Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1875 — WHAT IS THE STANDARD? [ARTICLE]

WHAT IS THE STANDARD?

BY ISADORE ROGERS.

“ I feel that I should be neglecting my duty, Mrs. Harwood, if I did not avail myself of a friend’s privilege to speak to you of some of your peculiarities. Now, I don’t want to offend you, for I really like you, and nothing but a sincere regard for your highest interests would induce me to incur the risk of your displeasure, and you must promise to take what I am going to say in the true spirit of friendship.” A. smile flitted over the listener’s face like a gleam of sunshine across a beautiful landscape. No wonder that Mrs. Lindsay “really liked her,” for whocould help it? Her features were regular,beautiful and intelligent; the predominating expression was that of benevolence, but underlying this was one of steady, selfreliant determination. Not fixed and immovable stubbornness, but a reasonable adherence to preconceived opinions and principles. Her countenance was a pleasant study; the kind and noble impulses of her heart were faithfully reflected from the clear, deep, hazel eyes, and a real, genuine goodness gave an irresistible charm to her being, and a glance at her pure, genial face made one wonder what the subject of her companion’s lecture could be. “ It is our best friends that tell us of our faults,” she said in reply, “ and I always take advice kindly.” “ Well, then, tell me .what in the world you meant by inviting that seamstress into your carriage yesterday and then driving all around the picnic grounds among your fashionable acquaintances apparently just as much at your ease as though she had been a lady of the realm ?” “ Why, my dear woman, I went to that picnic for the purpose of enjoying myself and of helping others to enjoy themselves, and I invited that girl to a seat in my carriage because I thought she would be made happier by it.” “ But can you afford to sacrifice yourself for the sake of bestowing happiness upon one who is nothing to you, who does not even belong to your social circle?” “Why, there was no sacrifice about it; there was room enough for us both.” “Oh, my friend, your ideas are so intensely Western. Is it possible that you do not know that you were an object of ridicule among some of the most wealthy and fashionable ladies of our circle ?” “Because I stepped beyond the prescribed limits of our social boundary, and invited a person to a seat in my carriage who was not able to have one of her own?” “Exactly; and although such things might be well enough in Colorado they will certainly affect your social standing if practiced here. Mrs. Delancey had not intended to recognize you at all, but when she saw Senator Harlan and wife approaching you, and appearing so overjoyed'to see you, she said site thought jt wouldn’t hardly do, and that we would try the effects of moral suasion before giving you up altogether.” In order to understand Mrs. Harwood’s position it will be necessary to take a glance at her previous history. Very early in life she had tieen dependent upon her , own exertions for a livelihood. A fair education was all her father had to give her, and as soon as her youthful mind realized the fact that he was toiling for her support she resolved to do something to lighten his burdens, even though it should be nothing more than maintaining herself. “ There is something that every person can do well, and there must be something in which I can excel,” she thought; “ now, of all things in the world, what would I rather do ? I love to play and sing better than anything else, so that must be the direction in which my talent lies.” 80, acting upon the idea, she fitted herself to teach music and immediately entered upon the labors of her chosen occupation; but how often was tier sensitive nature shocked and pained and humiliated by the selfish and unfeeling conduct of persons who imagined themselves her superiors because they ate the bread, of idleness. But she was’scarcely twenty years of age when she became acquainted with Arthur Harwood, an intelligent, energetic and enterprising young man, whom she married, and they emigrated to the mining districts of Colorado. Mr. -Harwood promptly secured a claim and, under his thorough business-like manage-

ment, the resources of the mine were so well developed that, after a few years of strict attention to his business, he returned to the Eastern States to enjoy a princely fortune. Mrs. Harwood had always made a practice of devoting her leisure hours to the improvement of her mind, but after the acquisition of their fortune she made mental culture her business, and devoted her leisure hours to matters which she considered of minor importance. Beautiful, talented, cultured and refined, and fully entitled to the consideration which the world so willingly accords to the wealthy, her position was truly enviable. But she shocked her fashionable acquaintances by regarding people from her own standpoint, utterly ignoring the fact that society had already settled such matters for her. She remembered the trials of her early days, and never did she see a young and sensitive girl, struggling for a'livelihood among selfish and unfeeling people without bestowing upon them words of sympathy and encouragement, and endeavoring to cultivate in them a spirit of selfrespect ; and when she knew that they . were worthy, she often invited them into her own society, some-, time calling for them to accompany her in her walks and rides, and they never failed to return refreshed in mind and body, benefited and made better by the society of a good, pure, true and noble woman. This course was truly alarming to some of the fashionable ladies whose only standard of worth was measured by dollars and cents; for if their circle was to be invaded by milliners and dressmakers and school-teachers how were they to maintain the strict exclusiveness of the upper ten ? If laboring people were not compelled to occupy a position beneath them how should they be able to stand above ? These questions sorely perplexed several of fashion’s favorites, but they feared her influence and stood so much in awe of her wealth and position that they dared not openly denounce her, and they also feared that such a course pursued by such a woman might become fashionable, and then, having no real merits of their own s to rely upon, how should they maintairtta, supremacy? “ What would you and Mrs. Delancey have me do?” asked Mrs. Harwood, looking at her visitor with an amused expression. “ Why, be more exclusive in your associations. Society makes distinctions to which you pay no regard whatever; but I suppose it is on account of your Western education, and when you are better acquainted with the usages of Eastern society I feel confident that you will gladly conform to its rules. When you are in Rome you must do as Rome does, you know.” e

