The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-10-09
C~ourtesies and Discourtesies,
Cassell's Mazazine.

nsoeii ) aiaLazlne. - .N...-.s
Their are many courtesies which
a gensleman should render to a lady,
the absence of which is at once felt,
and causes people i%nvoluntarily to re.
marx inwardly to themselves, if not
aloud To their friends: THAT man has
not good manners" l passed that
Judgment the other evening when !
was sitting with a friend by her fire.
side. A gentleman was ushered in
who was we'll known to my friend, but
a comparative stranger to me. He
shook hands with her first, which was,
of course, the right thing to do, and
then, while speaking to her he shook
hands with me. The breaker of this
law of courtesy was q young profess
lonal man, well endowed with this
worlds goods. l should not record
this little rudeness if it was only of
rare occurrence, but ! often notice
people guilty Of tbs discourtesv-
namely, that of shaking hands with
one person while they are speak ng to
another person. If you wish to say
more than ''how do you doy:' to your
hostess, or to any else whom you
greet at first. it is less discourteous to
continue your conversation with her
Tor a few moments before taking no..
tice OF any II nea her, than ii is to
stretch out you hand and shake that of
her neighbor while your face is
turned away and Your lips are adj
dressing another erson.
The discourteous young man to
whom l have alluded gave me another
reason for my verdict, and as in this
respect also he is by no means the only
offender in general society. l shall
ment o II the ttte rudeness. There are
three, If not more, separate syllables
al! sounds which some PEOPLE utter
or make when the; have not heard
what has been said to them, or when
they wish to express assent. These
are-What? Eth? Uh! and a cultural
sound of the letter m, which can not
be expressed in writing. II beg your
PARDON or what did You say?:" are
sentences VIII CHI should certainly lie
said when a repetition is asked for; and
Yes should not be replaced by a
grunt when an assent is given.
There are numerous little acts which
q man OF courte Y will perform. While
he 5 calling at a house he will rise
and open the door for any lady who
leaves the room. " if she is an en-
tire stranger TO him: in his own house
he w II not only open the door of the
room. but accompany the lady TO the
hall door. and open that, if there is no
servant at hand to do so, for u depart
ing guest. whether lady or gentleman,
should not be LETT TO find their way
alone. Neither should they be allowed
to find the L way into a room. When
you act rs a host, and YOUR guests ac-
company you into the drawing-room.
do not you, my dear sir, follow the
practice of some forgetful or neglect
full men. who walk in and march
straight up to the room, leaving their
one guest. or a train. as the case may
be, to follow and close the door. A
host should open the door, and shut it
a1terh:S guests have entered the room.
Amongst other small courtesies a
gentleman will rise from his chair.
however luXuriously comfortable. and
offer assistance. if need be. to n lady if
she goes to put Goals on the fire, or if
she tries to open or close a window.
When he escorts her into a room, be
will see that she is seated before he
looks for a chair for himself, when he
cscorts her to a table. he will wait to
arrange for her comfort, hold the
chair, or push it backwards or for
wards, as required, before he takes
his wv seat, And during the meal he
will see that she is provided with all
she is likely to want. The lady ought
not to be obliged to ask for salt. Tor
water. for another cup of tea, or, in
fact, for anything that is on the table.