Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-10-01
OUR SOCIAL ASPIRATIONS.
The TRAGEDY of hampagno Taste
with Beer Income.
A YOUNG MANS SUICIDE.
Folly of Making an Effort to Scale the
Social Ladder Without Means
Illustrated.

There is something grotesquely pathetic
ia the accounts given in the papers last
week OF young man in northern city
who committed suicide because he could
nOt get late fashionable society.
His was not uncommon tragedy Of the
champagne taste and the beer income:
ef oae forced To wear tine hand me-dOwns
OF the ready made clothing stores when
his SoaI hankcred fer fine raiment from
London taiOIs. of on doomed to partake
of the humble sinkCl' of the quick lunch
e0unter while he yeaIHed for the truiiieS
and terrapin of the swell restaurant; of
cue condemned TO hang or the strap of
the prDelau street car while he faiu
would have dashed about in automobiles
We are accustomed 10 sneer ut the
social tuft-hun;cls. who spend the best
efforts of their lives trying to get to
know people who don't want to know
them, ANA who wear themselves to skin
aud bone attempting to keep up with
the rich when they can never hope 10
30 more than tag along at the tail end
OF the procession. so far behind that they
eau only catch an occasional glimpse Of
tbe Examinations and an echo of the
band. Bat the tragedy and the comedy
of existence walk always hand in hand
and if the social strugglrr il a ridiculous
figure, il is ptiful one as well. Its
sacrifices are 50 cruel. its siriyingS 50
hopeless, its diSappOintmcnts so bitter,
its rewards so few.
In recent clever society novel the
authOr describes a woman who dcliber-
atcly sacrifices her beautiful young
daughter to a foreign titled rouc in or
der to crafty her own ambition To shine
ia the reflected glory of such match.
and be enabled 10 walk under THE right
awnings Ia a lesser way we sec the
same thing happen about MS every day.
We al know young men who live on
their poor. old, hard worked parents. and
who spend the money they ought 10 be
he'png them with in sending American
Beauty roses and expensive candy To
fashionable girls, and in paying their
dues TO swell clubs, for which il is a
crime for them to belong. We know
wemen who starve in the kitchen and
give pink teas IN the parIor; who never
have comfortable flannel pctticoat in
order that they may buy decolete gowns
10 wear to balls, and whose entire lives
are one eNhauStng, nerve wrecking Strug-
gle 10 hang on To society by their very
eyeiids.
diue u D1u 10 Dinner
Yet these men aud women consider them
selves amply rewarded for their sncri.
noes II they can get an occasional ill-in
invitation 10 dinner sent them at the last
moment. as mctremonouSly as one
might toss a bone to dog or if they
are permitted to eNhibi. themselves in
tue back Of Mrs. Swclldom'S opera box
oa an off night.
There is apparently nothing eisa :,
heaYen or earth that has such mower
70 dazzle peoples eyes and rob Them
81 the last VeStigp Of common sense ns
the society that spells itself with \ III,
y Ii Is the MolOch before whose altar
Many young clerk offers up his hon.
e'tF' many man his Self-reSpect. many
young Sirl her heart On it are inn
mo'aied the peace and happiness ana
prosperity Of lO,000.0O0 homes. If this
sacred circle We call the smart SET were
made up of the elect if ii were com
posed Of people who fascinated by their
wit who charmed by their grace. vbn
held one spell-b0und by the Interest," Of
i"eir conversation, and who enthralleJ
ny thesF beauty of person, one could nm.
aerNtmd The mai desire aud ambition
"t 50 many people to get into il by hool,
OF crook, wanted or uuWantcd. invited
oy UuNvIted.
Nobody prcteule that this is the ease.
On the contrary We all know perfectly
Wcll that fashionable society ,puSix,s
mainly ~ bogeS al9d the bored of peonjn
with more coats tuau sense. who hay,
so much money 'hcy feel they don't uenl
l." nave any manners. and whose cons
Ne'N'llnu Wearle~ each other >p n,nrs
that when they want To he amused ,hr,
send out and hire somebody To como anil
entertain them. ANY human being whose
greatest ambition is TO break iurn ,liis
aggregation ot Self-SatiSded and ovrr-fna
medlor1'y. ana whose highest axpiro-
ton Is to read his name in the ~o,.ief,.
column ia the daily papers. is n >ua...
iaCle Tor derisjon and for tears.
that rs one side and a whor,. ao.
!heabie one, of our social a>Dn1fiu,,.
Int Ihere is another side of the nns.t;,,,
INA mas la i, The element of All -r,,.ti
s"o ul up.ift of the human race.
The Ambition Is Unworthy,
i'oog ann unworthy a~ i, the anb;ti,,
q" merely gain admission ju faShinn,i,1a
'.'iA. Ur'" II often q side ta Tho sn-
'at al t&".rr> desire 800 Hsr .sa+
hei.'". 500 la uor vulgar Sometime. -
50 h."ft y tHr passionate longing fo, ,,,,
la4a'l~aG n soul thar ha. L....5 49,,
'"i o. Dts sphere. II is the d,.;r, ra,
.'l""aH."n with 1eoplc who ,brnt ,bi
|''iV" iAo0-uu~ and speak The .s,,'
'oN-r'. unfortunately 3D.. arov.;,,,.
"','+ '"@'i. "ts uutgroN~ old friends F.,,I
'' 'iu"h'nShlp>, just aus ,he ,,r,,,i,,.
"'"' %,,a ego big for the little v2f,ns,,t,
'' 'u.HjH""d, hut while We can d;"'...1'
'-' "'" v"'"t>, Ii takes The courarn n,