The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-03-31

worked over into wine, and Am erican
cider is the basis of millions of bottles
! OF champagne, but good apples and
| .turnlps are too costly to be wasted on
cheap wines, such as most Americans
buy. Some of the temperance
societies might find the returns they
are after by satifying public curiosity
about what wines are made of.
AMERICAN MANNERS.
As Seen Through English Eyes-Impressions, Of
Archibald Forbes. the London Times Cor
respondent.
a reporter of the New York
Tribune recently called on Archibald
Forbes, the famous war correspondent
OF the London Times, who gives the
following spicy account of the gentle
man opinion of our people in general:
! What do I think of America o. he
said, in answer to question, 81
think you have a country and a people
to be admired-to use the mlldest term.
l have been very agreeably dis
appointed. In our profession, we are
accustomed to study human nature,
and while 1 have been in this country
have seen a side of character which
Inever saw before, and which, I must
say, | never expected to see. The
English have the idea that the Amer
lean people are race of ill-mannered,
bad-tempered people. But they never
were more mistaken in their lives.
There are no bad manners i'm this
country. What has been mistaken
for bad manners is the abruptness.
One says to ticketagent: ssCan you
sell me a ticket to such a place? He
replies: ''Two-ffty, and hands one
out to you. You instantly think:
Well, you are an ill-tempered fellow
not to answer my question, but on
reflection you become satisfied that it
is the most practical way of doing
business. You ask man to move a
little. He does not hear you, and he
says AYE, instead of Beg your pardon,
Sir But as soon as he catches your
meaning he is all politeness, and takes
an interest in your welfare"
"Then, do you consider the Ameri-
cans a sympathetic people 20
/ Not sympathetic, but human. I
missed a train out West. The brutes
in England would have laughed at me
and said, You'll be in time for the
next olae.' But what did they say
out West, 'Oh, that is too bad and
Immediately helped me to get out of
the difficulty as much as was in their
power. [ have met no brutes in this
country. At first thought the hotel
clerk was one. He Will answer your
questions in a mechanical sort of way,
and throw key at you, as much as
to say, What the devil do you, want,
anyway But experience has taught
me lesson, and I now think the
hotel clerk is the travelling mans best
friend. His manners are abrupt
because the public doesn't want
two words when one will suffice. But
if you want to find out anything, OF
get anything, or to have anything
done, you go to the same clerk whom
you have thought churlish, and he
does it for you readily and satisfac-
torily.'
! Have you noticed any peculiar
American habits o.
$ I cannot recall any except per-
haps, the habit Americans have Of
clearing their threats. Canadians are
also peculiar. They never shut a.
door. I asked boy in hotel what a
door was for, and he replied, sTo go
in by But speaking of Canadians
reminds me of my trip to Canada. It
was one continual supper and speech
making. could not get away. The
Canadians are genial, gentlemanly
men men Of sterling character. who
II believe mean well. But they are
insufferably slow. They admire
Americans, and when an American
happens among them they receive
him with open arms--can not do too
! much for him. But when they cross
the border they are dignity persona.
/ fed and keep the Americans at the
4 elbow Joint. as if every man they met
wanted to rob them
Have you discovered any swim
/ dle9''
i Not by any means. In not a
single instance has there been any
attempt to get the better of me. You
pay so much per day at the hotel, OF
so much for this or that, the price Of
which can always be ascertained. I
do not see as there is any chance for
a man who has his wits about him to
4 be sWindled. There are no porters or
servants to ask you for attendance
fees. If you give the man a quarter
for carrying your baggage, it is your
own affair entirely. There is no
i question but what America is a very
/ great country, and mean to come
i back to it. .
The man attempts that have been
made to getan ppropriation for put
ting an elevator in the White House
have been resisted on the grounds that
ofiice-seekers are able to walk up
stairs. Such an incorporation has,
however. been appropriated in the
present sundry civil appropriation bill
upon the representation that Presi-
dent-elect Garfeld's mother is an
invalid, and that an elevator is necess-
airy to her comfort.
a VIRGINIA journal expresses a
doubt that any twelve men can be
i fOllnd in South Carolina u,ho 1,,o,,11