Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-11-10
Public Manners at the Exhibition.


The manners and opinions of the visit.
ors to the Centennial furnish good deal
of interest in themselves. The occu.
pants of rolling chairs are Enthusiastically
the objects of slight scorn to those on
foot, akin to the superciliousness of
early risers. And, Notwithstanding hun.
dreds Of daily instances to the contrary,
the pedestrians are evidently persuaded
that everybody in a chair is the victim
of some strange manning or malady,
about which they cannot conceal their
curiosity. The interest taken in any
purchase by the bystanders is so intense
as to be painful to the purchaser. A
ring forms Immediately round the latter
and the vendor, which increases mo-
mentarily until the transaction is over,
all hanging speechless on the dialogue
between the two. When this is carried
on in foreign language the audience
looks discounted and displeased, as If
baked of its rights. A lady acquaint-
ance told me that just as her purchase
was concluded and the article replaced
in the case, so that it became indis-
tinguishable among its fellows, a stranger
of her own sex arrived on the scene,
and, seeing that it was too late, dogged
her until they reached secluded spot
in one of the less-frequented depart.
ments. Then she accosted her in low
voice: You bought something Just
now" eyes" "What was it?" But
this inquisitiveness is generally SYM
pathetic. l witnessed the sale of an
India shawl, at which the buyer was
anxious to see it folded and tried on. A
couple of good-natured young English
men, evidently novices in playing shop
men, were helplessly pulling it hither
and thither, when a very nice-looking,
middle-aged woman, with an ardent
gaze, stepped up from the circle, took it
from their hands, gave it in trice the
proper twist, and then, turning about,
deftly threw it over her own shoulders,
and stood there on exhibition until every
body concerned or not concerned was
satisfied. That sort of readiness to
oblige is a characteristic of our country
folk; but, both abroad and at home, il
renders us liable to be imposed upon by
foreigners, which is to be observed at
the Exhibition in the conduct of the at
tendants. A friend who has been at
more than one of the European Exhibi-
tions recognized in several of the de-
partments men whom he had seen at
Paris or Vienna, where they had been
civility itself. Under the influence of
our good-humored democracy they have
become extremely impertinent. On the
other hand, the misconduct of ones own
country-people has a more pungent
power of annoyance than that of any
other; and it was almost intolerable to
see them handle articles the most easily
broken or soiled, with total disregard
of the placards, where one would sup
pose to the commonest consideration
placards would be superhuous. wish I
could have felt certain that the person
who raped and shook every article in
the Chinese annex was not fellow
cOuntryman. Unfortunately, there could
be no doubt of the nationality of pair,
male and female, like the first sinners,
who, having broken down the protecting
rope, were spreading themselves in their
dusty clothes on the Gobelin sofas in the
French partment.-Atlantic Monthly.