The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-12

mere piece of conceited Philstinsm; there is no
better or worse in the matter; but IL is different
FROM whence does this diversity arise? Here
We must run the risk of wounding American
susceptlbilities, II Americans are absurd enough
TO entertain them but the chief cause seems to
us an obvious one. American society is an off
shoot OF British society, but an offshoot of that
society, not in its highest but its middle grade
lhe mercantile or working classes among our
selves have not acquired, nor i'm truth do they
value, that freemasonry of style which distin-
cuisines the highly polished. But the father or
grandfather of the irst-cass American occupied i'm
the mother country the position of the second
or thlrd-class Englshman. 1t is unpleasinp to
use denominations which seem to imply so much
OF "snobbishness' in him who uses them. But
no Others would express our meaning. America
mas risen at once, by the force both of favorable
circumstances and of native energy, into that
state OF civilization which gives room for the
development of luxury and real refinement and
mental adOrnment to rs high pitch as the Old
World can display, but not into that aristOcracy
OF manner which can only be acquired through
u much longer period of development than hers
has been.
The traces of this recent connection, rs it
were, with the less advanced ranks of society
come out not ungraccfully in many of the
habits OF earlier days which cling to the best
transatlantic circles. American hospitality is
proverbial; but one phase in which it exhibits
Itself is a little embarrassing to the stranger.
his Is the custom of "treating;' with us "A relic
pAlly vi JC uGbIIltI llC WHICH sllll SUUSlSJS III
less refined classes in America, not obsolete in
the highest. An American, with foreigner in
tow, Is not content with opening his house to
him and grudging no labor or loss of time in
acting as his guide and companion. The desire
OF his soul, with difficulty kept in check, is to
pay the strangers expenses. He is anxious to
take upon himself all cost of conveyance and
casual refreshment. An American gentleman
wishing to give you dinner, but unable from
some accident to receive you ut his own house,
rather than fail i'm his supposed duty will invite
himself to dine with you in the COlfee-rOom of
your hotel, order and pay for the meal. The
stranger himself is in some perpleXity between
his anxiety not to hurt the feelings of his gene
rous friend and the sort of pride engendered by
the different habits of his own country where
the kndest entertainer of n guest would shrink
from any step which had the air of putting the
latter under pecuniary obligation.
We should err, however, in ascribing the great
American virtue of hospitality, or this peculiar
manner of displaying il, altogether to the cir
cumstance that American manners are those of
a people which has not vet attained the cold
level of polished Indifference. They are far more
hereditary traditions derived from the times of
early settlement in the wilderness. Every young
community engaged in the task of subduing
nature to the first requirements of man is tacity
organized on a principle of mutual assurance
Every man owes his neighbor aid and comfort,
| the support of the strong arm and supply from
| the full purse, because he may have to call on
| his nelghDor at any moment for requital. And
| IuC uUVltS mus enRCuucTCQ ucsCCnu from ldJlcT
\ to son, long after the circumstances which pro-
| duced them have passed away The city Ameri-
| can will leave his occupation to accompany you
| as guide for some distance through the
| labyrinths of a great town. because his near
ancestor had to render and receive such services
| in the imperviOus forest. The casual American
| traveller will urge you to liquor with him ut
the refreshment bar, from the motive, now be-
come an instinct which made his father divide
| his ration with his mate in the desert Nay,
mn han Nyp hats ana Of hos
features which lend to American life its most
| touching and attractive characteristics-self
denial in trihes, mutual consideration instead OF
the devil take the hindnlost' principle, tender
ness for the weak, and, above ALL chiyalry to-
| wards woman merely as woman-owe their de-
veopment partly, at least, to the lessons of
those early days of struggle against nature. If
so, long may they survive their origin; and,
while they do so, Americans have little to suffer
from the gibes of foreigners -underbred for
! egners, for the most part-about their manners;
gibes which derive all their little sting from the
oyer-sensitiveness of those against whom they
| are directed.