Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-08-12
Publisher and Proprieto
AMERICAN MANNERS.
Not Half so Bad as those of Euro
pean People. -rrsrrr-


Berlin Correspondence Chicago Times.l @
There are a. goodly number Of other
absurdities connected with the delusion
of cheap living in Europe that are en-
titled to ventilation. But / am anxious
for my innings on another topic, and so
wrench away from this very dear theme.
"You Americans are sharp sort OF
people, and understand the knack of
money getting, said young German
captain to me the other day, but |
have always understood that your man
ners are frightful."
Now the rather frankly advanced
statement of this Prussian military
Chesterfield is taken for truth through
out Europe. We are held to be spe-
cies. of humanity possessed of a trick at
building great cities in a hurry, and 9TH
erwise hustling our way to apparent
prosperity, but are considered to be
Doors by birthright and training. The
gushing tourists who have returned to
us with such fervid accounts of the
inherent peliteness Of TRANSATLANTIC
dwellers have almost coached Ameri-
cans themselves into believing the same
thing. h-A~
/ have been at some pains to take OBJ
servations at random and in detail upon
this subject. | trust am not so per
meated with conceit as to think these
observations have settled for all time
this question of etiquette and good breed
ing. But as epitomes of national char
acteristics arc to be found crowded into
the confines of each nations capital and
prominent cities, so it is possible by
noting the actions Of habitues of the
leading resorts of these great centers, TO
Judge, with fair degree of accuracy, of
certain of the traits of the entire popula-
ton. ~ .a-a /
+ An Englishman will tell you that an
American at the table is q barbarian.
He, the savage American, eats with q
knife, stuffs himself at railroad speed,
and exhibits the untamed propensities
of his nature in hundred other ways.
But at leading London hotel | saw
and heard the young bride Of an order
bedecked scion of English nobility blow
her nose with ring that well-nigh shook
the plates, at table d'hote, at least half
A dozen times, and nobody even raised
their eyes in token of surprise. l after
wards learned that her fathers family
renresented some of the best blue-blood
Of the realm, and that she was literally
"tbe daughter of hundred earls." But
she sucked her soup with noise ike
that of a young whirlpool, and did not
hesitate to dig at her teeth with cedar
splinter between the courses.
In polite Paris | have seen men with
the ribbons of the highest honors in the
State in their button-holes, scratch their
heads Justify over ragout, and blandly
blow the smoke of their rotten little
cigarettes in the faces of the wheeling
ladies beside them.
In Vienna one day observed knot
of young officers standing chatting mer,
rily at a street corner. Handsome OF
face. figure, and attire, they held out the
indisputable proof of their aristocratic
belongings in appearance and action.
they broke out into perfect
tempest of laughter, and, pointing to the
middle of the street, slapped each other
ON the back and roared anew. The OBJ
iect of their jollity proved to be peas
ant woman old enough to bave been the
mother Of any Of them, and as such en-
filled TO their respect. Chivalrous Aus
tria was allowing her to wheel stones, IN
a heavy barrow, from a pile by the curb
ing out into the middle OF the street. |
there to crack them into sizes suitable
for paving. Taking, en- one of her trips,
too heavy load. she had stumbled,
fallen. and. striking upon the sharp |
stones. had cut her dirt-begrimmed face
until it bled profusely. 1t was the best
ioke these gold-laced snobs had seen for |
a month.
In Vienna, too, it is quite the thing at
the theaters for the gentlemen in the |
parquette to arise between the acts and,
turning coolly around, to make sweep |
ing survey of all the ladies IN the house
through their lorgnettes. The women
of other countries, whose breeding has
not vet accustomed them TO this licensed |
usually withdraw in indig- |
nant embarrassment behind the curtains
Of their boxes. But those who are TO
the manner born, or rather TO the lack OF
manners, have become Injured TO the
effrontery and take the staring as natu-
rally as possible. -.
But said Berlin citizen to whom
| had mentioned some of these peculiar
evidences of European culture, you
Americans always spit, you know. You
use tobacco; all of you chew, think
that what you call IT,
The idea that every public resort and
priyate rendezvous in America was not
usually one pool Of nicotine juice was
one out OF which be could not be rea-
soned. But that same evening met