The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-06-02

Reduced circumstances"
1t is pathetic thing to see people
struggling with reduced circum-
stances-that is, reduction of in
come, and an inability to live as
they have been in the habit of liv-
ing.
But much heart-break would be
spared il when such adverse fate
comes people would only at once
settle down and accept the new and
smaller income, and live on what it
will easily give them, rather than
to try to keep up appearances. "
Every day we see people trying to
live in large house with one cheap
Observation-Disclosures, where they had
kept, and kept busy, three compe-
tent servants, or even more-trying
TO keep up with the society that they
can no longer afford to move in, by
scrimping and toiling everywhere,
and having no happiness and no
peace and comfort: giving an occa-
sional dinner or lunch, and going
without necessaries to pay for them ;
making over old gowns indefinitely
in order to accept Invitations, and
carrying hearts that ache harder
and harder all the time.
If only they would come down
themselves and drop The world in
stead of letting it drop them, the fall
would not be so hard to bear-to say,
honestly, 1--WE had to leave our
home because we could not afford to
live in it," rather than to make ex-
cuses and explanations, such as,
1--WE found ourselves so far from our
friends" or, THE neighborhood was
not quite healthy"-or too warm, or
too cold, ETC., etc. We all hear these
things, and we all know what they
mean, and five out Of SIX people
sheer when they leave, and say,
why don't they tell the TRUTH
every body knows it A; and the sixth
person, who may be truly sorry and
grieved for their troubles, cannot
give the only one thing in the world
that money cannot buy-.rue SYM
pathy-because uncertain if it be
wanted or will be received kindly.
The made-over clothes grow shabby,
and little by little the invitations
fall off, and at last the family in re-
duced circumstances is dropped
Then heartaches redouble, tempers
suffer, health gives way, looks suf
fer, and all to keep up appear.
ances.'
1t is in such cases "blood tells.
The real gentlewoman goes tC
work and makes no fuss about it.
and sometimes finds in the changed
conditions pew and broader life
and keener interest in and wider
knowledge of the world and its
shams and its realities. 1t is the
real people themselves for whom the
desirable portion of society cares
and what does it matter If a tiny
parlOr in tiny fiat takes the place
of big drawing-Ioom, if the same
charming woman is in it, the same
sweet thoughtful hostess, even IL her
gown be not in the latest fashion
and her refreshments of the sim
plest sort?
The best way to deal with bully
is to knock him down, and 80 1t Ii
With reduced circumstances: the
people who knock them down will
be able to stand on their own feet
Healthy necessary work may de
velop splendid character in a wo
man who would have but little of |
If she had not been obliged to pu
her shoulder to the wheel in gooC
earnest, and by so doing had en-
larged her whole mature. 1t il
the way to look at things and take
them that makes troubles of an,
Kind bearable or absolutely unbear
able.
If we have burdens we must tax,
ohsm up and carry them, whatever
Shey are, with all our hearts and al
our strength, or they will always b,
underfoot and tripping US up, ant
making us fall and stumble; but
picked up and shouldered, even
we stagger for awhile, they oftel
turn out to be much easier to carry
and not half so heavy as they hat
appeared to be while we stood ant
booked at them.
This is a receipt that needs per
sonal trial before one can under
stand its value,-Harpers Bazaar
THE PATCHWORK QUILT.