The Indiana State sentinel., 1876-04-26

"Manners Makyth Man"
A knot of young men who are accus-
toned 10 meet daily at the dinner table OF
one of the hotels formed themselves, upon
the laughing suggestion of one of their
number, into what has since been grandil-
oouentIy named "The Centennial Eli
ouette Club OF North America" The sug-
gestion, which at first was made more in
lest than in earnest, was entered into with
enthusiasm by the rest, and it was deter
mined that for every breach OF etiquette
committed by any member, a fine OF five
cents should, upon msjority vote of the
members present, be levied upon the Of
lender. A secretary and treasurer were
appointed, aud the club has now had al
existence of about three weeks. During
that time the treasury has been enriched
by twenty fines. The offenses have been
slight, as, f, r in stsnce, certain membt
connected with the city press has on three
several occasions enriched the treas
ury by forge ting to remove his
spoon from his cup during the pro-
cess of drinking. He now manifests a
desire to do away entirely with that use
full appendsge to the meal. The same
member, who, in the weariness of his
spirit, threw bis arms back of his head
and ssssyed to yawp, was promptly fined,
and now takes refuge behind his napkin
when his weary spirit rises. Another
member, with passion for crispY pie
crust, will hardly attempt to eat it again
with his fingers, nor third to use any
but the mildest expressions to explain his
meaning, and the dogmatic member
already shows very srceptible softeniDg
In his tones wherever he feels called upon
to dissent from any argument previously
advanced.
The watcnful observance for breaches
of etiquette 10 others has made each
thoughtful of his own manners; four pairs
OF eager eyes an xiously awaiting an OPP
portunity to vote an addition to the
treasury call out the best behavior OF
them all, and the member who has been
secretly studying book OF etiquette, for
the purpose of increasing the funds, bene-
fts, unkDowingly, the others, who will
be certain to copy whatever in his man.
ner they believe to De correct
The above was not intended as more
than thread upon which to base an ar
gument against the utte- careles sness of
many men for all outward forms of civility.
These young men, like hundreds of others
in the city, accustomed to the quiet infiu-
ences of homes where, at lesst, the be-
hsvior of q gentleman WIS expected, found
themselves, when thrown almost entirely
into the society of their own sex, gradually
losing those little niceties so easily per-
formed at home, and have taken tbis
method to recover their lost ground. Itis
not expected that this example will spread
after the manner of Mr.. Hsle's "Ten Times
OIe is Ten; :" but if any one is in doubt as
to the necessity OF is spreading be has
only to quietly observe how many times
his own sense OF the eternal fitness
things is disturbed during the NE xt twenty
four hours. From the boy who enters your
Office without knocking and asks
bis question with his hat on his
head and his hands in his pockets
and .goes away without thanking
you for your information, to the scquaint.
ance of five minutes before, who famil
iarly slsps you upon the back and fin
ishes his cigar with his heels upon tn,
desk where you are writing, the instances
will be numerous. These are net extrem,
cases. 1t was not many years ago that al
ex-secretsry of the state, after introducins
a we'll known lecturer to the audience
seated himself upon the platform and tip
ping his chair back against the partition
listened to the lecture with his thumbs in
the arm-holes OF his vest. Emerson hs
truly said that "Our manners are alwsyt
INSTRUMENTATION by committees little x
pectsd "a policeman in citizsn's clothes
but who are awarding or denying us ve,,
high pr'zss when least think of 1t >
There is everything in manner. "I al
the ugliest man in three Kingdoms I" sal,
Wilkes to Lord Townsend. "b1t IL yol
will give me quarter of an hours start
will gain the love of any woman before th
handsome ST." When Mr.. vesey wa
proposed as q member of the Lit
erary Club, Mr.. Burke bean h,
saying that he was a man o
gentle manners. "Slr," said Dr. Johnson