The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Simple Life, by Charles Wagner

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Title: The Simple Life

Author: Charles Wagner

Translator: Mary Louise Hendee

Release Date: October 20, 2007 [EBook #23092]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SIMPLE LIFE ***

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THE SIMPLE LIFE

By CHARLES WAGNER
_Author of The Better Way_

_Translated from the French by Mary Louise Hendee_

GROSSET & DUNLAP
Publishers, New York

Copyright, 1901, by
McCLURE, PHILLIPS & CO.

CONTENTS

Page

I. OUR COMPLEX LIFE 1

II. THE ESSENCE OF SIMPLICITY 15

III. SIMPLICITY OF THOUGHT 22

IV. SIMPLICITY OF SPEECH 39

V. SIMPLE DUTY 52

VI. SIMPLE NEEDS 68

VII. SIMPLE PLEASURES 80

VIII. THE MERCENARY SPIRIT AND SIMPLICITY 96

IX. NOTORIETY AND THE INGLORIOUS GOOD 111

X. THE WORLD AND THE LIFE OF THE HOME 128

XI. SIMPLE BEAUTY 139

XII. PRIDE AND SIMPLICITY IN THE INTERCOURSE OF MEN 151

XIII. THE EDUCATION FOR SIMPLICITY 167

XIV. CONCLUSION 188

THE SIMPLE LIFE

I

OUR COMPLEX LIFE

At the home of the Blanchards, everything is topsy-turvy, and with
reason. Think of it! Mlle. Yvonne is to be married Tuesday, and to-day
is Friday!

Callers loaded with gifts, and tradesmen bending under packages, come
and go in endless procession. The servants are at the end of their
endurance. As for the family and the betrothed, they no longer have a
life or a fixed abode. Their mornings are spent with dressmakers,
milliners, upholsterers, jewelers,