He lingers through his little day; and,
when he passes away, the change is less heeded than would be the removal
of a chair from a club smoking-room. When I see the callous indifference
with which illness, misfortune, and death are regarded by the dainty
classes, I can scarcely wonder when irate philosophers denounce polite
society as a pestilent and demoralizing nuisance. Among the people
airily and impudently called "the lower orders" noble friendships are by
no means uncommon. "I can't bear that look on your face, Bill. I'm
coming to save you or go with you!" said a rough sailor as he sprang
into a raging sea to help his shipmate. "I'm coming, old fellow!"
shouted the mate of a merchant-vessel; and he dived overboard among the
mountainous seas that were rolling south of Cape Horn one January. For
an hour this hero fought with the blinding water, and he saved his
comrade at last. Strange to say, the lounging impassive dandies who
regard the universe with a yawn, and who sneer at the very notion of
friendship, develop the kindly and manly virtues when they are removed
from the enervating atmosphere of Society and forced to lead a hard
life. A man to whom emotion, passion, self-sacrifice, are things to be
mentioned with a curl of the lip, departs on a campaign, and amid
squalor, peril, and grim horrors he becomes totally unselfish.
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