The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1900-12-22
SHAMS.

IL may be said with much U0tn, we
are living in the age Of shams. The :
irst shams that ever knew anything
about we're the shams men wore TO pro-
Iect their pants from mud and water
and to keep their legs warm. They
were usually made of thick cloth. or Of
some material impenetrable to water
and extended from q little above the
knee to the instep. They were used By
horseback riders who had to 60 ont In
bad weather, and were as necessary to
physician who practiced In the country
as was his medicine case. The next
sham that attracted my youthful atten-
ton was practiced BY women who by
common consent we're thought privileged
to perpetrate It, 1t was pretending to be
glad to see anybody who came to visit
them, although they may have been
wishing five minutes before that no one
would darken their doors that day.
Since / have grown older, I ind that the
most abominable shams are practiced
by men, and they are more numerous
from the fact that their opportunities
offer wider field for their cultivation.
The most common shams are those Of
social. moral or political nature. and
each subdivision embraces various types
of deception, fraud, deceit and pretense.
One OF the most silly. bot least harmful
is practiced in large cities by those who
social ambition exceeds their pecuniarv
ability to crafty it; they would like to
initiate their more wealthy neighbors
and friends by spending the summer
months at some fashionable resort, but
not having the means to do so. they shut
themselves mp at home and answer no
calls OF the bell, pretending that they
ara not at home. but gone where the
rich spend the dog days". We behold
here one set of fools. There is another
class that rob their stomachs In order to
enrich the coverings Of their back; they
20 hungry that they may appear In =
elk dress OF lace shawl.
A moral sham is where one will not
throw dice at church fair. and yet will
take the last pig from poor debtor; an
other is where q man will not rent out
q house in which 20 sell glass Of beer,
but will lease 1t for bawdy purposes;
again some will not play game Of
whist. Jet will charge two per cent q
= month for money lent to keep babes
from freezing or starving. Political
shams are so numerous and we'll known
1t is scarcely worth while to name any
, but there is one will mention TO illus-
8 trate what selashnees and lack Of COM
, mon sense will prompt some people t.
? do. Professional Office seekers Of one
party sometimes seek sfiliation with q
corrupt faction Of an opposite successful
= party for share Of political pap. This
sham Is always 30 apparent It rarely de.
, ceives any one. As nearly every one II
+, surfeited with politics. will not tirt
the reader with other illustrations or
. this point. For additional information
regarding political shamming. will refer
the reader to Mr.. G. Gardemsl; be doubt
less knows more about shams than b.
did before the 9th of November. From
= the number that were wearing symbol
: of prosperity. many Of US thought Con.
" gresham Broussard would never agail
annex NJ. c.. to his name; friend Garde'
NAL might soliloquize as follows; "the.
wore my badges. symbols Of prosperity
y they smoked my cigars. they imbibe,
my liquid refreshments, and they hon
ored me with their lips, but when th
9Th of November came their hearts wer
far from me-"
VI There are many shams that stand al
,. one; that is. cannot be classified unde
: any specific name. they vary according
It to individual deprsyity. There Is on
h lately practiced in this town. which
l. never before saw. Perhaps few hav
3. noticed 1t. but 1t will be recognize
> when it is pointed out, individual etfor
e at self ACKNOWLEDGEMENT claims pecuniar
8. support upon the ground that 1t vii
is benefit the town. It Is cham founde
!. npon genuine selfishness. and hides II
g deformity behind professed desire I
8. advance the towns welfare. o how IN
l. selfish these solicitors Of contribution
i to personal gain; how cunningly the
appeal to your generosity in the nam
O of their beloved town. and II your stupl