San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-04-07
THE GENTEEL POOR.
"OH, THE PITY OF IT.! ONE ExcLAIMS
WHEN CONS DERING THEM.

straining to Maintain Position Beyond
Their Means-An Anecdote About Peo-
pie Who Manage TO Get Along and Get
Along by Managing.
Do you know that there is a class of
people who suffer 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 1 have lis
tened to a great many queer stories
about them, and they are really to be
pltied. They are, many of them, single
women of uncertain ag", who are obliged
to live on infnitesi nal incomes and with
an amount of st! lie. 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 onl y in particular part of town, no
matter if the rent consumes the biggest
part of their funds, and they must do
other things in juat proportion. How do
they do it? Why with an amount of in
genuity that would be valuable in a bet
ter cause.
They manage" That is the word.
The genteel lOor manage" to get
along and get along by managing"
Take case that happen to know
about. They Were 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 menage.
Sample cans Of soup furnished their
table at many midday meal. Their
cracker jar was 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
rlodlcal calls at various confectioners
and at each take a bit of candy from the
piles that were exposed to view Hidden
IN bag, or in muff if it was winter,
the aggregate of this booty when taken
ASAiN AOA hlCN HWllC d ulSIllul anu IltlIJtJl
out at their afternoon receptions, which,
IN accordance with their ideas of hospi-
tally and the traditions of their family.
they always gave during the season.
l used to wonder how they felt when
they knelt on Sundays before that gOr-
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-
gitimate
They always dressed in black, and
am sure l don't know how they "man-
aged" their wardrobes. l suppose the
bargain counters helped them out, and !
fancy their gowns were sometimes made
by very swell dressmaker whom years
ago they employed as a 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 0, their wardrobes.
But this was long ago. | wonder if
the younger sister, who now occupies a
position as the wife of a 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. Idoubt 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. Their
came the question of what to wear. Ev
erything had been exhausted, and Their,
was no money for a costume. At last
in despair, the younger woman opened
trunk filled with clothing from the rec
tory-their chIldhood's home.
She had it! Within its depths Their
was the black silk robe that her fathe
had worn. 1t was heavy and of beauti
full texture. Its ample folds would
make a short skirt and part of waist.
While in a quandary as to what would
fill out the deficiency she saw beneath
the velvet pail that had covered her ia
theirs coffin. 1t had been the last lovinl
tribute of sick parishioner. Here wer
the train and another part of the waist