The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-11-20
"society As 1 Have Found IT,


There's lot of talk about society's
glamour and triumphs, society's vexs-
tons and disappOiutments, its privi-
Ieges and its duties, its faults and its
Offenses, its objections aud its value
And what Is society?
III tell you what it is supposed to
be and what it is. It's an aggregation
IF individuals in any one community.
It's limited circle which is supposed
70 contain wealth. refinement, wit
and intelligence in their choicest
forms. It's the confederation, with
sacred barriers, wherein all the VIZ
tues are supposed to shine reepleud-
ent and from which all the wantons
either of heart or of mind or of body
are presumed to be absolute eXiles.
It's the cOterie which should reflect
heavens purest id best sunshine o.
love and Partially. It's the fihwer
he'd of humanity which should be
NEEDLESS and tsreless, q thing at
beauty, joy TO the god of the uni
verse, Il pleasing spectacle to all meo.
That's the ideal society.
That's what society is supposed to
be, and it's what society is not.
Society, as people are prone to call
a certain exclusive set, is a vast and
glaring, a transparent, diaphanous
brittle humbug It's q sham, delu
sion, fraud aud q nuisanre.
In societv's circle, wherever you
locate it, you find many good mel
and women. You find many who arr
exclusive only in the sense that they
avoid the evils of the world, and even
the appearance of those evils Yon
find men and women therein who de-
serve the translation that Elijah got,
and who, for the grandeur aud beau
ties of their characters, deserve to bt
spared the stings of death and the
terrors of the grave.
But that not the element 4
s1ciety of which / speak. That e'e-
ment has upon it the stamp of fashinn
and it is fashions most giddy votary
The society to which / refer is glar
ing, brazen, immodest and vulgar
You find 1t in Nashville, as ELS
where, and it's the sort not worth
wiping the feet upon.
IL is the society which gossips ano
tears to pieces.
It's the society which NEEDLES.
It's that which never gives a cares
when it can find a sting, whic'
knows not the kiss of love " hen Their
can be found a tender spot for the
dart of calumny.
Iu this society Mrs. Grundy is 81
| honored member, and herfong tongue
is poisoned with jealousy and malice
| This is the society which, at balls
dissipates to the extent that modesty
must wear a cloak to hide her blush
es. 1t is the society which at the
theatre seeks the notoriety which the
most conspicuous perches can give
1t is that which at the hospitahlt
board kicks intelligence under the
table and makes wine do the talking
| 1t is that wherein friendship II 1
| meaningless name for an unknown
sentiment, loyalty is an absurdity anC
selfishness is the presiding goddess
among the members lares ct penafes
1t is that wherein genuine worth
bends the hinges of it's knee to super
f1cialIty, where intrigue is the hand
maid to promotion, and where con
genial souls are never locked togethe
in the bonds of sincere and UMPIRE
judicial affection. Here poverty
cringes to wealth, wealth seeks th'
favors of intelligence and genius bow
an imperiOus head to the command
ing powers of minor virtues.
Such is one-half at least of what Il
known as fashionable society, take /
where you may and look at it from
whatever standpoint.
And now l want to add that it,
outside of this glare bedazed circl
where the real virtues shine.
It's out of this sphere of Rrtiticlality
of selfishness and of mercenar!
scheming where are the gentlest re
finement, the cleanest motives, tn
most benificent genius, the pures
talent, the serenest humor, the no
blest loves, the most sacred marriages
and the only. perfect happiness il
this world. 1t is out of this spher
that man can love his fellow man ant
forget himself. 1t is out of thi
sphere that grief has it's balm an
disappointment it's palliative. 1t J
without it, that contentment grows {
it's fullest proportions and the hearth
stone has it's joys. 1t is away from
society's fostering influence that tn
atmosphere of true happiness
balmy and healthful and the length
ening shadows of life are not ghastl
in their outlines nor terrible in thei
Significance. In short, the trials
pleasures and vain pursuits OF tn
one life are made contemplate by tn
blissful complscency Of the other an
those men aud women who will mos
surely conquer destiny and put tn
fates to rout are not those who consti
Iute fashionable society.