The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-12-17
Ghe ReniOrraf- Star
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USE OF KNIFE AND FoRK-GIvING
UP A SEAT.

USE OF KNIFE AND FoRK-GIVINC
UP A SEAT.
Tue question has been propnund
ed Can Il gentleman escOItiug
lady on "a street car or railroad GA
give up his seat to another lad!
wlD is standing without Indenes
to the one he is escorting2
1t seems Impossible that any lad!
should object under amy circum
stances 10 such an attention 10 on,
of her own sex. No man is bount
to give up his seat to a lady in any
public conveyance. II il simply
courtesy. But should lie do 50 il
should not be construed as ii wanI
of respect to u lady he may be rs
sorting. A woman who wOnld fee
sighted at snch an action does not
deserve a similar attention when
she is herself in need OF a seat.
APOLOGIES.
A succession of apologies is most
obnoxious to a guest. And yet
this is II breach of good breeding
more difficult to avoid than almost
any other. 1t is certainly Il great
temptation when one Invites a
friend to dinner, aud everything
happens to go wrong on that par
ticulaf1day, to speak of it and apol
oglze for it; but this does not mend
matters, and only makes the guest
feel uncomfortable. The well bred
host passes Over unfortunate cir
cumstances, such as the undercooE-
ing of IA roast, the Spilling of soup
or gravy, the breaking OF a glass
with the least possible notice. An
apology only directs attention to
the mishap and does not do away
with it.
Some people will begin the mo-
ment a guest enters their house
hold aud make an apology for every
room the guest enters-for every
meal eaten. 1t is, 81 intended to
have that sofa fixed last week" on
ssThis fire should have been made"
or II am about to change my COOK"
envy butcher will not have an OPP
portunity to send me such another
piece of meat" Such references
are a mark of Ill breeding, and a
failure to notice all deficiencies is
the mark of a gentleman or IA lady.
THE KNIFE AND PORK.
No question ever had better rea
sons on both sides thaa that,
whether one sending plate TO be
helped a second time should leave
the knife and fork on the plate or
hold them in the hand. If one sends
them with the plate some one IS la
BILE to have them dropped on The
soft spot of his or her head III pass
ing back aud forth. They are LA.
BILE to settle themselves on the ex
act spot the helper wishes to de
post the article of food sent Tor
then the helper must remove them
or deposit the food on them. 1t one
holds them in the hand while wait
ing he is in no graceful position.
Think of one chatting with a lady
beside him about orchids or chryS'
anthemums, or the Wagner school
of music, with IL greasy knife and
fork in his hand. Then, in which
hand should he hold them? Shall
he rest his wrist OH the table and
violate a rule of long standing! or
bold them up as an officer would
carry u sword on parade! There
are many knotty questions of Ell
quette, but few more knotty than
this.
PROFANE LANGUAGE.
A gentleman should never speak
profaneIy. Beyond any moral OBJ
lection there nay be in profanity,
one must remember that it is liable
to crate on the feelings of another.
Sir Isaac Newton, II OF the great
est minds the world has ever pro
duced aud most far seeing into the
works of the Creator, is said to have
never mentioned the deity without
raising his hand to his head III tOk'
ell of reverence. If Newton did
not think himself competent to
speak mofanely of the creator OF
the universe, it is not likely that
there are others who may, with
safety, consider themselves at lib
erty to do so.