Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-09-25
No. 22S

comes in its way TO squander his last SOW
ereign, but, that gone, it recognizes no
bond of friendship, no claim of gratitude,
and no promptings of sympathy. Of
course do not for an instant saw that ey-
cry individual member of society is equal
ly heartless, but, take it as a body, none
other in the world exhibits such utter
want of cohesion as does ours. Few
things astonish foreigners so much as the
readiness with which we accept any one
who is prepared to spend his money in
providing us with big dinners. balls and
parties, whatever their origin and antece-
dents, and the utter callousness we display
towards even our closest relations once
their resources have been dispersed. 1t is
recognizing this Characteristic feature of
our day that find it so inconceivable that
year after year fresh victims should be
found, who, in the face of all past expert
ence, will still hazard so much to achieve
so little. Only within the past week club
gossip is discussing yet another case of a
family which for some seasons past has
made some talk in the town by its extray-
agant and futile hospitality, and which, If
report speaks correctly, has now to retire
into semi-obscurity on account of impend-
ing bankruptcy. Within the last decade
we have seen numberless men and women,
who have figured prominently in our
midst, forced to seek refuge in trade to
obtain hvelhoods. Apart from those who
have turned their attention to the city,
some have become milliners, others dress
makers, perfumers, actors and actresses,
club secretaries, bookmakers, florists. and.
to my knowledge, no less than three men.
formerly well known in the West End.
have adopted the repugnant trade of
touting for money-lenders. In nearly
every case this has been the result of a
senseiess pursuit after popularity and no.
toriety; but what seems the most incom-
| prehensible is that the spirit of improvi-
| dent squandering pervades the town now
even more than it ever did, and that so
few appear to havein any way benefited
by the recent examples that have occurred
in our midst. Certain passions, like those
of gambling, betting and free living, have
existed ever since the world began, and
will continue to do so even to its end, but
| the general passion for achieving social
/ notoriety is more or less new, and in its
| present intensified form is a very signifi-
cant development in the history of our
| day. Some thirty years ago, it should be
remembered, there were but comparative
| ly few royalties in England, and these
| were necessarily extremely inclusive, but
now, when there is an almost hmitless
supply of these, each having a large and
indiscriminate circle of acquaintances, in
many instances imposed upon them by
their new duties as wholesale patrons of
charities and charitable entertainments, it
is but a poor heart that does not cherish
somewhere at least minor royal acquain-
tance, and worse luck to it, it must needs
insist upon living up to the artificial posi-
ton which such a connection prompts.
Mrs. Y, a. good, homely bourgeoise,
has unfortunately assisted a dim royalty
in promoting bazaar for destitute Zulus,
and straightway this unhappy woman
conceives herself a member of London
society, strives to get her uninteresting
movements recorded in the public papers,
and disperses hard-earned wealth in at
tempting to rise higher and higher in So
cial estimation. 1t really is too ludicrous,
and it is earnestly to be hoped that some
remedy may speedily be found to allay
| what threatens to become a very serious
evil.