The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1888-03-03
SOCIAL AMBITION.


u F@Shuy rose uepplnoss WAS oocf10c0t
10 the M0loch Of Fashion.
When l first came to New York.
said . well-known physician lately
among my friends was u famil!
named Burke They lived in a modes
little cottage In Orange. Mr.. Burk,
was cashier in a large business hous'
IN the city and drew a small. but as
sured. income. He was an enthusias
tic naturalist, and spent his leisur,
time collecting specimens Of moth
and insects His wife was q pretty,
merry little woman. happy in her hus
band. her children and her home.
They had n few educated. congenial
friends, who lived simply like them.
selves They would often ask me t.
spend an evening with them. W.
would have u comfortable little sup
per. some good music, and friendly.
intelligent talk. l always came home
cheered and refreshed.
'ln 1870 Nj. Burkc's salary was
raised. His wife urged that they
should move into the city. She had
social ambitions. They took apart.
ments in a cheap, p%retentious build
ing; Mrs. Burke's pretty mnslins were
replaced by snowy silks; Burke gave
up his moth-hunting and joined a
dining-cluh. They asked me to din.
ner. occasionally. when l was rogalcd
with half-warm dishes from the 9 $
taurateur's instead of Mrs. Burkc's
well-cooked suppers. and cheap wine
in place Of good coffee. A waiter.
hired for the occasion. had replaced
the neat little maid. None Of their
old friends were among the guests,
but, instead, a few pscudo-fashionable
folk, who talked necessarily of their
wealthy acquaintance.
Burke 70 began to speculate in
stocks and was successful. They at
once took n house in one of the side.
and gave it to an upholstercr
to furnish. Mrs. Burke set up her
own coupe. When. once u year, I
was hidden to II state dinner, | found
the sham fashionable friends had dis.
appeared and in their place were the
rich notables of whose acquaintance
they had boosted. The 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.
ters We are making our way into
society," he told me, with a haggard,
anxious face which betrayed how great
vas the strain upon him.
In 1876 he made a large amount by
a speculation. They bought a house
On Murray Hill. and emulated the
wealthicst families of that neighbor.
lood in splendor and extravaganza.
was once asked TO Il ball in their mag.
.liiicent house. and saw Mrs. Burke
court to a so-callcd Russian
whom she had secured as 9
quest. They were still pushing their
way, as anxious and discontinued az
It first.
There was a sudden collapse on
Vail street. Burke lost in a week
very dollar he owned. The shock, in
rs exhausted. v condition,
'rought on an incurablc cerebral dis
ase. He still lives, almost imbecile. a
mere wreck Of his former sell. His wife
would not return 10 poverty and sim.
lie modes Of living again. She opened
fashionable boarding.house, and
rags out a hard worked, miserable
Ife, in debt on every side. Not one OF
er fashionable friends recognize her
n the street. and that is. perhaps, the
Interest drop in her cup
by the time II man reaches middle
ge,' says Jacob MatEurin, 'tho his.
ories of his contemporaries furnish
i'm with moral lessons more signif.
can't than any sermon" The moral
I such lives as that OF the Burkes is
ommon one, and is easily read. In
very community the man OF woman
'ho sacrifices real happiness to the
nbition to be fashionable, finds, soon.
r or later, that the mess of pottage,
II which a great birthright has been
sd. is but small aud bitter to the taste.
This is not because fashionable PEG.
lie are naturally more selfish or cruel
ian others; 1t is because the lie be.
veen them is not that Of genuine If.
elton or respect, or Of mutual inter-
1t in any noble or work. 1t is
'owedly. simply amusement and
mutation in display. When the new.
'mel. who is pushing his way" is
, longer able to amuse or to compete J
display, lie is, necessarily. pushed I
'ide. Every reader will early OF
tie, have TO decide upon his course in {
Let him remember the Burket
nd their false ambitions. - Youths {
,npaniom q