Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-06-09

is society made 80 Of the attention to
the small courtesies and little nicetles
that go toward making its members
agreeable and desirable, And as a
Christian community denounces unbe-
levers and scoffers at the word of God,
SO should good society exclude from its
gatherings and intercourse those who
are openly immoral and do not conform
10 the laws and conventional observ-
ances that govern the manners and
morals of the wen bred.
High moral character and education,
whether II be OF book lore or that OF
observation and good example, polish
of manner and good habits, are the
requisites of good society. One whose
ideas of social equality were rather dem
ucratic than exclusive. was heard to
remarks, "One man is born Just as
good as another, and a great deal bet
ter than some" Unless the son of a
gentleman be gentleman, he is no
more entitled to the name suggesting
refinement than a man is entitled to
the name of general whose father be-
fore him was a general. one must win
his own laurels or go uncrowned.
Birth to a marked degree is an acct
dent and those who are considered TO
be well born are ofttimes the most OBJ
jectionable elements of society and
the most dangerous assoCiatcs. one
need but watch closely the daily record
of those on both sides of the Atlantic.
whose birth gives them prestige in So
ciety, to prove that education and cul-
tivation of high morals and manners
30 farther toward making refined So
ciety than all the good or blue blood
that ever flowed through the
Veins of royalty and the no
billty. OF course, 1t would be the
heighth of absurdity to argue that all
men are born equal. ana would be as
Illogical TO argue against the superior
lily OF blooded animals of the race
course over the ordinary draughi
horse. However, the nobility Of cul-
ture and refinement should have pre-
cedence over the nobility OF birth and
rank.
II society would close Its doors once
and forever on the immoral man, as II
always does on the woman who has
once fallen. what is termed as gooc
society would not be In a constant
state of eruption and the woman o.
| the social world would not be looked
| upon as an altogether worldly woman
in the general acceptation OF this
term. We would not give the sam,
! privilege to woman that man takes e
himself, but we would take from mar
| the license to do wrong that he appro
! PIRATES as his right.
The distinguishing feature OF good
| society should be that respect for higl
morals that brings all other requisites
in Its train. In all grades Of society We
find the good. bad and Indifferent, Just
as we find mixture of finely cult
| waited plants among the more common
ones OF the country flower garden, anc
| the pleasing feature Of the cultivated
| is as great as the intrusion OF the com
mon Is offensive.
Life is too short, and has too many
| possibilities Of happiness and progress
aInp 10 waste II In he gOriptN uf thf
| illiterate. ill-bred and unoongenial.
| Nature has not bestowed upon al
of her children the gift of great talents
| nor are all surrounded by the same ad
| yantageous elements, but all have {
| mind and heart TO cultivate, and 4
| one avails himself,pf the opportunities
| prescribed for Improvement. then meri
will be synonymous with good society
| M. X.