Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-15

can observe her costume TO please Themselves
1t is sufficient to say that its effect was pleasant
and that she carried her train in her hand in a
graceful way. She evidently knew a great
many people, for she bowed a great many times
between K street and Dupont Circle. Her
bows were all different. To one person she
nodded oarelessly, 20 another she bowed gra-
ciously, TO another coldly, to one man lhappv
mortal she gave q lingering. inviting bow. and
TO another man (wretched feilowl she tossed
an inclination Of the head that was at once con-
temptuous and repellant
THE MEANING OF BOW.
What is there in the philosophy of a bow.
anyhow? What does il mean aud why do peo-
pie bow? OF course, it was originally a mark Of
veneration and respect, but il is not now. having
long since become merely a conventional means
OF recognition, but II Is in the hands OF clever
man or woman Of the world as distinct an in
strument of expression of feeling as speech
itself. Some women establish their relations
with men and women largely by means Of their
bows. They can tell others whether they want
them or not and how much thew want them OF
how much they do not want them merely by
bowling to different ones in different ways.
Now, 1t Is pretty hard thing TO describe how
different effects are produced by different bows
but the young lady mentioned above seemed 20
be such an expert bower that it will be profit
able TO describe her bows.
An ANDlffEhENE RECOGNITION
The first man she met WAS walking RAPIDLY
and wore plainly the look of one who was con-
scious of his clothes. Whenever he passed by
plate-glass shop window he looked in SO that
he might enjo the reflection that his figure
cast. As he neared the young lady he looked
little doubtfully at her and gave a glance at the
opposite side of the street with the air Of
man who wished he was there There was
something about that man that showed plainly
hal hal . h. - g
he was very doubtful in his mind whe ther she
would notice him again. However, he put q
bold face upon the matter looked at her ad-
miringly, and as they passed they bowed sinul-
taneously. This is how she noticed him: She
did not pause in her gait at all; she did not
turn toward him; she did not smile. she did not
look coldly at him. she did not show the slight
est emotion of surprise or dislike or displeasure
She simply looked at him. inclined her head
slightly and passed him. But the whole thing
was a mstchless exhibition of perfect indiaer-
ence. He will not venture to call on her, YOU
may be sure of that, but he will have no excuse
for saying anything disaGreeable about her. for
she did not give him the compliment of dislik-
ing him.
WITH A HOSTILE SMILE.
1t was different with the next person she met
who was man. He was fine-looking fellow
and he moved slowly and with a self-satisfied
air. There was no necessity for him to gaze in
plate-glass windows 10 see how he looked for
he knew he looked all right As he recognized
the young lady he started a little, and when
she saw him there was a quick upward motion
OF the head, ms If she was getting herself ready
and when he got opposite to her what bow
she gave him. If glances could kill she would
have slaughtered him then and there She
looked full at him and bent her head quite low
and smiled with her lips just a little. but her
eyes were anything but smiling. Those two had
had falling out evidently and she was not his
friend by any means She wanted him TO know
II, too. He might have read in that bow a
declaration Of war. He had better get a mu-
tuai friend to so and try TO patch things up.
TIE THIRD.
But on the next block she met third man
and her manner changed She smiled as soon
as she saw him and bowed with pleasing little
flourish as she sang out musically: 'How do YOU
do? How do you do!" Ii is hardy necessary
TO say that they stopped a few seconds and
shook hands. She likes him and she told him
30 by her bow as plainly as if she had gone up
to him and said: Dear old Jack, here Won are
again and I'm glad. Let's like one another.
Come around and tell me all the news" So
here with three different bows she had expressed
the three different feelings of indifference.
dislike and liking. II she had happened 10
meet any one whom she loved there would have
been some fun, for her bow would have been
designed. doubtless, TO hide her emotions. and
it is doubtful whether il would have been sue
cessful 1t would have been a complicated
bow.
NO BOW IN NATURE.
Is there anything natural in bowling? Are
there any animals in the world, except men and
women, that bow their heads at each other when
they meet? Doves bob their heads when .hey
are together, but that is simply to emphasize
their remarks which are either lovemaking or
quarreing. Game cocks, too, shake their heads
vigorously when they are about to begin a
fight, but all that is different. There is
really no such thing in nature as bowling in
the way men bow, nor is there such
. thing in American human nature as bowing
the way the oriental peoples do. The word
kowtow is now used simply to express the ex-
travagant bowling that Chinese and Japanese 90
through with whenever they meet their friends.
but strictly speaking 1t means a knocking of the
forehead against the earth, and IL what Chinese
mandarins practice when they 60 before their
official superiors. The kowtow is graded and
one knock is given for an official of a certain
grade. two knocks for higher functionary and
three knocks for Q man who ia at the very ton
The salaam, on the other hand, is intended TO
be a salutation to express safety and peace and
Is accomplished by a low obeisance Of the body
with the right hand pressed against the fore
head. It is said to be picturesque when it is
trouble it must be. Ii would never do in the
busy land we live in, besides being much too
great q compliment to pay to any man.
RULES OF ETIQUETTE.
There has, 1t Is true. never been ANYTHING
like kowtowing or salaaming among Ameri-
leans or Europeans, but among the mon
arches Of the old world they adhere to a srs-
tenn Of bowling and scraping at court which il
not much better. When You 20 to call on the
Gear Of Russia. for instance, you must bow low
- often ~ you can, and when you leave him
you must walk backward to the door. bovine
az the time II he is looking in your direction.
" course, 1t ts question whether you will
back into the doorway or against some fragile
piece Of china that the czarina is particularly
fond OF, but You must take your chances, for il
u better to break porcelain vase than . rule
OF etiquette. Although We Americans pride
ourselves upon the simplicity Of our rules
Of oficial etiquetts, 1t must be admitted
that 1t was not always %. Thus,
when the old Continental Congress re-
cetved the French minister there were rules
OF bowling to be observed that would be con-
sidered very absurd ct the present day. Upon
his entering the hall the nembers stood up and
he bowed first TO the president Of Congress and
the president then bowed to him. He then
turned and bowed 10 the members and they
bowed TO him; he and the president then bowed
again and then they all eat down When he
got up to 70 the same formula Of bowling was
gone through With again, and IL must be remem-