The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1849-11-03
From De Nemark Senin.i.
MODERN P~oriTENrco

mhAeu setences bear witness 10 our prooress.
put IN no one respect has the spirit Of our aOs
MADE such advances as in polite a~ccompt;sb.
ments' and in no respect has politeness 50 dis.
'ngulShed itself as in the proper training q
the young. Let me illustrate this nv con.
%trasts. M
Once in the Olden time, ayOuth sprung from
tne arlstocracy, and educated in ali tbe
I!ehnements OF natures courtliness, was max.
ing a long Ourney on foot, He had been tu,n.
ed away from home rather rudoly, and NOW
nls heart was yearni Rg after the endearment.
Of that place whichAhe had left for the fra,
time On a certain day he met a bean.
tliul girl tending her fathers sheep. Bv a
sort OF secret romance she proved to be his
cousin and he loved her sat first sight, |
have no doubt the shepherds who stood by
were great lubbers, because they wished 10
water their focks before the beautiful sbep.
herdess. But the young c~OusinIover was no,
deferred by their presence ins,he least. Re.
fore them all he kissed her, Nay, SO tender
was his heart, made sensitive BY this first sen.
aration from home, thar Tie caress, SO pleasant.
received by her, helted him. HE lifted
up his voice and wept The maiden did not
pout, the men did not sneer, nor did the Young
man blush. Sad ideas mast they all have lad
Of true refinement.
Now look at our " improved age and re-
tinement, Our high born maidons Nave not
only eschewed the coarse occupation Of keen.
ing sheep, but now make it their study how
TO Keep the sun from looking on them lest
'hey become 'black and comely.' Should
cousin Jacob suddenly come on them, and es-
PecialIy in that questionable way { afoot ) il
they kissed him it would be as cold a kiss as 4
moonbeam gives to an Alpine glacier. And
then our modern Jacobs! Just think Of one
OF them, strapped and laced, attempting to lift
the stone from the mouth of the well! / knew
one OF them so fitted in our exquisite fashion.
that, having fallen down by accident ina par
he could not get up until aided, because
the effort might have produced sadsconseouen-
to his habiliments, the essential part Of
him! Such a youth has hardly natural ability
to pick up a handkerchief for a lady, much less
relieve a damsel in distress like Rachel at the
uncovered well! From this ! think il plain
that the aristocrat Jacob would appear among
US like a great awkward fellow, and as for
our mOderns would blush for such n
representative of the sex.
And then that weeping, the young man saw
in that inconsistent with true polite
ness, neither did the maiden. nor yet did the
spectators. In fact, aside from everything
else, it was a great stroke of policy to weep
there. All seemed to conclude Jacob to be al
very comely man. But different maxims gov
efn young men now. To weep is unmanly
IN most circumstances. A boy, in that state
transition from verdancy to manhood, may
tears over tobacco sickness, provided
ne has sufficient folly to repeat the dose, yet
ne dare not peril his reputation BY having
noistcned eyes as he leaves home to be alb.
sent for years. He may acquire watery eyes,
and a grieving nose, over brandy and wine,
but alas jor him, should his eyes show signs
Of sympathy for the sorrow of some coheir to
The ills Of humanity. Herein is evidence of
decided progress. And lest seem to be using
IN unsustained argument, let me quote a pas
sage from the Laws Of Etiquette published
BY q distinguished house in the city Of brotherly
owe. Under the head Of Funerals we have
following racy and suggestive remarks:
You render yourself at the house exactly
me hour after the time specified. If you
we're to SIT longer in the mournful circle, you
night be rendered unfit for doing anything for
week. Your dress is black, and during the
ime Of waiting you compose your visage Into
! 'twistful baviOE' and lean in silent solemn.
y on the top Of your cane, thinking Of last
lights party! This is necessary hypocricy,
md assists marvellOusly the sadness Of the
occasion.
You walk with another in seemly order and
converse in a low tone; first upon the property
# the d)efunct, and next upon the politics of
he day; you walk into the church where ser
is read over the body.
"a funeral in the morning, a ball in the
'vening'-sO runs the world away?"
Who can help feeling the progress made
the day when Jacob wept at meeting his
But must adduce one argument more. In
he early ages hOary head was the crown
II honor In Greece youth respected age,
in Rome the same custom was observed.
American savages rival the Greeks and Ro-
in the same venerable custom. An
tiquity should never be- allowed to screen an
in practice or theory. Hence the excel
Of our age. Beardless bOyhood now
confidently cOntradicts old age. In our social
gatherings the learned conversation Of under
graduates, clerks, and professional apprentices
&C ,,a.to,,o nIaaha. .L...L. n ~ ~.