The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-14
NTRAyaCAMcE AND TH2lF r.
From the Presbyterian Banner.

When the actual wants OF lie are cata-
lor,ed the list is a short one, since food,
clothing and shelter will compass and
limit the entire number, and yet they are
of primal Importance to all; from the mil
lionaire who builds his stately mansion to
the pauper who eats the bitter bread Of
charity. 1t is the effort to provide these
necessities that sets the busy world OF
labor in motion and gives ao impetus TO
life which would otherwise be as still and
and idle as life in the South Sea Islands,
where food may be had a free gift from the
generous hand of nature, and whore cloth
ing and shelter are not regarded as abso-
lutte necessities.
After these very vital wants are sup
piled then other desires arise. and with
every advancing step towards wealth lux
ury keeps step with it. Times haveandeed
! changed since our forefathers bra7ed
stormy seas. and counted themselves hap
DIV when they could find a shelter from
their dusky foes and wrest scanty hveil-
hood from a barren soil. Their descend
ants aspire to live as though they had cen
turies of wealth behind them; and it's sur
prising how quickly nation can adapt
i.self to changed conditions, or an indivi-
dual can alter bis node of life to suit bis
yarVinr fortunes, and adapting himself to
circumstances in the spending Of wealth
forget his slow struggles in acquiring it.
A love of extravaganza has crept into
every walk of life. The wealthy when
they travel abroad scatter their money
broadcast with ostentatlons show until ID
foreipn lands to confess ones self an Amer
lean IS to be a subject for all manner OF ex-
fortion. and the name has come to
he SYNONYMOUS with that of spendthrlft-
With the poor the case is much the same;
everywhere people are apng someone
richer than themselves. There IS con-
tiDual strainiDg to keep pace with those
in better circumstances, and the man who
! works for daily wages strives to emulate
the man who has an assured income. The
maid initiates her mistress IN dress. for
she argues that in this free country she
NAV buy and dress as she pleases without
any old world distinctions as to the dress
of class or caste.
Eytrayagance means literally a wander
ING hevond limit, and whatever is be-
vond ones means is an extravaganza; and
whenever one reaches the point where to
supply his wants, his demands exceed.the
limit of his income, then he is treadlng on
dangerous ground, which may lead linn
in the mazes of dishonesty.
The habit of extreyagance is growing.
People have thousand fancied needs
which must be supplied, and children even
are bepig trained up IN the same way.
Take as an example the numoerless
costly toys now made TO- the amusement
of little people, while Icany an :older head
can remember the time when the small fry
had to be content with cart or doll OF
such primitive construction as would be
scorned by tie children Of to-day. They
require double, nay treble, the luxurles
The generation before them did, and just
in the same ratio have the wishes OF their
elders increased, until one wonders where
this will all cease,
It's 10 be hoped that the present fnan-'
cial straits with which so many have been
driven in the last few months will teach
one desired lesson, that Of thrift. 1t is
probably that if there had been more
economy practiced and more self-denial
shown their would not be so many need
ins assistance to-day. The habit OF thrift
is hard for Americans to learn, for here
nature has been so prodigal with her gifts
to field and forest, but once learned 1t is
worth more than money. and the person
who acquires it has added much to his IN
come. To be thrifty does not necessarily
make one mean, but rather to the contrary,
| for one may have much more to be gener-
| Gus with. The extravagant rarely have
| much to give to others; their own desires
absorb it all.
| Thrifty habits enable man to take
long strides along the road to prosperity.
Few Of the stupendous fortunes of the
age have been gathered by extravagant
men, but by those who had learned to ex-
ercise prudence and frugality. Sometimes,
tbs true, succession of fortunate accl-
dents throws financial success in the way
of those who could not gain it themselves,
bat it is almost always the careful, psu-
dent ones who gain the good things OF this
| life. The matter of extravaganza must be
| Judged by sliding scale, for what is hon
| est end right in one nan may be foolish
| and inprovident in another; and when one
learns the lesson of accommodating all
luxuries to the length of ones purse, then
grand lesson both in contentment and
! honesty will have been learned, and once
learned there viii be fewer cases OF tnan-
ciai embarrassment resulting from this
,ro1;Ho