The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-01-02

geStlng express wagons, haS Sellrcu
the entire household to futter Of
expectation. The air is thick with
anticipations. The Il prepared theil
list Of inyitstions judiciously. OF
course. one-half the people were toe
far off to come thems selves-but, the
express lines are far reaching, and a
house is never too small for wedding
presents galore.
Noostarter is only clelk, and fifty,
let us say thirty, or even twenty years
ago, he would have thought while
longer before asking for an alliance
with the z family. For housefurnish-
ing and all that sort Of thing would
have to come out Of rather meagrc
salary. But, under the existing order
of things, the knotty problem is re-
duced to q simple sum in addition:
And the friends of the u family to
the friends of all the Noostarter
family-plus an employer and the
clerks in the store-and visions of a
home practically furnished, with moth,
ing but the kitchen range and few
washtubs, perhaps, not on display
among the wedding presents, gladden.
Noostarter' prophetic soul and en-
bolden him to ask Miss z to link her
fate with his.
'sWhat a popular young couple Moo
starter and his bride must be u
Not necessarily. They are simply
the bencfciaries of a pernicious Gus
tom Of compulsory giving which
society has winked at as harmless and
laughed at as funny" until it has
virtually grown into species Of polite
blackmail.
The sufferings of the wight who
dares to accept wedding invitation
literally, and goes to it, because he
has been assured, in black and white,
that the pleasure Of his company is
requested" can better be imagined
than described.
Perhaps he is fellow clerk of Moo
starter. Not dashing, daring fellow
like Noostarter, who feels warranted
in risking matrimony while friendship
fills the sails, but timid, cautious,
plodding sort of a fellow, conscious OF
small salary and many claimants
upon it.
He is fond Of Noostarter and really
would like to see the "old fellow
married, and he goes-to suffer. The
gorgeous display rooms convict him of
being a mean, miserly curmudgeon,
who has not purchased his welcome.
Not single bit Of that glittering
array of silver and china and bric.a-
brac is tagged with his name. The
hot color mounts into his cheeks. He
is ready to take oath that every man
and woman bending over the display
and reading the tags which give the
public the benefit of knowing to whom
Noostarter and his bride are indebted
for each article, knows Of his derelic-
tion, and is ready to point the finger
Of scorn at him, if only the usages of
society would permit them that genu-
inc expression Of contempt.
In better case than this is the young
woman who "swcars off entirely. F"
Said one of these wise virgins in hear
ing Of the writer recently:
II cannot afford to accept invita-
tions to weddings nowadays. At the
very lowest calculation each one would
cost me five dollars. I have lots of
girl friends. All Of my class are out
and ready for matrimony. No use
trying to hold fast by simplicity.
Simplicity is clean out Of date.
IT began by manufacturing my offer
ings. My creations excited wonder
and awe in the home circle. They
were all perfectly lovely in the eyes
of my partial critics. But taftcr I had
been thanked at two weddings with
ill-concealcd scorn for my nice little
remembrance, conviction seized upon
me. must not do it again. [ must
invest
"To what extent must depend upon
the exigencics of the case. That is,
the probabilities of other folks giving.
One does not care to inform the whole
world Of ones own poverty-stricken
condition. One must either try tc
keep up with the procession or one
must drop out. I have dropped out
II found it too difficult to grade my
good wishes on the established scale
Bisque figures, at 50 pair, might be
admitted to the display room untagged
They were serviceable as chink filters
in the obscurity of the background
But the sender Of them is sure tt
hurry past them with the stain ol
guilt upon his check. Five-dollal
testimonials of affection will pas:
muster as second-class matter, war
ranting tag, but it is only after one
has recklessly passed the $40 limit
that he or she can accept a wedding
invitation with clear conscience anc
walk through the display rooms heat
up"
Who is prepared to deny the faith
fulness of this picture
In ye olden times-thosc coed ole
times that were perhaps little better
in some respects, because very much
slower in all respccts-marriagc was ;
| ,o1o,nn md q linr IN u vounn coun1f