Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-02-08

Slep, ana lisp, ana scream at nOtniDS, du
take on languishing look, and bang the
hair, and are the nauseation of honest folk
of both sexes. o, man, be mani You bt
long to quite a respectable sex. The star
ing figure of the human race was man. u
not try to cross over, and so become
hybrid, neither one nor the other, but
failure half way between.
Alike repugnant are masculine womer
They copy a mans stalking gait and g
down the street with the stride of a walkin
beam. They wish they could smoke cigsl
cites, and some of them do. They tai
boisterously and try to sing bass. They d
not laugh, they roar. They cannot quit
manage the broad profanity of the sex the
rival, but their conversation is often hall
swear, and if they said, ''Lord' in earnes
prayer as often as they say it in lightness
they would be high up in sai1thood =
Withal there is an assumed rugosit.
of apparel and they wear man
hat only changed by being in tw
Inr three places smashed in and dea,
OcaDary clinging to the general wreck
and msn's coat tucked in here ant
there according to an unaccouniabe asthe
/ tics. o woman, stay woman! You ais
belong to respectable sex. The secont
4
sometimes a second edition of a volume i
the first edition improved and corrected
Do not try to cross over. If you do yor
will be failure as a woman and only {
nondescript of man. We already have
enough intellectual and moral bankrupts il
our sex without your coming over to make
worse the deficit.
In my text as by parable or figure O.
speech it IS made evident that Moses, tht
| inspired writer, as vehemently as ourselves
reprehended the efeminate man and the
masculine woman: ''The woman shall moi
| wear that which pertaineth unto man
neither shall man put on woman's gar
ment; for all that do so are abomination un
to the Lord thy God"
My text also sanctions fashion. Indeed
it sets fashion! There is great deal ol
senseless can't on the subject of fashion. A
woman or man who does not regard it is unti,
ENor good neighborhood. The only ques.
IL ton is, What is right fashion and what
is wrong fashion? Before stop want
to show you that fashion bas been one OF
the most potent of reformers and one of the
vilest of usurpers. Sometimes it has been
an angel from heaven and at others it has
been the mother of denominations. As the
world grows better there will be as much
fashion as now, but it will be a righteous
fashion. In The future life white robes al
ways have been and always will be in the
fashion.
There is great outcry against this sub.
mission to social custom, as though any con-
sultation of the tastes and feelings of others
were deplorable; but without 1t the world
would have neither law, order, civilization,
nor common decency. There has been a
canonization of bluntness. There are men
and women who boast that they can tell
you all they know and hear about you, es-
pecially if it be unpleasant. Some have
mistaken rough behavior for frsnkness,
when the two qualities do not belong to the
same family. You have no right with your
eccentricities to crash in upon the sensitive
ness of others. There is no virtue in walk
ing with hoofs over fine carpets. The most
Jagged rock is covered with blossoming
moss. The storm that comes jarring down
in thunder strews rainbow colors upon the
sky and silvery drops on orchard and mea.
dow.
There are men who pride themselves on
their capacity to "stick" others. They say
81 have brought him down; didn't maks
him squirm!' Others pride themselves oil
their outlandish apparel. They boast o.
being out of the fashion. They wear q
queer hat. They ride in an odd carriage
By dint of perpetual application they would
persuade the world that they are perfectly
indifferent to public opinion. They are
more proud of beibg ''out of fashion" THAI
others are of being in. They are utterly
and univeis sally disagree~ble.' Their rough
CORNERS have never been worn off. They
prefer hedgehog to lamb.
Eba Il of in,
wise productive of effeminancy or enerVa-
tion Good manners aud respect for the
tastes of others are indispensable. The
Good Book speaks favorably of those who
are ''peculiar' people; bat that does moi
sanction the behavior of queer people
| There is no excuse, under any circum.
stances, for not being aud acting the lady Oh
gentleman. Rudeness is sin. We have nc
words too ardent to express our admiration
| for the refnements of society. There is nc
law, moral or divine, to forbid elegance o
demeauer, or ornaments of gold, or gems
! for the person, artistic display in the dwell
ing, gracefulness of gait aud bearing, polite
salutation or, honest compliments; and be
who is shocked or offended b5 these
had better, like the ol1 Scythians,
wear tigers skins and take one wild
leap back into midnight b>rbarsm
AS Christianity advances there vii
be better apparel, higher styles O
architecture, more exquisite adorn a.
ments, sweeter music, grander pictures,
more correct behavior and more thorough
| ladies and gentlemen.
But there is another story to be told
| Wrong fashion is to be charged with many
of the worst evils of society, and its path
has often been strewn with the bodies of the
slain. 1t has often set up false STANDARD
| by which people are to be judged. Ou
ommonsense, as well as all the divine in
timations on the subject, teach us that peo
pie ought to be esteemed according to thei
| individual and moral attachments. Th,
man who has the most nobility of soul should
| be first. ana he who has the least of sucl
qualities should stand last. No crest, o.
| shield, or escu5cheuu can indicate One'i
moral peerage. Titles of Duke, Lord, Es
uuire Earl, Viscount or Patriciao ought no
| 20 raise one into the first rank. Some of The
meanest men l have ever known had at tht
| end of their names D. D., LII. D. and F. r
| s. Truth, honor charity. heroism, self sac
| fee should win highest favor; but inordi
nate fashion says: "COunt not A
woman's virtues; count her adorn- IN
ments." 'Look not at the contour of
the head, but see the way she combs he
hair" Ask not what noble deeds have
been accomplished by that mans hand; bu
| is it white and soft? Ask not what gooc
sense is in her conversation, but: "ln wha
! was she dressed2'' Ask not whether ther'
| was hospitality and cheerfulness in th'
house, but In what style do they hve?'
| As consequence, some Of the most igno
rant aud Vicious men are at the top. anc
| some of the most virtuous and intelligent
at the bottom. During the last war We sud
denly saw men hurled up into the highes
social positions. Had they suddenly re
formed from evil habits, or graduated il
science, or achieved some good work 70
society? No, they simply had obtained {
| Government contract.
This accounts for the utter chagrin which
people feel at the treatment they receive
when they lose their property. Holt
up your head amid financial disaste
IKE a Christian! Fifty thousand sub
tracted from good mah leave =
how much? Honor, truth, faith in God, X
triumphant hope, and kingdom of in
effabe glory, over which he is to reign for
ever aud ever.
If the owner of millions should lose
penny out of his pocket wouid he sit dow
on a curbstono aud cry? Aud shall maj
possessed of everlasting fortunes wear him
self ont with grief because he has los