Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1840-07-28
GARRY AR Ms -

GARRY ARMS!'
=" 1t is really tbominabe'' said Miss
Sophia Singleton.
"Oh, shockingr' chorussed a number
of young ladies who were sitting around.
"Pray, ladies, what is the matter!" said
Henry Jones as he Joined the coterie.
The matter" replied all at once;
"why-"
''One at time, you please, ladies'; real
Iy it is too hard that so many sweet voices
should combine to attack a poor mortal
like myself, who having but one pair of
ears, can attend to no more than to one at
a time. Come, Miss Singleton, will you
tell me what causes so much indgnationl"
'Why, this morning Helen Clarke walk
cd down Broadway with Mr.. Stone, and
took his arm; and in the evening she went
on the Battery with Mr.. Lewis, and took
his arm als0|'
"And is that ala" sad Jones quietly.
" AU" exclaimed the young ladies,
aghast with horror.
Well, ladies, think Miss Clarke was
perfectly right: shall state my reasons,
and try to convince you"
"Oh! YOU can never convince usn'
At least, can try. | believe you will
grant that when lady walks with gem
ieman, it is for the sake partly of his COM
pany, partly Of his protection. Am lrighls"
Perfectly"
We'll, unless she takes his arm, she
can enjoy neither. In the first place, they
cannot carry on a conversation unless the
man bends forward, in which case the
least inequality in the pavement may cause
him to stumble against her and down they
both must go, or if passer by brushes
against him, the result is the same. In
the second place, they may be separated
by q crowd and the lady be severely hurt,
while her companion can afford her nell
Their protection nor assistance, and may
even remain unaware that any accident
has happened. Again the crossings are
often muddy, and then q gentlemah's arm
would be useful; moreover, when lady is
fatigued, she would find the support of an
arm very great relief, so that whether
for safety, pleasures Or support, a lady
should always take the arm of her compa-
Mon"
"You are right" said Miss Singleton;
"but it is not the CUSTOM"
"Then make it the custom-nothing Is
easier Let every lady who has mind
enough TO judge for herself, make it rule
never to walk with a man she does not re-
spect, and when she does walk with one,
let her always take his arm. | know that
when a lady takes mans arm, people will
say they are engaged, but surely no ono
would suppose her engaged to dozen diff
fcrent men at once, and they must either
believe so palpable an absurdity, or grant
that she may not be engaged at all. This
once settled, other ladies would follow her
example, and in a short time, Garry,
Arms" would be the word. Any one Of
you young ladies would take my arm at a
ball, or at the Springs, and refuse it in the
street, because at one place it is customary
and at the other it is not. Now, customs
should always be consistent, yet this is not
SO; in large crowd in one place, 1chere it
is mol neede4, you take my arm; in large
crowd consisting perhaps Of the same jndi-
UidualS, you refuse it because you are in
another place, and in the last instance it is
absolutely nccessary-th consistency
for you? Miss Clarke has set a good ex-
ample, and hope al the ladies will fol-
low it."
"Comc, Miss Singleton, you ire young
and pretty, suppose you walk arm-in- arm
with me tomorrow morning; people will
say ne are engaged; in the afternoon walk
on the Battery with your friend Harris,
and Miss Reynolds and myself will be
:here-we will all walk arm in arm; they
will then say you are engaged to Mr.. Har-
ris, and to Miss Reynolds: the next day
take some one else, then they will say none
Of us are engaged-in a few days the Cd
dity will have worn off, and no lady will
walk with man without taking his arm,
and no man will walk with woman who
refuses it. Is Miss Clarke right and will
you follow her exampIe"
:" Yes" replied all the young ladies.
Then have convinced you. Garry
armsnn
8" We will"
" Tomorrow, Miss Singleton"
81 will walk arm-in-arm with you; and
always make the gentleman who accom-
panies me, be he who he may, give me his
arm."-N Y. american.
represent in my portrait, said gentle
man TO his painter, with a book 10 my hand