“I shall be glad to imitate Rome in every good and worthy example she sets before me.” “I knew you would; and now shall I proceed to point out to you a few instances w’here your Western customs seriously conflict with the usages of fashionable society ' •. ■ “ I shall listen to you willingly, and, whenever you convince me that evil results will follow- any of my practices, I assure you that I will gladly abandon them.” “ I am really happy to see that you are going to take my remarks in the spirit in which they are offered, and now let me ask if you remember that, w-hen we attended the State fair, you disengaged yourself from our party, the elite of this fashionable and wealthy city, and wandered off among the farmers’ wives and daughters, as though you really enjoyed their society,? Now please tell me why you did so.” » “ It was because I really enjoyed the conversation of good, honest and useful women. I regard such people as the real essential element of society. The world could exist without the fashionable lady, but how- should we dispense with the useful people?” “ I admit that there is a place for everyone, but the trouble is, that we must make these people know their places.” “Have you any more right to decide where another’s place is than they have to assign you to any particular position not in accordance with your will and qualifications ?” “ Oh, society has settled all these matters ; all that is necessary for us to do is to conform to its requirements.” “Have you any standard by which to judge people except the measure of dollars and cents?” “ Certainly; I do not claim that wealth is everything.” “What, then, are the other necessary qualifications?” “A lady should be educated, accomplished and refined.” “ Supposing she is coarse, ignorant and narrow-minded, but wealthy/will society close its doors against her?” “I must admit that wealth covers a multitude of sins.” “ Suppose that another possesses all the other qualifications, will she be admitted as an equal of the first if she earns her own living, and thus makes herself useful to the community in which she reskles?” “ Fashionable ladies w’ould not Cognize her." “ Personal merit, then, is entitled to no consideration unless backed by the more powerful influence of wealth. “ We cannot expect to obtain perfection in these matters.” “ I have observed as much, and when I see that which I regard as an unjust discrimination I do not feel that I am under any obligation to endure it. If real merit, intelligence and morality were made the standard, Mrs. Delancey would rank far below the people whom she affects to despise. You know as well as I that she was one of the working girls in a large manufacturing establishment before she eloped with and married the youthful son of her employer; and now if she was engaged in trying to better the condition of the poor girls from whose lot she has escaped, in spite of her ignorance and vanity, I could look upon her with feelings of respect; but this disposition to crush down and trample upon our fellow-beings ennobles no one. In my opinion, true philanthropy consists in trying to elevate and; to benefit the human race, to inspire higher aspirations, nobler impulses and purer natures; not in assigning to them positions be-

neath us and then trying to compel them to remain there, as though we feared their superior talents might eclipse our own if there were no social barrier to prevent. And if you confine yourself to the narrow bounds of your own social circle how are you to learn anything of the great, living, throbbing heart of the universe, as it man ifests itself through the grand motive power of honest labor ? I learned more of true usefulness of the real life and soul of the nation in the few hours that I passed among these honest, worthy and intelligent people, whose energy in developing the resources of our country was so grandly exhibited at the fairs, than I could in as many days in circles where dress and fashion are the absorbing topics.” “I see that it is useless to argue with you,” said Mrs. Lindsay with an air of resignation; “I hope that I have not given offense by my earnest manner, but I hope that no lady will forfeit her respectability by recognizing me if an adherence to my principles makes me odious to her clique. I would rather that you would leave me out altogether ” “ Oh, we cannot afford to do that; if we cannot have you without these singular opinions, we must have you with them.” Mrs. Lindsay felt that she r had gained nb victory, but there was something so kind, so amiable and benevolent in Mrs. Harwood’s manner that she was not pained nor humiliated; but she took her, departure to report the result of her visit to Mrs. Delancey. “ The stubborn woman,” cried Mrs. D.; “instead of doing as Rome does, she wants Rome to do as she does.” “ No, she only claims the right of acting in accordance with her own views, and makes no attempt to dictate to others.” “ She ought to be entirely banished from respectable society; what can we do with her?” “ All that we can afford to do is to let her alone; don’t you remember how several of the ladies hack determined to treat her w’ith decided coldness at the fair? But when they saw Gov. —— and wife treating her with such marked attention, how they all changed their minds. Suppose that she should strike our names from her list of invitations to her reception next week?” # *’ : " . : “It will be the grandest affair of the whole season,” said Mrs. D.; and both ladies stared at each other in consternation at the bare possibility of such a calamity. “ We dare not offend her.” “ Whatever she does is sure to become fashionable.” And Mrs. Harwood could afford to be independent. Secure in her position, she maintained the truth w ithout fear, and may her example prove contagious. — Ohio Farmer.