The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-11-17
Westerly, November II, 1853.
PrudishnesS.


notice of it, but chose to swing herself
down by the railing, regarding us mean
while with Il look Of rebuke, as if we had
insulted her. Now, we do not pique
ourselves upon etiquette, but We hatter
ourselves that the hand aforesaid was
rendered with the modesty and proprie-
ty becoming gentleman but no mat
ter for that; if it had been the brawny
fist Of some honest hearted Patrick, who
had dropped the bod to help the lady,
her rejection of such well-meant kind
ness would have been an act Of insolent
hautcur.
Had we offered to assist n well-bred
French lady, her swcet-toned mercie,
Monsieur, mercie, would still have linger-
ed on our ear A true English lady
would have accepted the courtesy with
smiling thank you.' Such ladies are
always companionable. You may travel
with them abroad, in frst-class cars,
show them any little attention, converse
about scenery, paintings, literature, art,
monuments, and after half days en-
joyment in such society, get some acci-
dental clue to name that is spoken in
the first circles of Lonlon or Paris. A
lady who is not afraid to receive the
common civilites of life from stranger,
shows a far higher sense of character,
than one whodraws herselfup stify with
in silks and kid, and pouts at every man
as if he was a rOue.
What we have referred to is a nation
al trait. Our case is not isolated. We
have deliberately resolved never again,
in any circumstances, to offer our hand
to a lady (woman is the word) until we
are assured beforehand that she will ac-
cept it.
B9- The above, from the New York
independent, reminds us of a similar in
cidant in our own experience as illustra-
tive of the prudishness of American
ladies. We will premise that we are
an excessively modest man indeed, we
believe we are more noted for that than
for any other characteristic, and it has
always been great drawback to US in
all departments in life. But we did
once "screw our courage to the sticking
point" and at place and under circum-
stances where we could not well avoid it
without, as we thought, great breach
of gallantry, or even good breeding, offer
our hand only for the moment with
all deferance to a lady who was a
stranger to us-except by sight. TIE
result was, that sue gave us a withering
lock, which will probably come up be-
fore us on all similar occasions till the
frosts of many winters shall bleach our
locks, ard turned from us with apparent
contempt. Now, there is no tenderer
place in which to touch mans sensi-
biities than to treat his wel,-meait ef-
forts to do the agreeable with scorn
the effect on US was, that we have never
since attempted to do the genteel, ex-
cepL in extreme cases, and then only
with exceeding great fear and tromb-
ling Now that women are claiming
their "rights," it becomes them to
use little more suavity Of manner to-
wards the sterner sex in their demands
for " front seats" and other compli-
ments for they will find that as they
throw themselves more on their dignity,
the men will be very apt to throw them
selves on their reserved rights" Per.
} haps some ladies do not know that the
male sex has great deal Of the mule
in its disposition. The masculines may
be coaxcd and fattered into almost any.
/ thing, but the moment you attempt tc
drive them, the rock of Gibraltar j.
not more immovable.