Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-26
WHEN PEOPLE MEET.
THE sALUTATGONS COMMONLY EN-
PlOYED BY DIFFERENT NATIONS.

nent - Men Embracing One Another.
Malays, Chinese, Japanese-The Moorish
way-The Military salute.
In walking down a busy thoroughfare
an observer cannot help remarking the
different manners in which the various
travellers, pedestrians or otherwise greet
one another. gentleman approaching
9 lady watches her closely to see whether
she viii bow TO him If so, of goes his
hat. Hardly two men, however. do this
simple act in tho same way. One -four
ishes it at arms length; another hardly
raises it from lis head; third exposes
the side, as if he were asking a charity,
while fourth seems frightened lest by
some mischanca he should disarrange his
hair. The fai' lady, too, does not always
return the salute in the same way. Cross
the channel, however, and one is in
land where hat lifting is the recognized
salutation. 1t appears at first curious to
@ native of American or English soil 10 see
a not too clean coal HEAVIER or peddler sol
EMMY raise his head covering-it does
not always amount to as much as a hat
to an equally dirty brother workman,
with al aiI many young dudes might
envy; but IN time one fails to notice such
things On entering and leaving shop,
no matter how small, the polite man
again unoovers his head, while each of
these actions is always accompanied by
an appropriate word of greeting.
The peasants Of Spain, in the country,
on meeting a stranger offer him, as salu-
tation, . portion of the bread they always
carry with them. Of course. 1t is refused
with thanks, and great would be the as
constituent of the would be donor if it
were accepted. In Germany-in fact,
pretty well all over the continent-to pass
a man OF woman on a country road with
out saying friendly greeting is looked
upon as very impolte, and the person do
ing so would certainly be regarded as q
stranger. Among the French and Bel.
gians especially the habit of men embrac-
ing one another is quite common, father
and son, or two intimate friends, thinking
nothing of falling into each others arms
and kissing in public. Colder tempered
nations consider such illusions unneces-
sary. and believe there is just as much
feeling in the warm grip of the hand and
few words of welcome.
The Malays and ether Polynesians ga
lutte by smelling. This is performed by
rubbing noses. A former resident Of New
Zealand says that on meeting after an alb
sence of some time two Aaories seize
hands and rub noses violently, at the
same time loudly weeping, presumably
from the pleasure of seeing each other, or
perhaps from the pain of friction. In IN
dia the Buddhists salute by lowering the
palm of the right hand and bringing 1t up
toward the face, ct the same time saying:
Ram, ram chair" The Mahometans do
the same, but simply say ''Salaam." This
is only done in either case by members of
the same faith. The salutation is always
made, too. with the right hand, to use the
left being considered al insult.
The Chinese have regular code Of
salutations, eight in number, which de-
fine the proper amount Of respect to be
paid to different individuals The one
which is perhaps most familiar to San
Franciscans is that when at the new wear
the Chinaman clasps his hands together,
and, gently bowling, wishes his friend the
compliments of the season. Two curious
greetings which these people have among
themselves are those Of asking each other:
Have you eaten rice?" ard is your
show respect on meeting BY bending the
knee, though in the street they only make
feint Of so doing. This is the general
salute.
A stranger coming among the Mcors for
the first time would. perhaps, be astonished
and little frightened By seeing one Of
them riding at full gallop toward him, rs
II he were intending to execute a cavalry
~ frht ha
creased when this horseman, when almost
close to his apparent victim. suddenly
refined up and discharged pistol over his
head. Recovering from his establishment,
however, he would find that this is
the Moorish way Of welcoming q
stranger. Natives of the Gold Coast
have still another mode of salutation.
They lower their robe from the left Shout
der with the right hand, and gracefully
bow, though if it is a great man they
salute, and if they wish to be particularly
respectful, the whole robe is removed,
exposing the breast. Egyptians greet
one another with q remark peculiar TO
their country. How goes the perspirs-
tom
The military salute required in nearly
all civilized countries is nearly the same
Perhaps in Germany, however. the resu-
lations are somewhat more stringent. 4
soldier, on meeting the emperor, has to
stand still. face shout, and remain with
HAND raised for from twelve to twenty
PAGES before his majesty approaches to
tie same distance after he has passed.
In Belgium an officer has 10 do the
same for the king, and subalterns for
generals. though ten PAGES only are re-
ouireG for the ia--ar caSa Soid;a-S rsr
rylng anything, so that their hands are
occupied, salute with their eyes--that is,
they turn their heads in the direction Of
the person coming and going. French
of1cers raise their caps TO each other. but
the privates 90 as the privates ia other |
armies do.-London Globe.