St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-06
MRS. SORRELL'S PHILOSOPHY

MRS. SORRELL'S PHILOSOPHY
The Haste In the haste and con-
fusion of life many
of Life. absurdities are appar-
emily countenanced and
unobserved that when ScrutiniZed
in moment Of calm are recognized as
enormous. Acts and manners are over
looked and unrebuked that we may
push on to our individual goals Of
hoped-for success or pleasure.
Thus 1t comes about that many trans
actions are called by the wrong names
and many people dignified by the wrong
titles. In this free, democratic cOun-
try of ours, the proudest title man can
bear should be Gentleman.
But what mOckery we have Of it!
How vast the number of men of all
sorts of characters that claim its agis,
but how few there are who support the
claim with honor.
st. PauPs st. Paul is no doubt
fair sample of an
Position. American city of its
size. We are no longer
on the frontier. Here we have every
facility for educating our children, and
we are surrounded by luXurieS and
comforts not attainable at remote 'front.'
Ter settlements. We are as civilized as
any other community in the nation.
We have made our full share of attain
mentS in the arts and sciences, in grace
of manner and in all the decOrumS of
life: and yet we have in our midst a full
complement of men who are devoid of
all the characteristics of real gentlemen,
and yet loaf about calling themselves
such and demanding to be so considered
by others. We have class who seem
to think that the circumstance which
accord to them large amount of leis-
ure also confers on them the honors of
a gentleman. These same men do not
think that the red nose, the bleared eye,
red, puffed-up, swollen face and foul
whiskied breath are elements at
ating from their characters. They
have leisure, dress well. move
in the best circles of society, and hence
they consider themselves gentlemen. 1t
is amusing to hear these creatures talk
when they assemble in squads. They
are gentlemen; but the man who follows
some honest industry, pays his debts
and supports his family, is no gentle
man. Stand up, every red-nOsed, blear-
eyed gentleman, and let Us leok at you.
Some of you are married men. Why
not be at home with your wivesp Is the
boarding house table, or the scanty
table at home good enough for her, but
not good enough for you? Shame on
you; you have not been home all day,
but you are gentleman. You have
taken half-doZen drinks of whisky for
appetizers that is to appetite gentle
man-and now bottle of wine for din
ner not at home with your family.
Why, bottle of wine for a gentleman
with his dinner is necessity, of course.
choice expressions-oaths. of course
for YOU are gentleman. All gentle
men must damn their fellows and
Familiarity invoke God, glibly people
hell and gibe at heaven and angels.
Yes, yes, you are gentleman.
~
What l see you on the
streets tidily dressed,
About the far better for man
than your wife can af-
Wife? ford to dress as a
woman. Can afford, l
say, and you know what that means and
why she cannot afford more. You carry
a cane, perhaps, and you loiter along
leisurely, with an air of superiority and
entire satisfaction with yourself. Then
inside at those bars. how lordly you are.
How freely you pass your money over
the contemporary Indifferent as to
change: never look at it to see if it is
correct. For shame, for shameI How
do you treat the money question at
spare money? Probably at this very
moment she is engaged in making her
children dresses out of one Of her old
ones, which was twice turned before
she cast it aside. But you are gentle
man, and she-why, she is only
woman. a sort of necessity, a tolerated
sort of body, to whom you go when
tired of all others and when the saloon
doors are closed. Now, be honest:
What do you really amount to in this
world? What are you good fol? What
do you produce? To whom are you a
comfort? If your dear old mother is
living she is never free from anxiety
about you. Your wife is never really at
rest in her mind about you. She will
never know for certain where you are,
or who your companions are, until she
buries you and commits your body to
the worms.
-
WnaC You You are Simply
loafer, guZzler,
Are. feeder. You are real
ly no gentleman.
You do not deserve freedom nor politi-
cal rights, and it is shame that any
poor woman must call you husband.
You are the worst sort of a tramp, for
you are hypocrite in the matter. You
are a pretentious tramp, and circum-
stances happen to enable you to escape
punishment. You are disgusting
creature, and it is repulsiye to woman's
pen to write about you. Would that
our city could be free from you. With
all your other faults you are a railer,
scoffer. You spit at churches between
your cocktails. You tip lying ISLANDERS
at pure women, at the same time and
with the same elbow you tip brandy
punches down your stench-full Threats.
GentIeman! Oh, what farce to call
YOU such. There are many young I'M
married men in this city who aspire to
the title of gentlemen. At some future
time l may refer to that class more
infinitely. MRS. j. I. SoRRELL,
Summit Avenue.