Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-09-13

ETIQUETTE AND CUSTOM.-WhO is wise |
enough to tell why the head Of man needs
be uncovered in public places and places
of worship, while it is considered quite
improper for the woman to remove the
covering from hers? And why, in Eastern
countries, must the dust sOled boots of the
streets be laid aside for slippers which are
worn only in the temples and mosques
which are dedicated to religious worship,
while not only the heads of men but the
faces of women are covered? There are,
perhaps, no people more punctllous in the
observance of forms than the Germans,
and none, from the stand point of AN
American, whose habits ut table are more
uncOuth. In the very best society you will
often see persons sit at an awkward dis
lance from the table, the arms will be
quite outspread. and the elbows elevated,
while carving their food, which is taken .
into the mouth in extremely large pieces, .
and in rapid succession, and not unfre-
quently conveyed by the knife rs well as
by the fork. No one privileged TO partake
Of Il PROFESSIONAL supper in a German me- /
tropoli-, would think of calling the men
and women met with there Doors because
of the peculiarites Of their table habits.
One forgets these very soon, but never the
social delights of the occasion. This j.
then one instance of the possibility OF rl>-
ing above prcconceved proprieties, and of
recognizing the nobility of men and wo-
men whose ways are not our ways.
An American ambassador to Il foreign
court had some very distinguished guests
to breakfast with him; they We're unac-
cu>tomcd to the use of knife and fork. The
host and hostess, seeing their dilemma.
laid aside their knife and fork. and re-
/ IL. Il has Il
they we've hidden to partuke of their foot
according to their own methods; which
they did: and the delicate Difference to
their habits was very highly appreciated
by them.
In Spain. AT table, we were not un-
frequently offered Il tit-bit poised upon the
fork OF our native ncighbor seated opposite
us 1t was something that pcrtained
especially to the Spanish cuisine, and he
wished to call our attention to its excel
lence and this WAS his familiar method of
doing it.
In Norway we often ate our bonny -cl;,b-
Der from the same dish with others. The
section of each portaker was indicated by
a line drawn across it. and each confined
his dip to his own boundaries. At Il coun-
try wedding that We had the pleasure of
attending in Norway. many of the tntre-
NETS were PASSED among the guests. each
: eating in turn from the same dish. with
the same spoon Is much CT AS little as he
desired The native beer OF the country
was drank from one glass, passed from
guest to quest At a very enjoyable en-
tertanment given Us by Il profess
f or and his family, III the delightful old
university town, | p>tla, like custom OF
E prrtakiuy from the same dish with others
was observed
p There are universal elements Of GOO
n hrec ing, common TO all civilized peoples
| and it i always refreshing To find them
T. observed Superficial society manners ear
# never supply the place Of inmate genllhtv
j. and he who Judges of it. character by l'>
/. baubc> Will often pl>S th' true dl1mon,
t unnoticcd. and take for real that which /
= only gildet.-Nup Stforf EIt@' IN Ne'
e iGt.