The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-31

says that this young couple belonged TO
ono Of the most fashionable families OF
New York. and that they wcrc accus-
toned 10 take part in the eaicties and
amuscmcnts Of tho day. They spent tho
summer months az their country place.
taking occasional trips to the mountains
or seaside. and educated their children
by Tho aid OF Rovorncsscs aud tutors.
san they considered s. 900 extravagant.
IN Mr.. Van Rensselaer, opinion. their
way OF living 40 the present time would
be absolutely impossible. lie says that
"a young married couple with two children
could hardly expect TO live as their
parents did. that tho expense of living
has so steadily increased that many of
tho young people of to-day arc driven 60
lead secluded lives. not ontcrtaining-ai-
lowing themselves no extravaganza in
dress denying themselves the opera or
Tho play, I'm order 10 give their children
the education which They themselves re-
cciycd. and 90 live on an income Of
s. 0o0 q year. they regard a. a feat Of
great and aimOst unparalleled economy.
Mir. Van Rensselaer, then goes into de-
tails 10 show bow r.uch it costs "a New
York couple 90 live in what IS known as
good society. and. while living IS more exc
pensivo I'm Gotham than elsewhere, what
he says OF living in New York applies
in a general way TO living elsewhere.
We live I'm a most cxtravagant age-the
most extravagant eenaraily speaking.
that the world has ever known. What
were formerly considered luXurics are
now regarded as necessities. and the
great outcry that we have heard during
the past few years about hard times
grew out OF the fact not that the peo-
ple generally were suffering for food and
ralrnent or even for the comforts of life
hint that they were lacking in the luXu-
ries of life 10 which they had accus-
TONED themselves. Any man who has
lived on a salary of thousand @ year,
and has gradually increased his income
until he has received three thousand
year knows that he found IT harder 10
live on the larger amount The eXplana-
ton IS simple enough; as his salary IN
creased the demands upon him increased
and the latter at a greater rate than the
former.
The people of this country. however
have learned some valuable lessons dur
ing the hard times through which they
have PASSED. They have learned to econ
omize. they have learned to deny them
selves. they have learned TO do without
some Injuries that they formerly regard
cd as necessary. and altogether they
ore in a better position than they have
been The lessons of adversely are bcne-
fetal after ALL even if they are not all
ways sweet
Rut The Times believes that the people
Of this country-an classes of people
working men as well as professional
n,en-are fairly entitled 10 generous
share Of the Injuries of life. and no"
that the hard times have passed ana
now that prosperity has returned. we be-
ueve that the American people may
and will indulge themselves certainty
for years to come. in the very best
Injuries of this luxurious age. But JET
rs keep this one fact in mind; let us
remember that We are mxuriaung. ana
If hard times come again. let us be pre-
p,red for the change. and let us not for
cot MAST mcrcies