The Lamar register., 1897-11-06

08 serip,ures It Is
nns examples. as well as preeepts. en-
joining X. while the New Testament
afords both example and precepts. OF
tne most winning kind. Hospitality has
thus been well-atanding virtue; 1t has
been commended OF all men. and prac-
tieed everywhere. In the early times
in his country our fathers established
hospitality in It's nobiest forms, and
adopted 1t as an American virtue The
log cabin was open to the stranger.
with a place at the fire and at the
table. while the neIghbor had almost
all the privilege OF the owner, In the
early farmhouse conditions were the
same. and In the town and In the city
every one kept open house. according
TO his means. In the south. especially,
this grew 10 immense proportions. un-
~ ~ oyershadowed all other virtues.
The homes OF the rich. particularly
were constantly crowded with neigh
bors and friends. so that life was one
continual round Of entertainment and
being entertained. That state OF things
has not altogether passed away; hospi-
iality has not been entirely dethroned.
or. Al least, II has not become an out
cast; but we are compelled to believe
that the signs OF the times indicate Its
decadsuce. This change started in cit
les. With the development of hotels;
city people began to consider the Rd-
Visibility OF having relatives and
friends from outlying places fnd lodg-
ing AT bostslries The city man began
to close his doors upon the host Of
relatives and friends. who might make
4 convenience OF him. In their tours
to the city. There was good reason for
discrimination here the city man could
not very weIl entertain his whole ma
tive town or interrupt his business
hours for every Indifferent person. As
our civilization lost simplicity Il be-
came more and moro necessary to draw
lines of classes, and 10 discriminate
according to character and attain
ments. 50 that one could not continue.
In a city, TO recognize his neighboT as
CUES, simply because he lived next
door. Neighboriiness lost Its meaning.
As the struggle Of life became more In
tense. the selfish qualities were de-
NFAkl-sAa AAsr| AtsAAAAAru "
geiher. modlisd the old idea OF hospi-
taiity. Then came the idea OF enter
tainins as a means 10 an end: the old
idea Of hospitality had been to share
ones home and loaf and heartiness
with others The modification Of it. In
cities. came to give II certain market
able power: one man would open his
home and spread his table and invite
his guests expecting from them in re-
turn such social honor or prestige as
they could give; he expected that they
should invite him and his family to
their homes in return. He hoped TO
win or hold a place In a good circle.
and when his entertainment surpassed
in splendor that OF his friends, he ex-
pected to have credit In praise and
glory for that. So that hospitality,
generally speaking. in the cities has
now become an exchange of social
honors; one does not give anything
sithout expecting something for II
That there are many individuals who
maintain the old hearty hospitality is
true, but the standard Is no longer uni
versally recognized. In the towns the
change has also been felt. The old
spirit has died away: even entertaining
for the sake OF receiving an equivalent