The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-07-21


will, and is always welcome and well
treated. He sit there in the same
sublime atmosphere of indiffer-
ence which he has cultivated
as he has cultivated his mus
tache, and takes care of as he
takes care of his complexion. Look.
ing straight before him, he is blind
to all that is on either side; and as
we are responsible only in relation
to our knowledge, we cannot be held
guilty for derelicton when we do
not know and do not perceive. So
he goes on his way, this stiff backed
masher who disdains the smallest
pretence of courtesy to unknown
ladies'; and the elders of the gener-
alton wonder and think that times
were better when young men did
not put their hands in their pockets,
and took their cigars out of their
mouths and their hats off their
heads while in the presence of ladies
when q woman was sure of Il
chair in public places where young
men were seated and she was stand
ing-and when there was some kind
of conventional respect to at least
simulate the reality, whether there
or not.
woMEN's LACK OF COURTESY.
With women the same lamentablc
lack of courtesy obtains. In pass
ing you in theatre or into crowd
ded carriage-what not-womcn
tumble along anyhow, disdain the
aids and supports provided by the
management, and help themselves
along blythe shoulders and arms of
their fellow-passengers. But they
are careful not to say "thank you''
for the loan of Il friendly hand.
Sometimes at places where the seats
are all in rows--as the Royal Insti-
tuition, for instance-the people be-
hind YOU. men as well as women,
stick their feet and knees into your
back, so that you are obliged to
turn round and demonstrate. You
do not object to it that the one be-
low you shall lean against your knees
| for want of back to the benches.
This is kind of Demeter and Pro-
serpine attitude which it pleases you
to assume for your own part and to
have taken for hers. But to have
the points of couple of dusty shoes
against your gown and sharp knees
digging into your back, doing no
good to the offender and giving
much annoyance to yourself, is more
than you can bear. So you 'fy;"
and the end is easy to foresee. .
Perhaps some of all this slackness
of manner has come about by the
women themselves, and perhaps it is
they who have set the first example,
They smoke and dress, and try to
be all through as like to men as
possible. They bet, talk loosely,
joke broadly, and discuss every kind
of doubtful subject as their grand
mothers might have discussed recipes
for making jam or wash for the
face. They are manish in their
ways, insolent to each other, and
many of them affect certain brut-
ality as kind of chic. The men
have no encouragement to keep up
their manners and the women with
no nonsense about them-by the
way, the highest compliment posi-
BILE to be paid in these days-do not
wish that they should. On all sides
politeness is at a discount, and
modern manners have drifted from
the standard of Colonel Newcome
just as his had drifted from that of
Sir Charles Grandson. 1t is a pity.
A little general courtesy, and the
acknowledgment of common hui
manity would do so much! We need
not need to be dancing dogs MOI
performing monkeys nor craven
toadies to be polite men and court
eous women-to be considerate, I'M
selfish and gracious. And it seems
to us that a slight recognition OF
strangers hurts no one, and estab-
fishes kind of atmosphere of gene
raj suavity-which is far better than
that of general insolence and dis
courtesy.