Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-07-10
SLOVENLY AMERICANS.
Pointed Observations on Their Appear
Rnce and Manners.

Pointed Observations on Their Appear
ance and Manners.
The American, and allude only to
the male, is lamentably untidy- hes
itate to say unclean, but l do not hesi-
tate to assert vehemently, that the first
clause is true OF our men of all classes,
stations, vocations and degrees OF
wealth. Its evidences parade them
selves in our palaces, where lack. of
means can not exculpate. In fact, clean
liness, neatness and money have moth
ing whatever to do with each other.
:. Animals can teach men important
lessons in self-respect. An American
lady residing in London part of each
year, when asked suddenly what espec-
ial superiority she found in the British
over her own people, replied naively,
"Oh, their men are so clean!" The
thrust was as unconscious as it was un-
studied Itwere well for men to acceptit
as such. Take one of our morning trains
and ferries carrying an average Ameri-
can crowd to the city of morning.
Here we have fairly representative
variety of types and of classes, and a
sorry enough spectacle it is which pre-
sents itself to our view, even at this ear
ly hour. Spotted clothes, unbrushed
shoulders, frowsy hair and frayed shirt
cuffs are not uncommon. When this
herd returns at 5 o'clock after the strug-
gle of the day, we will draw the veil.
If meet man in the late afternoon
with uncertain finger nails, depressed
collar and soiled cravat, and he labori-
ously explains to me that he takes his
cold-water bath every morning at six
and sea dip upon his return to his
country home before his late dinner,
refuse to be impressed. His assurances
carry no conviction, even though | do
not for an instant doubt their veracity
do not care to be informed that he
was clean early and will be clean again
anon. His present aspect is none the
less revolving. desire him to be clean
now, while / am in the way with him,
and not poison my day with his present
forlorn performance. The aver
age American. He shuffies with his
feet. His head is sunk and held low
between his shoulders. His arms are
carried like the grocer boys, busy in
his conscientious delivery of the brown
paper parcel. If he bow toyou, he will
either give you a grin and an i'm
perceptible nod, or shove his head
gear back and forth on his head
without dignity. Nothing less impress.
sive and distinguished can be imagined
than an Americans salute. There has
been a good deal of righteous wrath
covering the ill-concealed pin pricks of
a foolish jealousy in the TRADES of our
countrymen against the American
woman's prediction for foreign lovers
and husbands. Pray remember, my in
dignant gentlemen, that feminine Great
ures are always allured by externals.
The male bird found it out long ago, If
you did not Nor have / always dis
covered 1t certain assurance of mental
brilliancy and moral rectitude that the
poor body should be neglected. This,
however, is the prevalent opinion, and
it seems hard to persuade our country
men that 1t is an error. 1t may
be said that our women, on the whole,
are extremely clean in their persons,
their clothes and their houses. They
are even dainty. Probably no estab.
lishments are more scrupulously well
kept, and this under that peculiar re
striction as to a proper number of do
mestics which remains a tradition ever
to our upper classes, and which sc
greatly increases the difficulties Of
housekeeping. This is depression. II
the American woman be martinez ir
the ordering of her home and so careful
in matter of her costume, is it not 6
lack of respect for her fastidiousnes;
that her husband, father and brother
should as they must do, so constantly
shock her delicacy?
There is much abused creature 60
ing about in our streets and drawing
rooms, hooted, jeered at, made the
laughing stock of the club and The
scapegoat of the theater, harmless
mild creature enough as to retaliation
possibly because he is so perfectly
self-satisfied-the dude. Now the dude
has done for us great deal more than
we deserve for all the abuse that il
heaped on his good-humored defense
lessness The dude has helped to in
stitute out-of-door life among us, which
is excellent, and over and beyond thi
the dude keeps himself clean. AL
honor therefore to the dude, saw l.
Julian Gordon, in Cosmopolitan.