Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-06

m .kMHH,JH ;rossly wropged, or
III 4@GggMlr hat be is devoid of
NsAE1lV gentlemsnly instincts.
S"NRLs--S Pernsps he has not
lived at home with his mother snd
sisters since his infancy, been bror G 1t up
in third class boarding houses smol IN
cerbred people, or he may hsve neither
mother nor sisters. Perhaps, having
both, be has despised their counsel, ano
would p0ue Of iheir reprOof."
"A three horned dilemmal he could
hardly escape impslemept. l noticed 8
want Ct polish, Ct course. As to de-
tails-"
at was all details. Demeanor is
made up Of details. To begin With
c1ecbing them of on her fingers, "when
entered the room in which you two were
sitting, you arose and introduced him to
me. He bowed from his seat, holding out
his hand es q sultan might extend the
sceptre to a favorite. Half
an hour later coffee and tee
were brought iu, IS always on our
sat Home evenings. He took cup
from me with smiling nod and civil,
Thank you,' still without risingl To
make thorough test Of his gentle breed
ing, or, rather, his lack OF it, l led the
conversation to flowers, took q rosebud
from s vase, crossed the room, and pre-
scented 1t to him. He said, Very beau
tiful; q La France; is it nota EThaDk
you'll put 1t in his buttonhole, anC-kept
his seatl By the wsy, he had estab-
lisbed himself Ia the middle of the
sofs, while l occupied an upright reception
chair. To show that be was not dlffltent
no IolI
sofa arm presently, and handled the pillow
on his knees; then promoted his left
ankle to 8 point d'sppui on his right
knee. strokiDg it reassuringly from time
to time to reconcile it to the change Of
plsce. Halt dosen other visitors
came and went, to all If whom
he nodded condescendingly from
the sultanic ottoman, and proceeded
to prolorg this, his first call, to three
mortal hours, ou'sitting everybody else.
was on my feet doran times, mean
while, having wsgered & pair Of gloves to
myself that be should phll himself to the
perpendicular once during the evening
he never did, until he arose to go At ii
O'Clock. Oh, yesI / acknowledge that
he is brilliant talker, land prob
ably man of mark in profes.
sion where fine bree ding should
De the rule. I do not doubt his plely,
zeal, benevoleDce or eIoqueDce. He is,
nevertheless, not q gentleman ingram,
or even veneered. Men so ignorant or
SO disdsinful Of the Iudiments of draw
ing room etiquette ought to keep to
study, pulpit and street. My sense of
indignity-of absolute outrsge-could
hardly be stronger had our friends let,
ter been pesented by asemi nude Paw
nee.'"
The foregoing sketch from life, prera-
pheelite in accuracy Of detail, Is intro
duced for other purposes than simple
illustration. No dweller In q civilized
land can afford to be ignorant Of certain
particulars Of courteous demeanor
that rank now as essentials in
polite society. Aptness in such
respects does Eot come by intui-
ton. The drawing room ia woman's
kingdom, and she has right to exact
outward conformity to the laws reguIs-
tipg behavior therein. The violation Of
these begets In the gentlest hostess pain
and displeasure, In less amiable women
such sense of offence as wss aroused by
the free-and-easy clerical visitor j1st de-
scribed.
Education In the practice OF fundamen-
tai principles Of right breeding should
begin in childhood. The boy who is
taught from the time he dops his first
knickerbocker5, and even earlier, to rise
when his mother, to him the First Lsdy
In the Realm, enters the room, and re-
main standing until she has taken the
chair he Offers, or selected for her
self; to rise when receiving any
thirg from her hand; who is
reprimanded when he passes between two
people who are converting together, or
out of door before the ladies of the COM
ton 50 himself; who Is taught to raise
his hat in the street, and DIS withoutit
at home, Twill escspe implement
on any OF the horns specified
oY our hostess. A quick eye and
ready adaptation to social latitude in
which he finds himself will carry him
safely through the mazes Of fashionable
life, the rs. ges and bylaws of which are
constructed upon the Tudlments he has
already mastered. His good breeding
may be SO quietly evinced as to attract
little attention in circles where the obser-
vance Of these bylaws is almost
universal. Just as well-bred woman
scarcely notices that her escort
in the street raises his hat to every
man who bows to her, whether acquainted
with him or not. II the passing acknowl-
edgment of the courtesy shown to her is |,
omitted by him, she is amazed and an
gered, and probably declines future invi-
ts'ions that might lead to repetition Of
the annoyance. That man carries his
food to his mouth with fork does not
deserve passing thought. When he del
egates the office to his knife shock runs
throuh the whole body cCnYivial.
1t is suggestive OF deeper moral lessons
to reflect how much thst makes life run
EASILY in the grooves is like the gentle
ooze of natural oils between enstomical
Joints, never thought of until 1t fails.
asbitual courtesy Is the salt Of human
according to the small boys
definition of that useful mineral:
''Sslt's what makes pertateTs don't
taste good when You don't put any on
'eml"
Minute civilities, suave amenities that
may mean nothing to the unaccustomed |
eye, bring social association to delicate,
flavor which, it would seem,
ought to be grateful to all pelates.