Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-06
An Old-Fashioned Town.


In his new novel, Captain Bluitt,"
Mr.. Charles Heber Clark, better known
as Max Adeler," the humorist, dis
courses affectionately Of social stand
ards half a century ago in an Ameri-
can village, yet his description would
apply. in the main, to many modern
towns which are near large cities. He
says:
II Turley society should be divided
into classes and one class should be
said to include the plain people. in
what manner should the characteristic
qualities of the other class be indicat-
ed?
Necessarily, in Turley. the people of
all classes were compelled to know
each other. They lived in the same
neighborhoods, they passed upon the
street. often many times a day. They
worshiped and worked in the same
churches. They belonged to the same
church and benevolent societies. and
indeed they often helped one another
in various ways.
Having such acquaintance and such
contact. and such common interest,
class feeling and class prejudice were
much softened. if indeed they were not
en- in each class perceived in men and
women of the other class just about the
same virtues, the same old hnman ma
ture with it's frailties and faults and
lovableness. as they had themselves,
and they found that the ancient law of
kindness could work downward as well
| as upward, and was sure Of quick re-
spouse in whichever direction it
| worked.
A close observer of the Turley folk
declared that she was sure the poorer
did not. as a rule envy the richer very
much. The poor man who worked hard
! and lived in a little house and had
heavy anxiety" about the day when he
should be disabled, might feel some
| times that his life would be brighter
if his toll were Fighter and mis- mansion
wider and htsseavings larger; but usu-
ally he found DE weather. man quick
to lend a, fand when trouble came to
the unlucky neighbor, and he perceived
that in the wide house too there were
heavy burdens to be bOrne-burdens of
sorrow and sickness and sometimes
the bitterness of death. 1,
| This close observer reached the con-
clusio1 that the humble man with the
calloused hand and grimed visage usu-
ally found his situation fairly toler-
able if the other man would consent
| always to give to him the best courtesy
he could command. He could endure
plain food. and a narrow house and a
threadbare coat and neglect to invite
him to social functions, If his prosper
Gus and more learned neighbor would
| always treat him like a gentleman.
Really this did not seem much to ask;
and the expectation was quite as cred
liable to the man who entertained it.
as disregard of so proper a wish would
have been discreditable to the man who
| claimed to be a gentleman.
Down at the bottom of the humble
| mans soul was a desire that his self
| respect should have some tribute; and
besides. he did have, whether he
framed the thought in words or not.
perfectly warrantable conviction that
his manhood had claims to recognition
whether upon the ground that all of us
are Gods creatures or upon the ground,
| more plainly apparent to the unspirit-
ual mind, that, a citizen with all the
political rights that any man can have,
has title of respect from a citizen
who stands in that particular upon an
exactly equal footing with him.
If the close observer should have
taken the trouble to look a little more
closely he might have found that, Turk
ing in the minds of some Of the humb-
Ter men. there was really a feeling of
superiority to men of the other class.
Clearly there was no looking up in
reverence. But there was, in the first
place. the sense of greater power born
of the fact that the humble people.
having a majority in all the political
parties. absolutely controlled the gov
eminent Of the town; and out Of this
feeling developed a sort Of conviction
that the persons having control really
should look after and take care Of the
people who had no power to protect
themselves. who did not know practical
politics. and who were wholly unable
to manage the more turbulent elements
Of the population, especially where pO-
litical affairs were concerned.
Anybody who should have made a
resolute effort to determine just where
the dividing line ran between the up
per and lower classes in Turley might
have found it. perhaps, indicated by
the speech of the people. The man
who used precision in speaking and
said attention to the rules Of syntax
and avoided slang, appeared to many
of his humber neighbors to draw the
line for himself. He might be thor
oughly good fellow, but plainly enough
he was disposed tosdffferentiate himself
from the bone and sinew OF the people,
and he might even be suspected OF
having touch of pride.
At any rate, his accuracy appeared
to reflect in measure upon the plain
man who was incorrect and careless In
speech. To the man who always said
I'VE amt went" the other man who
said I'VE have not gone" seemed to be
straining the language to the point OF
affectation: to be taking good deal
of trouble and making an unnecessary |
fuss about a very trifiing thing.
The man who never rose above II
seen him when he done 1t" could not
quite understand why another man
should engage in the effort required to
ve. as ecF bs AZ