Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-08-20
German SaIEtatiOn.

German SaIHtati0n.
In America hats are made to wear. in
Germany to take off Their chief use in
the one case is to cover the head; in the
other case, to enable the owner to IN
cover. Happy invention OF Germany,
the hat. Without it, how could one IN
cover, unless he should remove his scalp?
And without Uncovering how could one
be a respectable male creature of the
human sort: l must doubt that in hat
less Germany the scalp were safel In
just people say that Germany has no
religion. What are they talking Of?
Where are their eyes? It has one of the
strictest religions in the world. in respect
to which the very atheists ale orthodox:
and its commandment is, Thou shalt take
! off thy hat. This religious act is per
| formed everywhere, by everybody, at all
! hours OF the day, with a constancy and
assldulty, let me tell the cavilers, that
| puts to shame our mere seventh-day
| service. In the street every man must
uncover to every other whom he knows
ana does not mean to reject as eXCom-
munlcate and outlaw The rule requires
| that the hat should not be merely raised,
| but taken fairly off, and brought down
by the side. By the old school of relig-
| iOnists this is really done but in our age
| OF short cuts a compromise is COM
monty 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 Occa-
sion. As thus practiced the act is beau
tiful to the mind, as all duty must be,
but to the mere prOfane eye is not grace
full Sometimes, indeed, the impious for
eign observer 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
performs the whole duty of man, re
moves the beaver, gives it the symbolic
flop, and restores it a rods distance from
the other. Neither sees the other do it,
for there is no looking behind nor faint
est motion toward it. Each knows, how
ever, that it is done, for is not the other
a respectable man? The prOfane OBJ
server, l say, is disposed to smile; taking
off the hat and flourishing it to vacancy
seems to him cOmical. He mistakes en-
tirely, for his notion is that they are per
forming the act to one another merely as
human individuals. Not so; they are
rendering their homage to the sacred
prophecies, and, seen or unseen of men,
what matters it? And why should either
look back? Would he spy upon his
neighbOr to see if the latter is not per
haps hereto and an infidel?
Take off the hiatt If there be doubt
whether the act is required on particu-
lar occasion, err on the safe side, and
take it off. Foreigners fall into difficulty
sometimes from a scanty construction of
their duties in this particular. An Amer
lean youth went to the railroad station to
procure a season ticket-not sold by the
ordinary ticket-seller, but by an especial
official Entering a public office, he kept
his hat on in addressing the said official
parsonage. To his amaZcment, the latter
sprang from his seat and began tearing
about the room in the widest agitation,
with passionate OutcriPS, stamping feet,
tossing arms. The youth, not then I'M
derstanding German well, could make
nothing of his noises, and thought him
seized with a fit of frenzy. Our official
friend, observing at length the look of
sheer, blank wonder and incomprehension
on the others COuntenance, composed
himself enough to become Ineligible
The hat came off, and the afflicted Off
Ger, after manful struggle with his feel
ings, suppressed them so ably that he
could do the necessary writing-fOr the
seasOn-tickct affair is a somewhat elab-
crate One-with a steady hand. Again,
at certain art school, young
American was visited by one of his
friends. The latter, stepping in merely
to invite the other to walk-into
room where no professor was present,
and where was nothing of the ordinary
| school ipline-erred in similar way.
An older pupil, married man, immedi-
ately called out, Was neRnt man
| FLegelei." 1--WE call that boorishness."
| The two youths went forth, whereupon
! the distressed individual relieved his
| pain by raging an hour against Ameri-
cans. All 1mericdner sind U1lyerscIa7nie
BeBgel," "All Americans are impudent
clowns" the good soul said. This was,
OF course, an exceptionally rude person,
representing the Germans generally only
III the stress laid upon the act of remoy-
ing the hat. Well, it is good to have
manners of some sort. The Americans
are little careless that way; the Young
people, at least, are frequently somewhat
free in their air. When German school
boy, meeting in the city stranger and
foreigner with gray beard and gray
look, pulls off the cap to him, as some
times happens, the impression is not ur-
pleasing. And yet it does not seem to
me that in interior courtesy the Ameri-
can people are behind those of Germany;
certainly they are not so in kindliness-
| Stuttgart Cor. Boston -AdgeriS6r