The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-15
CULT Of CLEANLINESS
Bah Talks of Bathtubs as Things
TO Be Worshipped.
AN ENEMY TO IMMORTALITY
Imposes bility of Great Deca-
dence in America.
IMMORTALITY AND DIRT.
How Green Old Age is Made Possible
by Care of the Body, Meaning
Cleanliness of Soul.

CLEANLINESS W SOdts
There is a great deal of foolish talk
going round. People who don't make
a great effort at thinking and are fond
of hearing the sound of their own voices
are many in number. There is great lik-
ing for announcing that the world is in
a state Of decadence. There's a fancy for
telling that men and women are now at
their worst, and that humanity, general
izing. is in pretty bad way. All this is
nonsense. The world is in a very good
state, and the people in it are, most OF
them, 10 be highly commended. The
average man works well, either with his
hands or his brain, and spends his money
literally. lie likes to see the woman who
bears his name dressed prettily and en-
Toying herself. Indeed, he likes to think
Of everybody as getting her share of the
good things of life. Once in a while
there is q 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. His prediction is wrong.
He is the passing fool. He attracts at
tention because he is an absolute contrast
to all the other men. Ii he were as COM
mon as it is claimed that he is, he would
excite no comment, but thang goodIessi he
is unusual and causes surprise. de is
seldom Of English or American birth.
France claims him, and between you and
me, think France is welcome to him.
In country like our own, where even
9TH n Work fat 10 hat h
tub, the decadent is an impossibility. As
long as nation is clean it progresses
The nearest / have ever come to wor-
shipping inanimate things has been in Civ
ing all the praise it deserved to a we'll
made bGthtub. 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 rs it IS painted. 1t fayors most
of the things TINT tend to make people
comfortable and happy. Good society
approve Of a properly spread dinner
table. The properly spread dinner table
encourages the appetite, is an incentive
to good digestion, and, as a natural Sc
quence, makes happy people.
SOCIETY AND IMMORTALITY
Society disapproyes of immortality in
any form. 1t may seem for a moment
as If sometimes it forgives the fashion
able sinner aud overlooked the fashion
able sin, but this is only for moment.
AS time goes by the great conservative
element refuses to recognize the fash
ionable sinner and audibly disapproves OF
whatever happens TO be the fashionable
sin. 1t counts lying as vulgar. In addi-
ton. it knows that lying is stupid, since
the liar ls invariably found out. 1t dis
approves OF drunkenness, for who can
rely upon the man who is never certain
OF himself! Good society is to-day much
better than it was q hundred years ago.
WhT<~ In the first place because it is
cleaner. The bathtub has made the re-
iigion Of cleanliness a possibility, and in
consequence it has increased good So
ciety. IL keeps men and women younger,
handsomer, aud healthier. The man who
has kept up with the times keeps bis
youth and vitality.
This is delightfully."- shown in that most
clean plays, Rosemary" when John
Drew, az the only one Of the group who
were all alive when Queen Victoria was
crowned, appears distinguished and
handsome when the Queen is celebrating
her jubilee, not dressed as he was fifty
years before, Int wearing the costume
Of an elderly gentleman of to-day. He
proves that be has changed with the
times, and yet allowed himself to be older
than they.
1t is with a CHEEKY look on his face that
he announces that there is much to en-
Joy even when a man is ninety, and
don't Gan 4hfrlx fbaf much nf 40
enjoyment depends on the man? Look
at the men and women who grow old be-
fore their time, and the men and women
who lose interest in the life that is about
them, and find happiness and goodness
only in the past.
BETTER INSTEAD OF WORSE.
The world is growing younger and bet
ter every day, and it is your fault and
my fault If we don't take advantage or
all the good things that come, those men
tally and physically. There are always
new books to read, perhaus some are
not as good as the old ones, but you can
read the new ones and freshen up your
wit by drawing comparisons between the
past and the present. There are lovely
women to look Mt every day, and never
in the history Of dress were women gown
richest of furs, the finest of laces, the
glossiest Of silks and satins, the feathers
from the gayest birds. the flowers from
the finest gardens. everything that could
be worn in reality or in imitation is Of
fered to the woman Of to-day that she
may make herself n most delightful thing
of beauty. There are all the great pic
lure galleries Of the past, and all those
Of the present for you who love art to
iov in. You can hear the sweetest music
whether you are a worker. or whether
Won are an idler. There is offered to you
the best play, mounted in the most SUI
perb manner and acted after the best
fashion. All the world caters to your
dinner table: your SOUP may come from
china. your fish from Scotland, your NUT
tom from England, your famous pate