The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1894-03-15
THE GENTEEL POOR.
"oH, THE PITY OF lTP ONE EXCLAlMS
WHEN CONSIDERING THEM.
Straining to Maintain IA Position Beyond
Their Means-An Anecdote About Peo-
pie Who Manage to Get Along and Get
Along by Managing.

Their Means-An Anecdote About Peo-
Pile Who Manage to Get Along and Get
Along by Managing.
Do you know that there is a class Of
people whosuifer and Of whom the world
never hears? | mean those whom we are
apt to call the genteel poor. They are
always with us. In my life | have lis
tened to great many qHeer stories
about them, and they are really to be
pitied. They are, many of them, single
women Of uncertain age, who are obliged
to live on iufniteslmal incomes and with
an amount of style. They can't bring
their ideas down to the level of their for
tunes. They have always been used to
certain things, and they must have or
at least appear to have them. They can
live only in "A particular part of town, no
matter if the rent consumes the biggest
part of their funds, and they must do
other things i'll just proportion How do
they do ii? Why, with an ausunt Of in
genuity that would be valuable in bet
ter cause.
They manage" That is the word.
The genteel poor manage to get
along and get along by managing
Take case that | happen to know
about. They were a pair of sisters who
rented apartments.
| am not afraid to assert that they lived
on samples. They went from one grocer
to another and collected, little by little
almost all the things they needed for
their meager lnenage.
Sample cans of soup furnished their
table at many "A midday meal. Their
cracker jar WAS Il wonderful mixture of
different brands, They did so like va
riety, they said, Their bonbon dish was
replenished in way that seemed little
short of stealing. They would make pc
riodical calls at various confectioners
and at each take bit of candy from the
piles that We're exposed to view Hidden
in a bag OF III a muff if it was winter.
the aggregate of this booty when taken
home formed quite dishful and helped
out at their afternoon receptions, which
in accordance with their ideas of hospi-
tality and the traditions of their family
they always gave during the season.
| used to wonder how they felt when
they knelt on Sundays before that ger
geous shrine which they affected and
gave the response to that solemn admo-
milton, Thou shalt not steal but |
fancy they thought it was perfectly le-
climate.
They always dressed in black. and |
am sure | don't know how they ''man-
aged" their wardrobes. | suppose the
bargain counters helped them out, and |
fancy their gowns We're sometimes made
by a very swell dressmaker whom years
ago they employed as seamstress and
introduced to their wealthy friends BY
this the woman was enabled to get a
footing, and no doubt gratitude prompt
ed her to give them some help in the re-
construction of their wardrobes.
But this was long ago. wonder if
the younger sister, who now occupies a
position as the wife of wealthy man,
is aware that know all about the gown
she wore when she met the man who
emancipated her from the thraldom of
petty economy. doubt it, but do, and
| am going to tell you.
The two women had been invited to a
dinner given by swell friend. The
elder could not go on account of i'll
health, but the younger must. Then
came the question of what to wear Ev-
erything had been exhausted, and there
was no money for a costume. At last.
in despair, the younger woman opened a
| trunk filled with clothing from the rec
IL. III H..
She had it! Within its depths there
was the black silk robe that her father
had worn. 1t was heavy and of beauti-
full texture. Its ample folds would
make short skirt and part of IA waist.
While in quandary as to what would
| fill out the deficiency she saw beneath
the velvet pail that had covered her IA
tribute of sick parishioner Here were
the train and another part of the waist
Did no thought of its association with
the dead man or remembrance of the sol
emn service return to her, you ask: Not
a bit of it. Beneath it, crumpled up in
many creases, was the Grape that had
draped the altar. Behold what "A cos
tune was evolved! A long train of vel
vet over skirt of heavy black silk trim
med with folds of Grape whose somber
blackness served to make still winter The
neck displayed beneath the decollete cor
sage. She was elegant indeed, and at the
dinner she played her cards so well that
she captured an eXl' nelly eligible bach.
elor, and her stru4 were over.
But think of it, know you'll say.
"Oh, the pity of it,
You have often heard the saying: God
help the rich. The poor can beg"
say the Lords poor will be taken
care of, but pity, oh, pity, the genteel
poor!-Boston Herald.
THE BALLOON IN BATTLE.
How 1t Is Managed and Information Trans
mitted and Received.
Balloon and wagon have formed juno
ton and are ready to start with the
troops. Away goes the wagon, with the
balloon hanging on to its tail, while the
attendant sappers on each side keep it
steady. The train moves along at good
round pace, easily keeping up with or
even passing the infantry, and makes for
the particular spot at which it has been
determined to commence balloon opera
tons. which is usually ON the top of
good high hill.
An ascent is an easy enough matter
and is soon accomplished. The balloon
is sppurplV Fl ye1 to the end of tho wire