Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-04-24

i
family miss many of the comforts Of lif,
TO which they had been accustomed in
their own home. They are thrown intc
the society of people they don't care Il
meet. but must be polite in order t.
avoid trouble. The children have nc
yard to play in. The parlors are stuffv
and frequented by firty, ill hammered
persons of both sexes. and the father and
mother chafe amid such surroundings
for their eldest daughter and the other
| children.
The dream of social conquest in Wash
| ington, even of social enjoyment, is
| rudely dispelled. Faded are the visions
| of fine establishment. carriage and
pair, pony for the children. of hand
some gowns and many admirers for the
eldest daughter. When the comforts of
life are hard to get. it is time to stop
talking about the Injuries. Pinch and
scrape and manage as they will, the Off
cal and his wife find it impossible TO
make both ends meet. The hundred and
odd dollars per month left out of the
salary affords little latitude for dress.
doctors bills, amuSements and the thou
sand and one expenses of family. A
carriage ride would mean bankruptcy
for the week. Mother and father wear
ont all their old clothes. The new Off
eial gives up smoking and very rarely
takes drink. He declines invitations
to join club or two and avoids the So
ciety of the very men whose acquaint-
ance he had expected to cultivate. he
cause he realizes he cannot go at their
pace financially.
After few months of this sort of life,
in which they run behind week after
week and find it necessary to draw on
the little income they have from their
property or business at home. the family
bundles up and goes back to the little
country town 10 make as good face of
it as they can before the inquisitive
neighbors. They are in love with Wash
ington, of course, and have had per
tectly lovely time and enjoyed the society
so much, with emphasis on the 80" but
the children need the school at home. and
the climate did not agree with Arabella.
They will go back in the fall when
Washington is lively again When fall
comes, Arabella goes back to stay for a
time with her father, but the other men,
bers of the family remain at home and
economize in order to give Arabella a
show
And how does the husband and father,
the new official. fare all this time? Not
very well. 1t is hard to be cut off from
the society of his family. He has never
tried that before and doesn't like it. He
wants the boys, and the baby. and the
mother BY his side. Besides, the work is
anything but fascinating. Not too hard.
it is humdrum and routine. 1t calls for
no enthusiasm; it presents no stimulus
for energy or ambition. He soon realizes
he is mere part, and small part at
that, of a great machine. In the town
whence he came he is looked up to as a
man of some Importance, and the folks
at home take genuine satisfaction in the
envy of their neighbors-and this lisa lit
tie consolation-bu in Washington the
new official quickly perceives he is very
small potatoes and not many to the hill,
and this hurts his pride.
ne mas NOT saved cent out OF what at
first seemed to be such a splendid salary.
On the contrary. he has incurred large
1ebt. To tide over he sold the house or
other property at home and must now
face the world practically where he
faced it when he was young man. He
must begin life over again. He has lost
his law practice or his business at home
In many ways he has lost status Com
petition is keen in this world. and the
man who steps aside from given field
evcn for four years need not expect to
return at the end Of that time and find
his place unoccupied. But this is not
half SO serious as the change that has
ONE to the man himself. He has de-
erioratcd i'll strength. spirit and energy.
! Ie is 10 longer fit for conquest. The
odds are that he will never again be the
man he was.
This IS not an imaginary picture. If |
chose to do so, could describe not one
but Il score Of such cases. giving names
md other particulars. OF course there
ere exceptions, cases in which Office
tolding leads to valuable connections.
business or professional. But these are
rare. The rule is that officeholding
brings immediate loss of money and
place and the worse dry rot that forbids
WALTER WELLMAN.