Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-10-25

L 4
Had drunk like her, my cups deep measure
On death with equal peace could count,
Could see my ShrUud with equal pleasure.
.----------------
From the Ch cago TribuLe.
ETHQUFTTE
GOod-Esreed;nga Matter orthe Heart, and
not the Head.
The question of etiquette is one which
seems properly to belong to only two
classes-royalty itself, and people not
sure of their position. 1t is the old sto.
ry of meeting of extremes. In connex.
ion with those few chosen ones who are
born to rule, We frequently hear that ct.
tiqutte prescribes such and such forms
to be observed i'll regard to them. In
being presented at Court, you may and
you may not do certain Things. After
that, each caste has its special rights, its
special shibboleth, to which its children
are born, to which they grow up, and
which custom makes second nature to
them. 1t follows, therefore, that, i'll all
good society, questions of etiquette are
SELDOM OR NEVER RAISED.
There are a certain minutip which are a
matter of course, and which the mem
bers OF that society have grown up to.
They consider fork the proper imple-
ment to convey food to the mouth; nap
kihs necessity; that the guest whom
they delight TO louor should have the
right hand OF the host at table; that
gentlemen do not keep their hats on in
the presence of ladies', nor take their
coats Off; and that eXclamato V Ian
guage of the intense kind is decidedly
bad form outside the bar-room. Other
wise, all such questions settle them
selves, or have been settled III the due
course of civilization.
1t is only III small places that are try
ing to ape large ones, or among little
people who are ambitious to seem great
ones. that there is amy serious disturb,
ahce OF mind regarding the prophecies
or conventonalltics OF social science.
Go to Il country town, blessed with IL
library, where the rising
generation read II good deal, but have
very few opportunities OF mingling with
the broad current of city life, and you
will find
MORE ARBITRARY RULES
than you ever imagined before. You
Will he subjected TO close questioning as
to whether this or that is CONNIE il iaut.
1t will be useless to assure these neo-
phytes that you have never thought of
the matter; that the question of eti-
quette is not constantly discussed among
well-bred people; and that there rarely
ARISES an occasion in which any deyla-
ton from the ordinary rule of every day
life is requisite. still they will worry /;
Tor 1t is Il vital question with them
whether they shall have two or three
kinds OF cake on the table; if custards
should also be added; and how many
sorts of preserves are admissible; also,
i'll wha' order they should be passed
they are so uneasy about it, that you
catch the feverlsh feeling, and fail to
enjoy the good cheer spread before you.
'ouch places also are generally ruled by
certain
CoNVEN1IC NAIIlIEs OF 1nIER OWN.
On sunday you must go to church, no
matter il you do feel that, as the holi-
day is short, and the city's dusty tread
mill stopped but for "A single turn of the
wheel, you would prefer to read your
sermon as it is
Writ hy the finger OF God
In flowers and leaves on the live green sod.
1t is useless. Everybody goes to
church Sunday, SO you must. You
would otherwise be ostracised by all
your friends friends, and also deprive
them of the pleasure of showing you off
in your city tinery to their less-favored
fellow-worshippers. You submit, of
course. That is part of the etiquette
prescribed tor you; but, when afternoon
comes, and you propose walk out into
the meadows, or drive over the hills or
plans, you are made to feel at once the
utter impossibility Of such proceed
ure. A boat lies at anchor on the little
stream below the house. How you
would like lazy pull down stream in
the twilight, or just to drift idly at will.
You hint at it, and horror oyerspreads
the faces of your hosts. Ten o'clock
strikes; the moon has risen, and all out
of doors looks so lovely. You would
like a walk. Don't hope for it. Only
the very vile could be guilty of such in.
iquty. Honest, well-meaning people go
to bed; 50 you sigh for the luxury in
vain, and taking the kerosene-lamp
which is offered you, meekly 90 to the
small, stuffy room which is allotted you,
and wish there were
FEWER ARBITRARY LAWS
to govern one in the country. You rise
for breakfast at seven O'clock at the
very latest. Nothing but illness, and
that so severe as to prevent rising at all,
could permit of later hour for the ma
tutinal meal. Awful shiftless must be