The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1891-08-12
VIVA MAKES A GENTLEMAN.
A FLORIDA EDITOR THROWS NEW LIGHT
ON THE QUESTION.

FLORIDA EDITOR THROWS NEW LIGHT
ON THE QUESTION.
What constitutes gentleman? That
is the question that agtates the minds
of all the American people, including
the inhabitants of Skywash, Wisconsin.
The definitions have been ludicrous and
inconsistent from the time that Adam
put ON plug hat and said he didn't con
slider the Garden of Eden much of place
for raising apples, after ALL
| ~
All the great men of the world, the
times dead and the times live, differ on
this most portentious problem Shakes
peare defined a gentleman as one who
chewed fine cut tobacco and kept his
shoes well BACKED, while Aristotle de-
clares II neat hand at draw poker indis-
pensable as the accomplishment of gem
tleman. Gen. Washington declared most
emphatically that no gentleman would
use the tail of his coat as a handkerchief.
a negative definition that is authority to
this day
~
In his famous book, "a True Estimate
of Gentility," the elder Piney writes that |
gentleman is person of the male spe-
cies who never expectorates tobacco
juice in street car, always subscribes
for his county paper and never tells the
collector he will ese him little later on.
This is rather extrayagant opinion, but
still is entitled to great weight as Piney
was member in good standing of the
ancient N. r. A. l.. association, and own
ed l,73l acres of the finest phosphate
land in Rome.
~
To come down to modern times,
great come down by the way, the discus
sion is divergent and contradictory one.
In an interior town of this state, some
years ago, lady watching a political
procession pass, said of the leader: Isn't
Mr.. Blank perfect gentleman? He has
kid gloves on' If the possession was
certified 10 as the correct one, it would
ostracise ninety-nine one-hundredths of
the population of the globe.
~
But the diagnosis is like a Kentucky
Congressman-it Will not hold water.
The man who wears kid gloves or any
other kind, such weather as this, needs
very broad doctrine of atonement to Gov
en- his case. In too many Instances a gen
tleman is supposed to be one who wears
good clothes and is well up in the folle
farine of superficial life He must know
how to dance and turn compliment; he
must always be in the fashion, even if he /,
has to cheat his tailor to do SO.
~.
Society's definition of gontIonaa is, !
of course, most delicious I
piece of sarcasm; for you and [, my dear ,
lambs they are supposed to be. They
are rather ravenous wolves, seeking I
whom they may devour. Many gentle {
man can be found in ragged coat and I'M /
BACKED shoes, while your spurted and
gauntleted knight is very often a spoiled
oyster whose shell is kept closed, thus
avoiding detection.
~
A true gentleman never speaks lightly
of a woman, and is courteous and gentle
toward all of womanhood. He is also
kindly and considerable to his interiors,
because he knows inferiority is of the
world, worldly; on Gods grand muster
roll every mau counts one. A gentle
man knowingly will never hurt the feel
ings of any one, He is always ready to
do favor, but never an injury.
~.
A gentleman cal do something besidesI
dance and smoke cigarettes, and, recog-
nizing the virtue and sacredness of his
own mother md sisters, hestates to
condemn those of others. He is clean in
thought and language, in apparel and
person, and when you find such one
you want to stuff him and send him to
Smithsonian at Washington. He is too
good for this world, and in the other he
might find himself among strangers.
~
The gentleman may drive a draw,
while the counterfeit presentment goes
20 Congress and makes bad laws for
worse people. Many man thinks he is
a gentleman when he is simply coward
ly sneak, tolerated in society, because
society is either incapable of reading
him OF too careless and Indifferent to
make the effort.
-.
To be a gentleman as this world goes
is a very easy matter, and the recipe is
in your hand. Learn to dance, as that
is sure sign. Costly thy apparel as thy
purse can buy, or that the tailor will
give credit for. Be neat and cleanly in
your person, and the scent of cloves upon
your breath is like charity it covers a
multitude of sins. Let your conversation
be as silly and insane lis possible In
society initiate the poodle dog, tibet
thrift may follow fawnng, Follow these
rules rigidly and you will be regarded as