Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-14

pOluUS Ol tIlC COluPooo oAAA AAo 70 condition requires all to act as if the old fraternal feeling and national pride had been completely restored
 
 FAIR WOMEN AND BRAVE MEN.
 The Firemen's ball last night was one of the great events of the festive season: It was looked forward to for months with anticipative delight and will be remem- bered for months to come with all the zest of, as it were, 8 continuing enjoyment. Waterbury of course gave the soul and centre of the joyous crowds, but there were large contingents from other and dis tant cities The weather was no obstacle to attendance-rather otherwise-for the jingle of the sleigh-bells was an appropri- ate preliminary to the music of the Ball Room. Every one seemed happy:
 The lamps shone OCT fair women and brave men, And myriad hearts beat happily-and when Music arose with it's voluptuous swell,
 Soft eyes looked love to eyes that spake again; And all went merry as a marriage bell
 la Yes all was merriment. The brave men who have organized for the city protection in the hour of peril by fire, knew what it was to combine in volunteer effectiveness for the entertainment of friends; and whether in the exciting revel of the dance at City Hall or at the sumptuous supper supplied and served so satisfactorily at the Scovill House in the ''wee sma hours" all was pleasure and praise. The active par ticipants on the floor, and the interested spectators in the galleries seemed alike influenced by the spirit of the scene.
 But in the midst of all the excitement and joy, was there any thought given to the contrasts presented within stone's throw of the festivity-to the places where the only music was the children's piteous cry for bread, or the sigh of pain from lips parched with the death thirst to the desolate tenement apartments upon whose darkness no brilliant lamp shed 8 ray of light-to the foodless table upon which there appeared not even moldy crumb to compensate for the absence of the rich display of viands and wines in Colonel Tremaine's spacious dining room? We hope reply may be made in the affirmative The Ball we understand was a great pecuniary success; and surely the men bold enough to impe1il their lives for the protection of their neighbours proper ty, will be in like degree considerate for the preservation of their neighbours lives, The fair women too, who were so worth lily the objects of respectful love and | off flo we have no doubt, in the reminiscent thought of their enjoyment, give woman's help and influence to the cause of suffering humanity, and make the Ball a thing to be chiefly remembered in the memory too that it had melted to charitable exercise. It does not need the incentive of Christ mas festival or New Years celebration to awaken sentiment for the poor. As we have often said, hunger has no special sea- son for it horrors; destitution needs relief now just as much, if not more, than it did three weeks ago; and there is no time in which the claims can be urged more appro- priately than while the well-to-do of our
 
 enjoyments like those of last night In directly balls and parties do much for the poor by the patronage of trade and the consequent employment of workers. But we want the direct aid in that direction of the promoters and participators. "Glory be to God. Heaven and that would be too much, exclaimed the Irish beggarwoman on the bridge at Ennis as Lord Inchiquin's state carriage, with it's caparisoned horses, and gilded hammercloths, and powdered lackeys was driven past. There was philosophy in the old dame's remark There was also a suggested penalty for the avoidance of duties which riches enioin: but the heaven that would be too much as an accompaniment to earthly glory and grandeur can be made attainable by charitable and mercifu1 application here of the bounties bestowed by our Father who is in that Heaven
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