Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-07
AMERICAN AND FOREIGN MANNERS.

The American claims, icstinctively and
implicitly, natural and Unborn right to
the companionship, and, to certain ex-
tent, the sympathy of whomsoever he
meets. This is his first claim upon society
at large. The Englishman claims, as in
stinctiYely and implicitly, right to be
left alone whenever and wherever he
please. The one is ever aggressive, the
other ever on the defensive. When the
two meet on neutral ground, it is not un-
natural that they should tread on each
others toes little, metaphorically speak.
ing. Go up to an Englishman in the street
and bluntly ask him the way to such and
such building, and he Twill reward the
unprovoked onslaught upon his privacy
with the very coolest of astonished stares.
But if you preface your question with an
81 beg your pardon !" acknowledging
thereby that you are asking a gratuitous
favorl he will answer you very civilly in
deed, and even 90 out of his way to show
you yours. In the dense crowd coming
out of one of the concerts at Birmingham
festival, a well dressed American looked
into the face of an equally well-dressed
Englishman Ia total stranger to him), and
said jokingly, pretty tight squeeze,
isn't it," The Englishman replied with
whitening GOODNESS, "I'm sure l can't see
why you should address me in this disgust
inply familiar manner A conversation
abruptly launched into an English railway
carriage will probably be cut short at the
outset by what strikes us Americans as
very gratuitously rude curtness. But if
the conversation is introduced by that un.
failing open.sesame, 81 beg you pardon"
1t will flow on very pleasantly, and likely
as not end in an invitation to pass week
or so at country house. Americans are
often shocked at the apparently insolent
bearing OF German shopkeepers, especially
of German bankers. It rarely occurs to
them that they themselves have opened
hostilities, as it were, by breaking the very
first rule of German good breeding in
keeping their hats on. In Germany man
Just as scrupulously takes off his hat, and
keeps it of, in shop or counting.room as
in a lady's parlor.
An American of our acquaintance once
happened to be one of a party of six who
went to the top OF a Certain tower in Ger
many, the view from which is famous.
The party was shown the way by the
daughter Of the guardian of the tower, a
comedy young girl of seventeen or therea.
bouts our friend treated her with com.
mon politeness, but a Frenchman, who was
one of the party, was so. demonstratively
and overwhelmingly attentive and gallant
that the American began to feel as if he
had been somewhat rude in comparison
with such pyrotechnic display of courtesy.
Well, when the party had got to the top of
the tower, they found only one chair there,
upon which the Freedman Immediately
seated himself This authentic anecdote is
quite characteristic. If we Americans
stand pre-eminent for good, solid, efficient
politeness, we certainly are deplorably de-
ficient in manner. We have neither the
dlgnifed repose of the English, nor the
grace of continental Europeans. Possibly
we are shy, and try to hide our shyness
under an assumed gru1ness of bearing.
Certainly, it seems, nine times out of ten,
as if an American, even while performing
very polite act, thought himself degraded
by any outward show of courtesy. He
may willingly and cheerfully offer his seat
to a lady, and be perfectly content to
stand himself, but his manner of making
the offer is almost insulting. He will
growl out, "Take my seat" in voice that
seems to imply, "and be id to you ?"
Or else ne will make the offer with jovial
familiarity of manner which would be
quite in keeping between two old pot
companions in tap-room. We may be
rich in the solid gold, but we are poor in.
deed in the small change of politeness.
"Fine words butter no parsnips," say we
this is a mistake fine words land man.
ners) butter all sorts of parsnips; indeed,
as Thackaray says, there are many people
whose parsnips are buttered in no other
way.