The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-10-07
ODDITIES or sALu7ArIoS.
An Indor Of National Ciiarhe,sr-sons
Amusing Forms rtt.onO Customs


Amusing Forml- Irkloino CustomL
IBrooklyh EAgis.i
Nothing affords more interest and
amusement than an examination Of the
various modes Of sanitation practiced BY
the nations Of the earth. In some de.
] gree these forms may 10 regarded as an
index Of national character, or tho cir.
cumstances Of national lifo. The He
brow salultation was "leaCe!p the
ancient Greek, "l'eiOicel The modern
use tho form, "What doest thouf'
In Germany, "How do you find yoar.
self" and IN some parts OF tho
country they invariably kiss tue hands
OF oil tho ladies Of their acquaintance
whom they meet. In spain, How goes
III" and spanish grandees wear lhelr
hats in tho presence Of their sovereign,
to show they are not 80 much sui Get
70 him as to the rest Of the nation.
When the royal carriage passes II Is the
rule 70 throw open tho cloak to show
that the person is unarmed. In tue
West Indies the negroes say: ''IIaye you
had good Sleep" In the slcEly dis.
tricts Of Egypt where fever was com.
mon and dangerous, they salute by say.
Ing, "ilow goes the perSpiratin, 10
you sweat copiously" rs 1t well with
thee" and the inhabitants kiss tho back
Of superiorS hand US IN extra uiyility,
the palm also.
Some nations seem to consider that
they eyinCe the most delicate attention
and respect in their greetings by re.
moval Of 5000 part OF their wearing ap.
parel, or by temporarily approprlating
some portion Of the dress OF the ones
greeted. The Ethiopian will take the
robo Of another and fold II about his
own waist, leaving his friend but scant.
lily clad, while tho Japanese removes
his slipper when no meets q superior,
eXClalming, Hurt me noth and
the pgoDlo Of Arracan their
sandals in tho street and their
stockings in the house. Tho Philip.
pine islanders take possession of the
hand or loot Of aperson they salute and
gently rest It against their own faces;
while this ceremony among the Lap.
landCrs takes tho form OF applying their
noses with some force against the So.
luted ones and treating him to $40.
cles Of battorIng ram greeting. Ac.
cording to Dampier. tho people Of New
huinea have more polite and pictur.
esQue way OF exchanging this kind OF
Cir ity, which they do by placing on
their heads the len, es Of trees rs being,
it may DO assumed, symbOlical Of pea.s
aud good fellowship.
ether salutatiOns are Of so complex a
nature that this form Of politeness is
most decidedly irhsome and can only be
acquired after the most assiduous prau-
tico, Speaking Of the customs OF tho
inhabitants Of an island in tho straits
Of the sound, a French traveller tells us
that they raised his left foot, which
they passed over the right leg and from
thence over his face. lie, however,
omits to Cnlighten u whether ho had
received previous instruction and train.
ing before taking part in this singular
proceeding, but the effect on middle.
aged gentleman Of a'dcrmaniC proper.
tons in performing such m aorO6atic
salutation O. hand would not, one
would Imagine, DO unattended with
awkward result. Although not so din
cult OF accomplishment tho inhabitants
of tho Philippines aro lovers of a sore.
what complex attitude in their saluta.
tlons, which consist in bending thcbody
rs close as possible to tho earth, placing
tho palms Of the hands on tho cheeks
aud then slowly raising ono foot In tho
mir tUith tbn Lnan- IaNt