The Woodville Republican, and Wilkinson advertiser. (Woodville, Miss.) 1853-18??, 1853-04-26
The Art of Social Intercourse.

Our author laws down, as a general prnei-
pie, to ~ayoid the appearance Of form.T The
tone Of modern society is easy and uncemoni-
Gus. Never undertake to 90 through with a
bit Of fine manners when the intention is trans
parent-one should be natural, acting always
as if one could not have done otherwise. Per
haps the great secret Of good manner is to
forget yourself Conspicuous people must find
it hard TO avoid awkardness. One formality
is practised in this favored land to fearful
extent The further south you 60, the worse it
is. We mean that Of introducing. Smith Of
Mississippi, meets his friend Brown of Alabama
walking with Jones Of Tennessee. Brown in
stanty cries, "Mr. Smith, Mr.. Jones of Tennes-
seeV They advance, shake hand, fall back
and touch their beavers. Come gentlemen,
let's take drink What shall it bei All
drink. Jones then sees Thompson approach
ing-Mr. Smith, Mr.. Thompson of Texas
more shaking hands, more touching of beavers
more drinking, and so on through the entire
thirty States.
A traveller once told me that he had under
gone fourteen introductions and fourteen in
vitations to "liquor" in one evening at club
in southern city. AT the north he gets off
by the shake of the hand-another odious
custom. The hand should never be given ex-
cept to friend or pretty woman.
"The true rule is never to introduce unless
there is an express reasonfor making two peo-
pie acquainted"
We must add on our own authority that
present is the proper word for this kind of ac-
quaintance making.
The MS. is discursive on the subject of con-
jugal relations. We will quote an extract or
two:
"A bachelor is person who enjoys every
thing and who pays for nothing. Nevertheless
most men marry, at least in this country. Be-
ing married they should never trouble the en-
joyment of the bachelor by fondling their
wives in his presence, or bestowing any man.
ner of public tenderness upon them. There is
nothing in worse taste The bystanders are
sure to be either enyious or unhappy, for it is
a bitter thing, as Shakespeare tells us, to look
at happiness through another mans eyes; or
they think the sentiment misplaced, and are
disguised. Every benedict shonld economic
the exuberance of his affection, and keepit
to sweeten tete-a-tetes. He will want it before
he gets to the end"
And we add our directions to the afflicted"
never to talk about Mrs. in public, nor about
any nearer relative. II is secondary form of
egotism and equally repulsive.
"The system of making parade or process
sion Of marriage going to Philadelphia in
white bonnet, wearing orange flowers and
bridal lace to balls after the wedding, is un-
mercifully quzzed by French people, think
with justice. 1t is very well for John when he
marries Susan to take her to Jersey City and
back, for a pleasure ride" as the Westerners
call it to sit with her hand in his all the way
over and back again, but gentlemen ought to
know better and stay at home.
"By the way, too, my countrymen, when you
send out four wedding cards, do not put your
name and ners in the left hand corner of the
paste board--as if you had entered into a COM
mercial arrangement and wish to give the
names Of the firm.
"If man has to convey his wife and mother
in-law, (poor fellows , thereby making what
is called in Massachusetts a Lynn couple, two
gals and feller," let him beware Of offering
an arm to each, and walking sandwich between
them. An offence against appearance which
could not be tolerated, even in serious male
accompanying two strong-minded sisters from
an anniversary meeting at the Tabernacle.
The French have happy phrase for this
method; they call it going en- panier. The
allusion is to the ass between his two loaded
baskets."-N. y. Evening Post