The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-07-05
IntrOductiOns.

SOCIAL enjoyment is very much impeded
in this country by the want of well.un-
derstoOd rules. Such rules are necessary.
1t makes but little difference what the
rules may be, SO long as they are recog-
nized and practiced. For instance, in this
country, carriages meeting on the road
turn to the right; in England they turn to
the left. The rules are equally good;
either, if observed, will prevent collisions.
In France, people moving into new
place call first upon their neighbOrs; in
England, those among whom they come
call first. There may be something to
choose between these two customs, but
either. thoroughly observed, is better than
the weak confusion of ideas among us,
the result of which is that while anyone
may call upon strange family, scarcely
anyone feels it incumbent to call. With
regard to these two customs, however, the
French appear to have the better of it. 1t
is natural that persons moving into town
or village should have a greater wish to
know their neighbOrs than their neighbors
should have to know them. A rev family
may be long time in place before they
are discovered. Time moves very rapidly
bly, situated. Some months will pass be-
fore the resolution, lazily formed, to visit
the new people will have been carried out.
If the French custom prevailed, this i'm
pediment to the acquaintance of mutually
congenial people would be got rid of, nor
would there be any great danger of dis
comfort from the discovery of the fact
that the new persons are not of our own
sort, for, in one of our American towns,
where little is to be gained from society
except the pleasure of social intercourse,
people are not apt to wish to 90 where
they are not especially desired.
We need very much some well. defined
custom by which the acquaintance of the
families one desires to know may be OBJ.
tanned. And here we may observe that
there seems to be an impression in this
country that there is something criminal,
something unworthy and undignified, in
the desire to know people. Modest
merit" it is thought, rather avoids COM
pany than seeks it. We are sure, however, )
that this sentiment, where it is protested,
is either hypOcritical or immature. No
wcll-c0nstituted young man sees q pretty
girl without . wish to be introduced to
her, or a nice family without disposition
to 60 to their parties. But nOtwithstand-
ing the extreme freedom of our society, it
is often more difficult to manage such mat
tiers here than in Europe. We are much
in need of one of those customs by which
Europeans accomplish these things so
easily and SO naturally. OF course, at any
party it is easy for any man to ask to be
introduced to people whom he thinks he
would like to know. But it is not so easy
to 60 to the houses of these persons. This
is unlucky, because it often happens that
the man is very we'll liked and would be
very welcome. But ladies think it would
be hardly proper themselves to ask man
whom they have seen hut once or twice.
He, on his part, is often afraid to ask to be
allowed to come, because he is not quite
sure how his request would be received,
and even when he is quite sure that he will
he welcome, there is a novelty about the
proceeding which makes it more or less
hazardous. The custom prevailing in
many parts of Europe disposcs very easily
and simply of this matter. The man has
only to leave cards in day or two at the
house of the family to whom he has been
introduced. If they want him they will
send for him. If they do not, then nobody
is made uncomfortable.
We have said that it is always easy to
ask to be introduced to people at recep-
tons and parties. But even this is prac-
tICdlly uOS ~ easy 0S IL appears W w.
New York is subject to constant social
vagaries, which come in the shape of re-
ports as to the latest customs pursued in
the drawing rooms of European capitals.
One of these is that there shall be few in
PRODUCTIONS. Some ladies have declined
to make any introductions which were
not asked for, because, they say, the young
men are SO rude. The dear old custom
Of our hay.seed" days. still prevalent
in some very rural parts of this country,
of introducing everybody to everybody, 4
though no doubt often very absurd, still
had its advantages. We think it would
be well if more of this old solicitudc of
hosts for the comfort Of their guests had
been preserved. As the custom is at pres
ent, the man who goes to q house where
be knows but few Of the people must
either poster his hostess for repeated in |
PRODUCTIONS or stand about and glare from
the walls.