The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-09-17
A NEW vIEwoF AMERICANS
Our Barbarous Selves Seen rs Through II
Complime ntary Sir Hubert's Glasses,

Our Barbarous Selves Seen rs Through II
Complimentary Sir Hubert's Glasses.
Lord Ronald Covers "reminiscences.
Not being a personnage, and not
caring to appear in a white tie and
line linen every evening, and having
wished to see the social life in the
American city not as guest but as
traveller, | think l can more impair
TALLY judge of what would be the inn
preston made on a cosmopolitan
than had traded on being an Eng.
lishman with handle attached to my
name, as probably most Britishers
with such an impediment would do.
l mixed with all classes, in the street
car or omnibus (Which inits American
form is as superior to our London
bus as is a Partisan victoria
to 'grow'ero in the Union Club
the Travellers OF New York-and
in apalatial steamer OF the river Hud-
son, to which steamer and to which
river we have nothing to compare in
the Old World. Wherever I went |
found all classes OF the Americans not
only civil, put highly civilized, as COM
pared class for class with the English;
not only amiable, but, as u rule kind
and courteous, and, with rare excep-
tions, well-informed, well bred, and
having more refinement of manner
than any other people have ever
come amongst. What struck me es-
pecially in New York was the inva-
riable civility shown by all classes of
men to women, whether the women
rustic in silk or wore linsey-wolsey or
homespun; however crowded the car
or the footway, room was at once
made for lady. Does not this
somewhat contrast with the sur
ly, grumpy incivility that is shown
to the fair sex in our public
carriages and streets? This politeness
Is not, as in a neighboring country to
ours, mere lip and eye civility, but
arises, believe, from mutual and
intuitive good breeding from which, as
l said before, the Americans OF every
class are endowed.
"For instance, if one entered aroom
in a club or hotel, one was not met
by those assembled with who the
Dash is this person whom none OF us
know? and what the Dash does he
here?' sort OF look; nor, if one entered
into conversation with some one in
railroad car OF steamer, was one greet
ed with that truly British stare which
In this country OF insular prejudice
nd nr,Yr o,,t
plainly as words the question, What
the mischief doyou mean by speaking
to me without an introduction?'
"My experience has been in America
that if you ask a service from astranger a
it is accorded readily, without con-
descension or fuss; that among them
is little OF the snubbish wish to appear
to those we do not know rs greater
people than we really are, little of that
disgusting patronage OF manner that
prevails III this country among the
richer classes, and none OF the no less
disgusting cringiness OF manner which
as greatly prevails among our trades
people, and which makes NE for one
hesitate before asking my way in the
streets OF a well-dressed man, or enter
ing a shop where one will iii known as
"a good customer) be received by Il
mealy- y-mouthed mortal all smiles and
grimaces, who will think that he will
more readily secure a purchaser by
showing some article ordered by my
Lord This or my Lady That. On the
contrary, the New York tradesman or
shopkeeper receives you with civility,
but without any OF that cringiness OF
manner which seems to Inc little less
insulting than actual insolence; he will
allow you to look as long as you like
at any OF the articles his shop may
contain, and will be equally civil if
you purchase or if you do not; but he
will not rub his hands and contract
his features into leer, and if you
were to show him your superiority OF
position by affecting to look down on
him as being only Il tradesman,' he
would probably show you that there
Is something more in being citizen OF
a great Republic than mere sound, and
that although you may fancy your
4 self a superior being from not
being republican or shop.
man, he might be able to prove to
! you that one man is as good as anoth-
! er.
"I mixed thus with all classes, and
spoke to all with whom came into
contact, and in no single instance did
meet with anything but perfect civil,
ity-the civility of equals, which is,
after all, the truest. | admire with
all my heart this people, our brothers,
who, although we have for SO many
years presumed to treat them as poor
relations, are in some forms of com.
mon courtesy and general politeness
tar superior to ourselves.
81 grant that the Americans we meet
on the Continent Of Europe are often
offensive in manner and give very
unfavorable impression OF their coun
try both to foreigners and to English