The Portland daily press., 1894-04-11
THE GENTEEL POOR.
'Oh, The Pity of 1t e. One Exclaims
When Considering Them.

Their Means-An Anecdote About Peo-
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 l have lis
tened to great many Xleer 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 inflnitesimal 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 particular part of town, no
matter if the rent consumes the biggest
part of their funds, and they must do
other things in just proportion. How do
they do it? Why, with an amount 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 a, 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 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 a way that seemed little
short of stealing. They would make pc
riodical calls at various confectioners
and at each take a bit Of candy from the
piles that were exposed to view. Hidden
in a bag, or in muf if it was winter,
the aggregate of this booty when taken
home formed quite a 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.
I 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, ssThou shalt not steal" but /
fancy they thought it was perfectly le-
gitimate.
They always dressed in black, and /
am sure / don't know how they ssman-
aged" their wardrobes. / suppose the
bargain counters helped them out, and I
fancy their gowns were sometimes made
by 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 I 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 ill
health, but the younger must. Then
came the question of what to wear. Ev-
erything had been exhausted, and there
was no money for costume. At last,
~, 1ac,,oi, tho uo,,p xr,o,,,oy, o,,n,,a cd :,
trunk filled with clothing from the rec
tory-their childhood's home.
She had it! Within its depths there
was the black silk robe that her father
had worn. It 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 loving
tribute of sick parishioner. Here were
the train and another part of the waist.
Did no thought of it's 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 whittier 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 extremely eligible bach
elor, and her struggles were over.
But think of it! l know you'll say,
ooh. 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.
Real Swell.