Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-03-10
THE EFFECT is BAD.
That Thing Called "society'' and the Re
ports About Ii DO Great Harm.


That Thing Called "society" and the Re
ports About 1t 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 if they cannot live magnificently
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 If they could
But it is to them qualification to see
what is splendid. TO read of it and to talk
lbout it.
We have not, in America the European
resource to feed the public fancy-a courl
with king and queen and princes, and
above all. princesses. One need spend but
a very shorI time abroad TO learn how real
place the doings of these personages have
in the every day life of the common people
They recur in conversation AS regularly as
the weather and with infinitely more inter
esting variations.
There is always prince with n rumored
romantic love story, or an engaged princess
whose trousseau is a wonder Of lace and
embroideries or a royal baby just chris
tened, or "A young couple married amid pop
ular rejoicings heightened to the utmost
dramatic effect by flowers and music, festi
walls and Examinations.
true American girl of democratic in
clinations is annoyed to find how easy il is
to slip into the habit of a foreign country
in these respects, and almost ashamed to
discover how real is her interest in people
of whom onlya few are politically impor
tant, while many are a burden upon their
nation and their very magnihcence 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 its balls
dinner parties. costumes and equipages are
supplied daily TO the public
It has money 1t can buy beautiful
things, and the descriptions Of these satisfy
the imagination of many "A gay and sensi
BILE country girl, who if she. too, were a
millionaire would spend her money more
wisely than upon trunks full Of the ex
travagant creations" of Paris dress
maker or superiluous jewels enough to ill
a showcase
She questions the extravaganza that
spends n fortune for floral decorations that
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 they
minister to her imagination and bring
scenes of splendor and beauty wildly 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 OF
tournaments.
This society news" as it is called. is
widely read. and certainly indicates some
thing more than admiration on the part of |
many people Of the empty. foolish and con
spicuous mode of life depicted
The sooner such society is relegated 10 |
the public opinion to the post OF picturesque
occupied by royalties and cour
tiers in other lands the better Youths |