Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-11-12
THE VIRTUE OF CLEANLINESS
To be Clean OF Body Means to
be Clean of Soul.
BATH TUBS THINGS TO WORSHIP
ImpossIbIlIty of Decadence in
America.


\
| New York, Nov. 6.-There is grea
deal of foolish talk going round
| People who don't make ii great effor
at thinking and are fond of hearins
the sound of their own voices are mani
in number. There is great liking fol
announcing that the world is in state
of decadence. There's fancy for tell
| ing that men and women are now al
their worst and. that humanity, gener
| alizing, is in a pretty bad way. AL
| very good state, and the people in n
| are, mast of them, to be highly con
| mended. The average man works we'll,
either with his hands or his brain, anG
spends his money liberally. He likes
TO see the woman who bears his name
| dressed prettily and enjoying herself.
Indeed. he likes to think of everybody
as getting her share Of the good things
OF life. Once in a while. there IL a
picture in the newspapers of dirty,
unkempt looking creature, who writes
silly poetry. who lives off his friends,
and who announces himself as the
coming man. Bis prediction is wrong.
lie is the passing fool. He attracts
attention because he is an absolute
contrast to all the other men. If be
were az common as it is claimed that
no is, he would excite no comment,
but thank goodness he is unusual and
causes surprise. He is seldom of Eng
lish or American birth, France claims
him and, between you and me, think
France il welcome to him.
In country like our own where,
even with New York flat, there is a
bathtub, the decadent is an impossi.
bility. AS long as nation is clean it
progresses. The nearest have ever
come to worshipping inanimate things
has been in giving all the praise it de-
served to well-made bathtub. Men
and women, when they are clean of
body are very apt to be clean OF soul,
clean of speech, and clean of heart.
Men may pretend to be decadents, but
they can't be clean and be decadents
at the same time, and society favors
cleanliness. Society Is by no means as
black as 1t is painted. 1t favors most
of the things that tend to make people
comfortable and happy. Good society
approves OF a properly spread dinner
table. The properly spread dinner
table encourages the appetite, is an
incentive to good digestion, and as
natural sequence, makes happy people.
Society disapproves Of immortality in
any form. 1t may seem, for moment,
az If sometimes it forgave the fashion
able sinner and overlooked the fashion
able sin, but this is only for a moment.
As time goes by the great conserva-
tive element refuses to recognize the
fashionable sinner and audibly dis
approves of whatever happens to be
the fashionable sin. 1t counts lying
as vulgar. In addition, it knows that
lying is stupid. since the liar is in
variably found out. 1t disapproves of
drunkenness, for who can rely upon
the man who is never certain Of him
self? Good society is to-day much
better than il was hundred years
ago. Why? In the first place because
1t is cleaner. The bath tub has made
the religion of cleanliness possibility,
and in consequence it has Increased
good society. 1t keeps men and women
younger, handsomer and healthier.
The man who has kept up with the
times keeps his youth and vitality.
This is delightfully."- shown in that
most clean of plays, ROSEMARY, whom
John Drew, as tho only one of the
group who we're all alive when Queen
Victoria was crowned, appears dis.
tinguished and handsome when the
Queen is celebrating her jubilee, not
dressed as he was so yearA before, hut
wearing the costume of an elderly
gentleman of to-day. He proves that
he has changed with the times, and
not allowed himself to be older than
they.
1t is with CHEEKY look on his face
that he announces that there is much
to enjoy even when man in 90; and
don't you. think that very much Of
the enjoyment depends on the MANI
Look at the mon and women who grow
old before their time, and the men and
women who loss interest in the life
that is about them. and find happi-
ness and goodnes only in the past.
Personally, believe the world is
growing younger and better every day,
and it is your fault and my fault, IL
we don't take advantage of all the
good things that come, those good
things that tend to keep us young,
mentally and physically. There are
always now books to read, perhaps
some are not as good as the old ones,
but you can read the new ones and
freshen up your wits by drawing COM
PARSONS between tho past aud the
present. There are lovely women to
look at every day, aud never in tho
history of dress were women gowned
az beautifully as they are now. The
richest Of furs, the finest OF laces, the |
glossiest of silks and satips, the |
feathers from the gayest birds, the |
flowers from the finest gardens, every
thing that could be worn in reality or |
in imitation, is offered to the woman
of to-day that abe may make horself a |
most delightful thing OF beauty. There |
are all the great picture galleries Of the |
past, and all those of the present for
you who love art to Joy in. You can
hear the sweetest music, whether you |
arc worker, or whether you are an
idler. There is offered to you the best |
play, mounted in the most superb |
manner and acted after the best |
All the world caters TO your
iinner-table; your soup may- come
from China, your tish from Scotland, |
your mutton from England, your famous
pate from France; California gives you
sour fruit, while America offers what.
aver you may wish. Indigestion should |
DO unknown, but then the doctors
must be thought of What a curse
Indigestion is 1t affects the temper,
It corrupts the brain, il furces the eyes
% look through green glasses, and il
makes that which is sweet seem sour;
1ut, SINCE there is plenty of fresh air
Ind ii one ia alive one can walk, then
Why should indigestion come? Did you
,yer think what u great people We are?
such little while ago and We did not