Wichita eagle., 1888-01-25
AN ENGLISH CUSTOM.
A LONDON WRITER EXPLAINS THE
MYSTERIES OF HAT TOUCHING.


Every one INDUCES in it. But before l 60
further, let me explain that it is only peo-
pie OF different grades of society who touch
their hats to each other. It has suddenly oc-
Cured to me that this qualifying statement
is necessary for the edification of those who
might otherwise think that gentlemen
touched their hats to each other, tradesmen
to tradesmen, servants to servants, and 80
on. If gentlemen do, as occasionally may be
possible, it is only rs sort Of mere elaborate
wave of the hand, or raising Of the walking
stick handle when passing each other in
walking, or elevation Of the whip when rid
ing or driving, At all events, it is no: the
kind Of hat touching mean, or am here al
luding to. The hat touching to which l re-
fer is that which is mutually INDUCED in be
tween superiors and interiors.
OF course, mans own men servants touch
their hats to him. If they don't they would
lose their places So gentlemans servants
must touch their hats to their masters friends
whenever they speak to them, or see them,
and this means when they pass them in
the roads. 1t is the sign Of a gentleman's
servants, old fashioned people will tell you,
for them to touch their hats to his friends.
If they don't touch their hats, it is pre-
sumable that their master and his friends
are not real quality no matter how rich he
may be or how grandly he may live. He and
they will be put down as snobs and nouveau
riches, who lack the mellow tone of the true
gentry All the laborers on an estate and
the villagers in a country village touch their
hats to ''the gentry whenever they meet.
The women and girls of village stop ard
courtesy in the roads to gentlemen or ladies,
though this is not near so common as it used
to be. So the maids and women servants
always courtesy to the master and mistress
when they meet them out. Tradcsmen, by
which arc meant the butchers, bakers, fish
mongers, green grocers and milkmen with
whom gentleman deals, all touch their hats
to him.
Taiiors, diapers, upholsterers hosiers,
confectioners, etc, ere cut above hat
touching, and raise their hats to their Gus
toners, there being wide range in the mat
ter of servility between hat raising and hat
touching. To all this hat touching there is
attached an obligation upon the person to
whom the hat is touched. He must touch
his hat in return If he doesn't be is not a
gentleman. I don't mean upon the broad
ground patent to every one-lack of good
nlanners-but because it is the custom. Let
me illustrate: ] saw, the other day, q wealthy
tradcsnan, draper who is much richer than
most of the gentry who are his customers,
and man who would ordinarily pass for q
gentleman with people who didn't know him.
I saw this man have a laboring man touch
his hat to him, and he didn't touch his hat
back Had he been gentleman he would
have done so. OF course, ladies can't touch
their hats. Their return salute is a slight
inclination OF the head-hardly bow-to
either hat touching or courtesy. Nor do
ladies or gentlemen return the obeisances of
their own servants, either in or out of doors
except, perhaps, when the servant is met
in the street or road.
But gentleman isn't expected to touch his
hat in return to his groom or footman when
out with him on horseback or in carriage,
though both servants may touch their hats
to him every five minutes 80, when a cab
man ito whom you pay more than his fare)
touches his hat to you lin consequence you
are not to touch yours back to him. Nor to
railway guards and porters who are acknowl-
edging tips, or hotel walters ditto. If, how
ever, you by any chance met and saw either
cabman, guard, porter or waiter in the street
or road afterwards, and they touched their
hats to you in presumed respectful recogni-
ton Of you, you must then return the salute
hope make myself understood If you
hadn't tipped or overpaid them, the chances
are you wouldn't &c called upon to do So
Among other people who touch their hats
to you arc policemen and postmen That is,
tho policemen and postmen on the beat which
includes yoGy house But one mustn't for
~
e1pooted or boxing day for the policemen
and posts1en Stop subscribing to these, one
year, and see hoV' much hat touching you
will get. Suppose, too, you quarrel with a
friend, CT have tiff that stops your speak
ing for time. Don't you think his servants
will give up touching their hats 10 you when
they see you, if they can manage it'll So will
yours stop touching their hats to him You
are therefore quits. But it Is pitiful in its
2ettiness, the whale thing, when one comes to
think Of it. To people who reflect at all, it
Is living in FOOLS paradise-if ono can fit
The expression to such a condition OF things
going on exacting, accepting, and liking hon.
ago that means no more than the fear Of con-
sequences, or the hope Of gain in those who
yield it, and imagining that it means re-
spect.
do not mean to say that there are not
plenty Of cases where hat touching means
what it is supposed to mean, and ought to
mean. But who will dare say they are not
in the minority! OF course every man, gen.
tlaman or not, should touch his l. if not
actually raise it, to a bishop or other clergy
man, particularly if he be of advanced
years. This is, Of course, chiefly out Of re-
gard for the calling, though the man may
be also entitled to special respect. Every
ono lifts his nat and remains uncovered in
the presence of the queen or member of
the royal family. With most people, this
means only when she, or they, drive past in
the street. She ard they, on such occasions,
always bow in return. So, when the Ma
tional Anthem is played, every man present
takes OF his hat and keeps it off till the
band stops. This is whether the queen, or
members Of the royal family, be present or
not. Army officers, whether in uniform or
not OF known, are always saluted in public
by the soldiers of their own regiment, and,
believe, Of any other regiment quartered in
the same garrison This, l think, e1hausts
the hat touchers. =" Cockaigne's" London
Letter in The Argoaaut.
Want of Sympathy.
Take hospitality, for instance. Does it
consist in astonishing the invited, IL over
whelming him with sense Of your own
wealth, or felicity, or family, or cleverness
even, in trying to absorb him in your con-
simply what interests your However delight
I'll III - = - n