The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1897-04-02
Not well-Bred.

There is no surer sign of ill-breeding
than the persistency Of the importunate
visitor who will not take mo- for an
answer. There are women so constituted
that they cannot be content when, on
coming to see friend or acquaintance,
they are told that the ladies' are mot re-
ceiving,' or particularly engaged. Any
one at all acquainted with such affairs
knows that social usage is governed by
In this respect men are better bred than
women, being willing to observe social
conventions. a caller ON learning that
the ladies 'beg to be excused" should
accept the statement at its face value.
Yet women who ought to know better Of
the door, wishing to know the reasons for
being denied entrance and sometimes en-
deavoring to force their way in with the
statement: "Oh, she'll see me, I am
sure. Mrs. -- is at home to me-
Just here they show their lack of So
ress is supposed to be person of some
mental capacity. She is expected to
know her mistress intimates who are
at liberty to come in when they choose
But the importunate visitor is never in
cluded in this privileged group. She is
welcome to come on Eat home" days or
take her chances during calling hours
1uOI SAOuAN NC S1ioNSA AOA ASAs JuI tuC
badge of her tribe is persistency and
assurance that Mt all hours she can in
trude into the domestic life of the house,
and bring the mistress downstairs from
her nursery, or where she is superin-
tending some SickrOOm or regulating diff
ferent departments of the household. If
it should happen that visitor who has
ting speech of the lady of the house is
met with the statement that the lady is
particularly engaged. she is not without
resOurce-her remedy is at hand.
On the hall table of almost every house
there is provision for writing a mes
sage that demands immediate attention.
An ornamental writing pad and pencils
are ordinarily kept within reach of the
front door. The visitor may then scrib-
BILE her message, and, if time presses,
dispatch it up stairs to receive reply.
But unless she is visitor from some
distant city she need not expect that
much short of "battle, murder and sud-
den DEATH will bring her hostess down.
stairs
In short, society protects itself by such
devices. The morning hours are sacred
to business, study and domestic routine.
Certain hours are set apart to receive
vlsitors-generally from to 6-although
some women receive guests as early as
in the afternoon. If the hostess is not
receiving, be content to deposit your
visiting cards with addresses plainly
marked, and soften the disappointment
by the reflection that you now have time
to return others calls in the same neigh
Observation-Disclosures Times.
The Rich and the Poor.
The question of how the rich should
spend their money, and the effect of
ella borate expenditure ON the minds of
the poor, has been one of the most wide
ly-discussed topics of late in social ethics.
1t seems rather contradiction that
such discussion should arise in land
of freedom and equal chances, where the
plutocracy consists either of self-made
men or their immediate descendants.
That man has a right to do what he
pleases with his own goes without say
ing-it would be infringing on the rights
OF personal liberty to say otherwise
AS far as the next criticism is con-
cerned, the effect of luxurious living on
the minds of the Door, it is not the latter
that feel ''envy, malice and uncharitable-
ness toward the rich. They are not
nearly as bitter as the would-be fashion
| ables, the social climbers, or their friends,
who resent an expenditure which they
fam would initiate if they could.
what the deserving poor want is work.
If they can get enough of that to obtain
the necessaries of life, they will envy no
one. If rich people would reduce their
way of living to Spartan simplicity
there would be far more misery and
want than there is now.
What the rich should do is to spend,
and spend literally, but in a way to ben
eft their own country people. American
talent should be brought to the fore.
! American manufactures patronized and
American workmen and workwomen Civ
! en- omDlOVmonf Rrlf far ioxx-o1o
fine raiment and entertainments are con-
cerned, they do not make the wearer
and donor hated by the poor in Mulberry
street half as much as those who are
nout of it, on Murray hill.-New York
Tribune.