Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-05-05
PHASES OF SOCIETY.


The Ideal Standard Which An Desire to
Reach.
There is one universal ambition among
people OF every social grade, and each
has its standards that represent this
ambition Each social grade has its
conception of what it is to be a lady or
gentleman. Every locality seems to
have its own ideal of what is permissi-
bic and what is not. There is a town
in Texas, a community made up of peo-
pie who have emigrated from the north,
and who worked years before they be-
gan to entertain. A wealthy New
Yorker and his wife went down to visit
relative, one of these settlers who de-
cided to give the visitors dinner. The
New Yorker was very genial and COM
panlonable, and his wife very affable
The Texans, who had their own stand
ards of conventionality, felt somewhat
uneasy lest these did not reach the
standards of the people who represent
ed to them the highest social opportu-
mites The rich man was troubled
with dyspepsia, and his wife kept a
close watch on him at the table. Ice
cream was served with the dinner, and
the wife protested to him under her
breath against his eating ito When she
found he could not be convinced, she
said: '.Well, If you VIII have it, do put
some brandy on it; that may save you
from illness" The rich man did pour
brandy over his iee-cream, and when
about to apologize he glanced about
the table to see people on each side
of the table deluging their ice-cream
with brandy! This calls to mind an In
cident in a country town in New En-
gland. One of the young merchants of
the place, who was. considered a most
desirable parti, and who had been the
recipient of many courtesies from the
heads Of families where there were
daughters, chose a bride from a large
city. After his engagement was an
nounced the social prominence of his
bride in the city in which she lived was
constantly referred to by his family.
until the curiosity of these simple VII
layers was aroused to the highest pitch,
and they really would not have been
surprised had the bride appeared with
one Of the much-talked-of crowns on
her head and wearing a court mantle.
She proved to be an affable girl. with
out any of the characteristics that
would indicate familiarity with the
-four hundred"-beg pardon, with the
lone hundred and fifty Shortly after
her appearance as bride there was q
public dinner given to celebrate a his
torlcal' event connected with the his
tory of the nation, and the young mer-
chant and his bride were among the
guests. The entire affair was revela-
ton to the simple people to whom a
roast and q dessert represented all-suffi-
cheney in that direction. When the cups
of bouillion were placed by the imported
walters in front of the guests, the
young bride, on whom many eyes were
turned for direction and guidance.
calmly leaned forward. picked up the
sugar-tongs and dropped two Jumps in
to her cup. asked for the cream. which
the well trained waiter Immediately
brought her, and a liberal quantity OF
the fluid went into her cup. Her hus-
band closely followed her example.
They stirred the sugar and cream vigor-
ously into the bouillon. and then took
a liberal mouthful of the mixture
Shades of their ancestors, what ex-
pressions passed over their faces, The
husband looked at her with perfectly
helpless expression as he swallowed the
dose which she could not swallow, but
used her napkin to dispose of, asking.
in an agonized tone of voice: What
was that?'' while she responded: Il
dent know: 1 thought it was teal
When one looked at the elaborate white
satin dress, with its fall of expensive
lace, and all the other accessories of
toilette that represented expenditures
of money, the question of just what
kind of civilization that woman repre-
Sented was raised in the observers
mind.-Christian Union.
Fish do not seem to exist below