The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-14
German salutation-Ltfting the Hat.


from Stuttgart Correspondence Of the BostoI
Advertiser.
In America hats are made 70 wear, il
Germany 70 take off. Their chief use in
the one case is to cover the head; in tbs
other case, 20 enable the owner TO uncov,
er. Yankees are permitted by the in
scrutable Providence to exist-not with.
out remonstrance while Menzer lived
though OUT of doors they commonly
keep their hats on; here We understand
our dntieS better, and do not draw upon
the charity of the universe in that way
Happy invention for Germany, the hat.
Without it, how could one uncover?-
unless he should remove his scalp. And
without uncovering, how could one be 8
respectable male creature of the human
sort? / must doubt that in a hatless Ger
many the scalp were safe! Unjust people
say that Germany has no religion.
What are they talking of? Where are
/ their eyes? 1t has one of the strictest re-
Iigions IN the world, in respect to which
| the very atheists orthodox; and its COM
mandment is Thou shalt take, off thy
hat. This religious aetis performed ev
erywhere, by everybody, at all hours of
the day, with a consistency and aEsidui
ty, let me tell the cavaliers, that put to
shame our mere seven-day service. In
the street every man must uncover to
| every other whom he knows and does
not mean to reject az excomm unicate
( and outlaw. The rule requires that the
hat should not be merely raised, but
taken fairly OF, and brought down by
! the side. By the old school of eii5ion-
lists this is'realIy done, but in our age Of
short cuts + compromise is commonly
made. One snatches the article off, gives
a sort of flop with IT, much as if beating
off flies, and claps it hastily on, TO be in
readiness for the next occasion. AS thus
practiced the act is beautiful to the
mind, as all duty must be, but to the
mere profane eye Is not graceful. Some
times, indeed, the impions foreign OBJ
server is inclined to laugh. Two men
meet and recognize each other only in
the moment of passing; not pausing, they
are back to back, and three PAGES apart,
| before the ready hand can reach the
waiting brim, but each punctually per.
forms the whole duty of man. remove
the beaver, gives it the symbolic flop
and restores il rods distance from the
other. Neither sees the other do it, for
Il = haHsnl S.,
molten towards it. Each knows, how
ever, that it is done, for is moi ihe otl.e.
a respectable man? The profane OF ere +,
1 say. is disposed to smile; taking off the
hat and fiourishing it to vacancy seems
to him comicll. He mistakes entirely,
for his notion is that they are perform
ing the act to one another merely as hu-
man individuals. Not SO, they are rem
dering their homage TO the sacred pro-
prieties; and seen or unseen of men,
what matters it? And why should either
look back? Would lie spy upon Ills
neighbor to see if the latter is not + er-
naps hereto and intidel?
lake off The hat! 1t there be doubt
whetDef the act is required on a parti-
cular occasion, err on the safe side, ana
take il off. Foreigners fail into ditticuIt-
les sometimes from scanty construction
Of their dulles in this particular. Al.
American youth vent TO the railroad
station TO procure q season ticket-nut
sold by the ordinary ticket seller, but b,
All especial official. Entering a pubiic
Office ne kept his hat on in addressing
the said ofhc 8. erson &c. To his am.
azement, the latter sprang from his seat
and began tearing about the room in tho
widest agitation, with passionate out
cries, stamping feet, tossing arms. Th,
youth, not then understanding German
we'll, could make nothing of his noises,
and thought him seized with fit OF
frenzy. Our official friend, observing al
length the look of sheer, blank wonder
and incomprehension on the others
countenance, composed himself enough
to become Ineligible. The hat come
| of, and the afflicted officer after man
full struggle with his feelings, suppress
ed them so ably that he could do the
necessary writing-for the season ticket
affair is q somewhat elaborate Vne-with
steady head. Again at a certain ar
ciool, young American was visited
by one Of his friends. The latter, stepp-
! ing in merely to invite the other to takt
| a walk a room where no professor
was present and where was nothing o
the ordinary school scipline-erred III
similar way. An older pupil, married
man, Immediately called out: q Wa.
nennt man Fteoelei," "Ws call that boor-
ishnessw The two youths went forth,
whereupon the distressed individual re
lieved his pain by raging an hour again
It Americans. Al Americaner sind un.
ver shaente Bengal" "All Americans are
impudent clowns" the good soul said.
This was, of course, an excepiionali.
rude person, representing the German
generally only in the stress laid upon
the act Of removing the hat. Well, it IL
good to have manners of some sort. The
Americans are little careless that way;
the young people, at least, are frequent
ly somewhat free in their air. When
German schoolboy, meeting in city a
stranger and foreigner with gray beard
and gray look, pulls off the cap to him.
as sometimes happens, the impression i,
not unpleasing. And yet it does not seem
to me that in interior courtesy tht
American people are behind those ol
Germany; certainly they are not 80 ia
kindliness.
Interesting Correspondence for Our
Great GRANDCHILDREN
The Dundee Advertiser publishes an
abstract of the will of the late Lord Dal
housie. The whole residue of his estate
falls to his sister, Lady Christina Maule