Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-03-10
rnE EFFECT IS BAD.
That Thing Called Society and the
r.orfs About N no Great Harm


That Thing Called society and the Re-
ports About II Do Great Harm.
There are few people. especially there
are few Of the more artistic sex, who have
not taste for splendor. for luxury, for the
ImPresSively picturesque in human life
and in its manner Of living. This Is, how
ever, by no means to say that they are un
happy II they cannot live magniheently
themselves.
A very small number are able to do that
and a large number, we are glad to believe
have too good sense to do so II they could
But it is TO them a qualification TO SEE
what is splendid. TO read of it and TO talk
about it.
We have not, in America, the European
resource TO feed the public fancy-a court
with king and queen and princes. and
above all. princesses One need spend but
a very short time abroad to learn how real
a place the doings Of these personages have
in the every day Dfe Of the common people.
They resur in conversation rs regularly rs
the weather and with infinitely more inter
esting variations.
There is always prince with rumored
romantic love story, or an engaged princess
whose trousseau is a wonder of lace and
embroideries, or royal baby just chris
tened, or young couple married amid pop
ular rejoicings heightened TO the utmost
dramatic effect by flowers and music, festi-
walls and illuminations.
A true American girl of democratic in.
clinations is annoyed to find how easy it is
to slip into the habit of Il foreign country
in these respects, and almost ashamed to
discover how real is her interest in people
of whom only few are politically impor-
tant, while many are burden upon their
nation and their very magnifcence re-
proach.
Yet we have something of the same sort
at home-more crude, less artistic and
without the carefully arranged effects, and
what might be called the decorum of lux
ury which centuries of court life and kingly
rule have produced in Europe.
We have an indefinite but gorgeous
something called society, which is apart
from all the thousand more genuine, in
telligent and helpful social circles which
pervade the United States.
This society does really fulfill one want
of human nature. 1t is not averse to news
paper fame, and the accounts of it's balls
dinner parties, costumes and equipages are
supplied daily to the public.
1t has money 1t can buy beautiful
things, and the descriptions of these satisfy
the imagination of many gay and sensi
BILE country girl, who if she, too were &
millionaire would spend her money more
wisely than upon trunks full of the ex
travagant creations" of Paris dress
maker or superauous jewels enough to fiji
a showcase.
She questions the extravaganza that
spends a,fortune for floral decorations thai
fade in a night, and thinks the money
wasted on costumes for a famous fancy
dress ball something very nearly wicked
But she reads of these things because thel
minister to her imagination and bring
scenes of splendor and beauty vividly be
fore her eyes.
She reads of the tournament in Ivan
hoe," which we do not expect her to enjoy
the less for disappearing Of the theory O
tournaments.
This society news" as it is called, 4
widely read, and certainly indicates some
thing more than admiration On the part o
many people of the empty, foolish and con
| spicuous mode Of life depicted.
The sooner such society is relegated il
the public opinion to the post of pcturesqu
uselessness occupied by royalties and cour
| tiers in other lands the BETTER Youth
| COMPANION