The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-10-07
The True Meaning oil Good Dress and
Good Manners-The Opportunity o.
the "Respectably Poor"

the stones and lame them in the long
tramp" while our more fortunate
nelghbors whiz past us by automobile
and motorcycle AMI aeroplane at any
acknowledged speed, are quite prone
to misunderstood when people ia X to
us of the Importance of good clothes,
good manner, and good homes in de-
termining our status in life aud the
measure of success we may reap. We
have carried with us, as marched
along, lodging the warning motto"
horn at intervals, the much-m'sts ken
impression that propted others to
point out to us the necessity OF these
things which, as we thought, our pow
erty absolutely forbade US.
But consult your own hest sense.
These people know of what they
speak and when they mention good
dress, they do not mean that we
should clothe ourselves in materials
of finest texture and glossiest sheen;
that our headgear and our f1otgear
and our gloves should be beyond crit
icism as far as elegance ard expense
where we have Numbered II cne's
shoes are whole ami neatly hiackeG,
and the buttons are not missing, and
Pie gloves are neatly mended, If ones
hat, though simple, is in good taste
if hands, nails and face are above the
suspicion of dirt and unclearliness
no matter how wrinkled and worn
they may be by honest labor il ones
garments, though rough are well
made and hang straight al 70, M
with the tears neatly patched; in
short, if we present a clean, whole
some, honest appearance free from
sham, then we are IS wall DRESSED
and, proportionately more fittingly
dressed and infinitely MIRO worth
while, in my way of thinning, than
that idle neighbor Of ours wi Ose fine
feathers cause us human envy and
lnhuman natred.
We have labored painfully under
that much mistaken idea that poverty
must, of necessity, 80 haul in hand
with dirt, and tears and CRIME; that
poverty meant unbiacked Skoes and
buttonless gloves, if any gloves at al.
and blackened finger nails: ana O gem
orally unkempt appearance We have
thought that poverty stricken homes
were, as matter of course dirty
with unwashed windows and soileG
table cloths, napkinless anal with I'm
swept floors. We have thought good
manners possible only when tho sur
roundings were the most conducive
to such manners when The ENVIRON
ment was congenial and to the queen S
taste. In short, being poor il purse.
we have allowed ourselves to be-
come shabby in mind and SOU
Why, my dear colnmoners. here if
material with which to develop our
souls. These people whom we envy
unless they turn their hand to some
worthwhile duty, stagnate, they vegi-
tate amidst their beautiful surround
ings and bore themselves. Some OF
them do not dare snalyze their ma
lures lest they realize suddenly tina,
which they already half suspect, that
they are accomplishing nothiog in
che worlds work unless it is an &C
complishment to live on other people,
profits.
We may be dirt poor, but we need
mt be dirty. There is backing TO,
the shabby shoes and the kitchen
stove and the faded straw hat and
cheap lasting dyes Tor the faded rib
bons and needle and thread for the
tears and quantities upon quantities
of aqua pura for our souls and oul
bodies our clothing, and on: sur
roundings. And there is easy access
to libraries where magazines ant
books are plentiful and, for pleasure
there is the reading of those books
and the call for the open road. The
long rambles in picturesque Vermont
lands, the delight in out .of-door ma
ture, the breathing-in, deeply, o.
these clear draughts of October air
the pure, untainted air of the hills
and we envy no city dweller who
knoweth not his next neighbor AND
who sleepeth in choked atmosphere
and waketh in the midst of much noise
and jangle.
1t is truly Joy, to your way of think
ing, to be surrounded by those Things
which you have not raised a hand t.
procure?' Is it truly fun to a free
liberty-loving spirit like yours an
mine to have no purpose in life tt
enjoy benefits for which others were
responsible in which we have had NJ
share? Why then, ], for one, woult
as soon die. There is nothing to liv'
for. / amount to zero.
1t might be pleasant for time t.
luxuriate in surroundings that wer'
perfectly congenial. 1t wouldn't b,
worth while to have a soul or an.
stability of character for the reason
| that there would be nothing TO
which to strive. But, is there an
real Joy compared with the zest o
just living, and working and plugging
along clad in clean garments, wit