The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-24

A servant, who prided herself on being
employed IN a ''genteel family" was
asked what she meant by ''genteel fam
ily.' W here they have two or three
kinds of wine, and the gentleman
swears!" was the answer
Not so very long go there were people
we hope that there are none now
whose highest ambition was to have
nothing to do, or at least to be thought
to have nothing to do; that was so gen
tlemanly. A man of this kind when trav-
cling in America spoke rather Boosting
ly Of the walking gentleman's life he
lived to a Yankee girl, and then remark
ed that there did not seem to be any gem
tlemen in America. 81 mean a lelsured
class, with nothing to do "Oh, yes"
replied the lady, 1--WE have lots of them;
but over here they are called tramps."
The ideals which social ambition pro-
poses to itself are petty enough in Lon
don, but they are even more miserable
IN smaller capitals. provincial towns and
In the country. In Dublin, for instance,
where the writer is now living, tho
heaven Of social ambition is to be in the
Castle set" Social maneuverers lay all
their plans to be invited, not to the big
brushes which are given officially by the
lord lieutenant, but to small private
dances and little dinners. They do say
here (but they say here more than their
prayerS) that a lady died of excess of
JOY when she was hidden to one of these
darling things" When we read of the
forethought, ingenuity and hard work
which prisoners sometimes expend In try
ing to make their escape, we cannot help
wondering why these men did not use as
much energy in keeping out Of jail. On
the same principle we may ask whether
1t Is not higher social ambition to en-
deavor to adorn that state of life into
which God has called us than to push
ourselves where we are not wanted and
where there are more kicks, or at least
snubs. than half-pennies.
One very unattractive trait of those
who are afflicted with social ambition is
that they cannot even understand the
apostolic precept, honor all men" They
never value people for themselves but
only for their money, their connections,
the titles or letters they write before or
after their names, or for some other out
ward and visible sign of responsibility
They are fair weather friends and only
care for those upon whom the sunshine
Of fortune smiles 1t Is only real worth
and genius that dares to be natural and
to shine upon the evil and the good, upon
the small and the great and upon all
alike, without the question, ''WiIl it
pay?" The following anecdote of Chris
tine Nilsson, the Swedish singer is a
fine contrast to the snobbishness of many
of the socially ambitious. Christine was
once at the house of a retired Chicago
merchant. A distinguished company had
been invited to meet her at dinner. On
entering the dining room she dropped
her hosts arm. and, hurrying in amaze
ment to the stately young butler, seized
him effusively by the hand and engaged
him in conversation, while the other
guests stood waiting and the entertainer
looked on in establishment THAT man.
she explained when all were seated at the
table, is the son of a kind old noble
man on whose estate my father worked
as day laborer when we were children.
Fortune smiled on me, while it has
frowned on my old playmate"
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