The Globe-republican., 1894-08-17

the OSSt way Oh improving QUIZ @OuC'
tary condition in this country; it viii
be of no use, and things will be no better
until we learn to put on our heads, and
backs, and feet, and hands no more
than we can pay for
There are clerks in stores and banks
on limited salaries who, in the vain at
tempt to keep the wardrobe of their
family as snowy as other folks ward
robes, are dying of muffs. and diamonds,
and shawls. and high hats, and they
have nothing left except what they
give to cigars and wine suppers, and
they die before their time, and they
will expect US ministers to preach about
them as though they were the victims
of early piety, and after high-class
funeral, with silver handles at the sides
of the coffin, of extraordinary bright
ness it will be found out that the
is cheated out of his legiti-
mate expenses! Do not send to me
to preach the funeral sermon Of q man
who dies like that. I will burt out
the whole truth, and tell that he was
to death by his wife's rib
bons! Our countries are dressed to
death. You are not SURPRISED to hear
that the putting up of! one public
building in New York cost millions OF
dollars more than it ought to have
cost, when you find that the man who
gave out the contract paid more than
five thousand dollars for his wife's
wedding dress. Cashmeres of one
thousand dollars each are not rare on
Broadway. 1t is estimated that there
are ten thousand women in these two
cities who have expended on their per-
sonal array $4,000 year.
What are men to do in order to keep
up such home wardrobes? Steal-that
is the only respectable thing they can
do. During the last fifteen years there
have been innumerable fine businesses
on the wardrobe. The
comes in this way: A man
thinks more of his family than the
world outside, and if they spend the
evening in describing to him the supe-
rior wardrobe of the family across the
street, that they cannot bear the sight
of, the man is thrown on his gallantry
and on his pride of family, and, with
out translating his feelings into
plain language, he goes into eX-
tortion and issuing of false
stock. and skillful penmanship in writ
ing somebody else's name at the foot
of promissory note; and they all go
down together-the husband to the
prison, the wife to the sewing machine,
the children to be taken care of by
those who were called poor relations.
O! for some new Shakespeare to arise
and write the tragedy of human
clothes.
Act the first of the tragedy-A plain
but beautiful home. Enter, the newly
married pair. Enter, simplicity of
manner and behavior. Enter, as much
happiness as is ever found in one home.
Act the second-Discontent with the
humble home. Enter, envy. Enter,
jealousy. Enter, desire of display.
Act the acknowledgements of ex-
penses. Enter, all the queenly dress
makers. Enter, the French milliners.
Act the fourth--The tip-top of socie-
ETY.. Enter, princes and princesses of
high life. Enter, magnificent plate
and eeuipage. Enter, everything
splendid.
Act the fifth, and last-Winding up
of the scene. Enter, the assignee. En-
ter, the sheriff. Enter, the creditors.
Enter, humiliation. Enter, the wrath
of God. Enter, the contempt of So
ciety. Enter, death. Now, let the silk
curtain drop on the stage. The farce
is ended and the lights are out.
Will you forgive me if I say in ters-
est shape possible that some of the
men have to forge and to perjure and
to swindle to pay for their wives
dresses? 1 will say it, whether you
forgive me or not.
Again, inordinate fashion is the foe
of all Christian alms-giving. Men and
women put so much in personal dis
play that they often have nothing for
God and the cause of suffering human
ity. A Christian man cracking his
Palais royal glove across the back by
shutting up his hand to hide the one
cent he puts into the poor-box. A
Christian woman. at the story of the
Hottentots, crying copious tears into a
SIS handkerchief, and then giving a
two-cent piece to the collection,
thrusting it down under the bills
so people will not know but
it was SO gold piece! On hundred
dollars for incense to fashion. two
cents for God. God gives us ninety
cents out of every dollar. The other
ten cents. by command of the Bible,
belong to Him. Is not God liberal ac-
cording to this tithing system laid
down in the Old Testament-is not God
liberal in giving us ninety cents out of
a dollar. when He takes but ten? We do
not like that. We want to have ninety
nine cents for ourselves and one for
God.
Now, l would a great deal rather
steal ten cents from you than from
God. think one reason why a great
many people do not get along in
worldly Accommodations faster is be-
cause they do not observe the divine
rule. God says: well, if that man is
not satisfied with ninety cents of a
lo11o. than xx-;l1 %ol-o %bo xvho1o