The Osceola times., 1881-11-26
Manners.
No ton Transcript.


The Americans claim lnstinctively
and implicitly natural and inbOrn right
TO the companionshlp and, to a certain
extent, the sympathy of whomsoeyer he
meets. The Englishman claims, as in
siinctively and implicitly, right TO be
left alone whenever and wherever he
pleases. The one is very aggressive, the
other ever on the defensive. When the
two meet on neutral ground h is not un-
natural that they should tread upon each
others toes little, -taphorically
speaking. Go up to an Englishman in
ihe street and bluntly ask him the way
TO such and such building, and he will
reward the unprovoked onslaught upon
his privacy with the very coolest OF as
tonished stares. But if you preface
your question with an 81 beg your par
don" acknowledging thereby that you
are asking gratuitous favor) he will am
sger you very civilly indeed, and even
go out Of his way TO show you yours. In
The dense crowd coming out Of one of
he concerts at birmingham festival
well dressed American looked into the
face of an equally well-dressed English
man IA total stranger TO himl. and said
jokingly: pretty tight squeese, isn't it?"
The Enlisnman replied, with whitening
coolness: ''l'm sure | can't see why you
should address me in this disgustingly
familiar mannerp A conversation abb
ruptly launched into an English railway
carriage will probably be cut short at the
outset by what strikes us Americans as
very gratultously rude curtness. But if
lhe conversation is introduced by that
unfiiing open sesame, 81 beg your par
don" II will flow on very pleasantly ard
likely as not end in an invitation 10 pass
week or so at country house. Amer
icans are often shocked at the apparent
ly lnsolent bearing OF German shop
keepers, and especially OF German bank
ers. 1t rarely occurs 10 them that they
themselves have opened hostilities, a. 1t
were, by breaking the very first rule Of
German good breeding by keeping their
hats on. In Germany o man just az
scrIpulously takes of his hat, and keeps
il oil, in shop or counting room as in a
lady's parlor.
An American of ouraequaintsnce hap
pened to be one of a party of fix who
went TO the top of a certain tower in
Germany, the view from which is famous,
rhe party were shown the way by the
daughter of the guardian of the tower a
comely young girl OF IL or thereahouts,
Our friend treated her with common
politeness, but Frenchman, who was
one ef the party, was 80 demonstratlve
and overwhelmingly attentive and gal
liant that the American began TO feel as
If he had been somewhat rude in cons
pirison with such pyroteehnic display
Of courtesy. Well, when the party had
gone 10 the top OF the tower they only
found one chair there upon which the
frcnchman Immediately seated himself
THIS authentic anecdote squite charac.
trristic. II we Americans stand pre-,
eminent for good, solid, efficient politics
ness. certainly we are deplorable deiic-
icut in manner. We have neither the
iignincd repose of the English nor the
grace of continental EHropeaus. Posi-
bly, we are shy, and try to hide our shy
ness under an assumed grufiness of bear.
ing. Certainly, 1t seems, nine tim es out
Ji ten, as II an American, even while
performing very polite act, thought
himself degraded by any outward show
Of courtesy. He may willingly and
Chcerlully offer his seat TO lady, and be
perfectly content 10 stand himself. but
hp manner OF making the offer is almost
insulting. lie will growl ont, "Take my
scat" in voice that seemed TO imply,
"and be d--d to you" Or else he will
make the offer with joyial familiarity
Of manner which would be quite in
keeping between two old pot compan-
ions in tap room, We may be rich in
The solid gold, but We are poor indeed
in that small change o' politeness Fine
words butter no psrsnips,' say We. this IS
a mistake; fine words 'and manners,
butter all orts OF paruips inder q as
rnacl cray Sys, there are many pru1le
whose parsuips are buttered in no other