The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-11-06
SOCIAL AMENITIES.

There are many cOurteSies which q
gentleman should render to lady, says
CasselPs Magazine, the absence of which
is at once felt, and causes people invol-
UNFAIRLY to remark inwardly to them
selves, if not aloud to their friends {:
" THAT man has not good manners" /
passed that judgment the other evening
when l was sitting with friend by her
fireside. A gentleman was ushered in
who was well known to my friend, but
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 professional man,
well endowed with this worlds goods.
I should not record this little rudeness
if it were only rare occurrence, but l
often notice people guilty of this dis
courtesy, namely, that of shaking hands
with one person while they are speaking
to another person. If you wish to say
more than "How do you do? p to your
hostess, or TO any one else whom you
greet at first, it is less discourteous to
continue your conversation with her for
a few moments before taking notice of
any one near her than it is to stretch out
your hand and shake that of her neigh
boris while your face is turned away
and your lips are addressing another.
The discourteous young man to whom
I have alluded gave me another reason
for my verdict, and as in this respect al
so he is by no means the only offender
in general society, shall mention the
little rudeness. There are three, if 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 they wish to express
assents. These are: What Eli? Uh
and gutteral sound of the letter M,
which can not be expressed in writing.
81 beg your pardon" or " What did you
say? are sentences which should GER
tainly be said when repetition is asked
for, and "Yes" 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 house he will rise and
open the door for any lady who leaves
the room, even if she is an entire stranger
to him in his own house he will not
only open the door Of the room, but &C
company the lady to the hall door and
open that is if there is no servant at hand
to do so; for a departing guest. whether
lady or gentleman, should not be left tc
find their way alone. Neither should
they be allowed to find their way into {
room. When youact as host and you
Il guests accompany you into the drawing
room, do not you, my dear sir, follow
the practice of some forgetful or neglect
full man, who walk in and march straigh
, up the room, leaving their one guest, o.
J train, as the case may be, to follow ant
close the door. A host should open tn
i door and shut it after his guests hav
entered the room.
Among other small courtesies, a ger
! tleman will rise from his chair, howeve
! luxuriously comfortable, and offer assis
) ance, if need be, to lady if she goes t
r Iput Goals on the fire, or if she tries
8 open or close a window. When he e
n corts her into room he viii see that sEl
e is seated before he looks for chair f