osewood, bound
with brass and gilt, fitted and
lined with silver
1 pair rich carved ivory hair 155
brushes, engraved with name and
crest
1 ditto engraved and crest 55
1 small ivory hair-brush 12
1 ebony hair-brush, inlaid with 20
mother-of-pearl
1 Berlin-wool worked cushion 50
1 sewing-chair, elegantly 75
embroidered seat and back
1 Berlin-wool Affghan 100
1 fire-screen, Berlin work, 125
beads, representing Charles II.
hunting
1 large sole-leather trunk, about 250
four feet long and three feet
deep, lined with red morocco,
handsomely ornamented in gold,
embossed on the red morocco, with
seven compartments; very
scientifically constructed for
the necessities of a lady's
wardrobe, with springs to hold
open each compartment; and the
lace compartment could, at
pleasure, be rested on two steel
legs, covered with gilt embossed
morocco, representing a writing
table, with a portfolio,
containing writing materials; it
had two large French patent locks
1 lady's travelling trunk, with 73
cover, containing a quantity of
worn dresses, zouave cloth and
gold, druided jacket cloaks,
woollen ditto, opera cloak, etc
Total $21,000

Such lavish expenditure is a natural consequence of a state of society
where wealth is the main distinction. Mrs. John Smith's position as a
leader of the _ton_ is due exclusively to her great riches and her
elaborate displays. Mrs. Richard Roe will naturally try to outshine her,
and thus rise above her in the social scale. Many persons seeking
admission into such society, and finding wealth the only requisite, will
make any sacrifice to accomplish their end. If they have not wealth they
will affect to have it. They could not counterfeit good birth, or high
breeding, but they can assume the appearance of being wealthy. They can
conduct themselves, for a while at least, in a manner utterly
disproportioned to their means, and so they go on, until their funds and
credit being exhausted, they are forced to drop out of the circles in
which they have moved, and the so-called friends who valued them only for
their supposed wealth, instantly forget that they ever knew them. No
more invitations are left for them, they are not even tolerated in "good
society," and are "cut" on the street as a matter of course.

Not a year passes but records the failure of some prominent business man
in New