Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-09-26
Oo.rtesics ana Discourtesies.

.
There are many courtesies which a
gentleman should render to . lady, the
absence OF which is at once felt, and
causes people to involuntarily remark
inwardly to themselves, If not aloud to
their friends, .'Ihat man has not good
manners" l passed that Judgment the
other evening when l was sitting with
. friend by her fireside. A gentleman
was ushered in who was we'll known to
my friend. but a comparative stranger
to me. He shook hands with her frat,
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 a young
professional man, we'll endowed with
this worlds goods. I should not re-
cord this little rudeness If it was only
of rare occurrence. but l often notice
people guilty of this discourtesy-
namely. that of shaking hands with
one person while they are speaking to
another person. II you wish to say
more than 'How do you dop" to your
hostess, or to any one else whom YOU
greet at first, it is less ~discourteous to
ySOA SAvVkoUelVu "lt0-r u0I
Tor q few moments before taking notice
OF any one near her. than it is to stretch
out your hand and shake that of her
neighbor while your face is turned
away and your lips are addressing an
other person.
The discourteOus young man to
whom l have alluded gave me another
reason for my verdict, and a. in this
respect also he is by no means the only
offender in general society, I shall
mention the little rudeness. There are
three. ii not more, separate syllables
and sounds which some people utter or
make when they have not heard what
has been said to them, or when thew
wish to express assent. These are
What? En-? Uh? and q cultural sound
Of the letter m. which can not DO ex-
pressed in writing. II beg your par
don." or What did you say" are
sentences which should certainly be
said when u repetition is asked for:
and eyes" should not be replaced BY .
grunt when an assent is given.
There are numerous little acts which
. man of courtesy will perform. While
he is calling at a house, he will rise
and open the door for any lady who
leaves the room. even if she is an on.
tire stranger to him; in his own house
be will not only open tho door of the
room, but accompany the lady to the
hall door. aud open that, il there is no
servant at hand to do so, for a depart
ing guest, whether lady or gentleman,
should no be left to lind their way
alone. Neither should they be allowed
to lind their way into u room. When
you act as q host, aud your guests ac-
company you into the drawing-room,
DO not you. my dear sir. follow the
practice of some forgetful or neglectful
men, who walk in and march straight
up the room, leaving their one guest,
or a train, as the Isl may be-, to fol-
low and to close the door. A host
should open the door, aud shut it
after his guests have entered the
room.
Among other small c~ourtcsies a gen.
tleman will raise from his chair, how.
ever luxuriously comfortable. and offer
assistance, if need be, to a lady il she
goes to put Goals on the tire, or if she
tries to open or close a window. When
he escorts her into a room, he will see
that she is seated before he looks for .
chair for himself; when he escorts her
to u table, he will wait to arrange for
her comfort, hold the chair, or push it
backward or forward, as required, be-
fore he takes his own seat. And dur
ing the meal he will see that she is pro-
vided with all she is likely to want.
The lady ought not to be Obliged to
ask for salt, for water, for another u
OF tea, or, in fact, for anything that is
on the table.-From CasseY's Iagazine
for September.