'm good cir
Gums tances, but by reason Of eXtravagaut
funeral expenses are well nigh insolvent be.
fore they get buried. Many men would not
die a. all If they had TO wait until they could
afford II.
WRONG FASHIONS EVIL WORK.
Wrong fashion is productive Of most ruin
a q 1
holds Is al justed by what their ne ighbors
ha We, not by what they themselves can afford
10 have; and the great anxiety is as TO who
shall have the finest house and the most costly
equipage. The weapons used IN the warfare
OF social life are not MIME rifles and Dahl
gren guns, and Hotchhiss shells, but chairs,
and mirrors, and vases, and Gobelins and
Administers. MANY household establish
meuts are like racing steamboats, propelled at
the utmost strain and risk, and just coming
to a terrific explosion. who cares" say
they, 'f we only come out aheadW There
Is no one cause to day Of more financial en-
barrassment and OF more dishonesties tina n
this determination at all hazards 10 live as
well as or better an other people. There
are persons who will risk their eternity
upon one pier mirror or who will dash out the
spendors Of heaven TO get another triuket
"My house Is too small" but" SAYS some
one, you can not pay for a larger" Never
mind that, INV friends have a better residence
anu 50 VII 4.
"A dress OF that style and material must
have. ] can not afford it by great deal; but
who cares for thati NV neighbor had one
from that pattern, and must have one"
There are scores of men In the dungeons OF
the penitentary who risked honor, business
vcrvthing, IN the effort 10 shine like others.
Though the heavens fall they must be Gin the
fashion"
The most famous frauds OF the day have re-
suited from this feeling. 1t keeps hundreds
of men struggling for their commercial ex-
istence. The trouble Is that some are caught
and ncarcerated IL their larceny he small. IL
1t be great they escape and build their castle
on the Rhine Men get into jail not because
they steal but because they did not steal
enough.
APoLoG "a N SOCIETY.
Again: Wrong fashion makes people I'M
natural and untrue. 1t is factory from
which has come forth more hollow p'etenses
and unmeaning batteries and hypocrisles than
the Lowell mills ever turned out shawls and
garments Fashion Ia the greatest OF all liars
1t has made society insincere You know not
what to believe. When people ask you TO
come you do not know whether or not they
want you to come. When they send their re.
CARDS Won do not know whether IL Is the ex-
preston Of their heart, or an external clvility.
We have learned 10 take almost everything at
a discount Word Is sent mot at honer
when they are only too law to dress them