Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-09-02
AN ENGLISH CRITIC.
A KIND THOUGH RATHER FRANK
OPINION or AMERICANS.

our Hospitality II Charming. but Our Chill
Light-A word About Anglomaniacs.
Drawing Ronm Talk.
Ncsy York women will certainly not agree
with the fair foreign critic whose structures
on our ways are printed below. but they
will doubtless find Ia them something In
teresting. The writer Is woman whose
experience Of society abroad has given her
admirable scope for comparison. While
presenting her frank statements as made,
The Tribune begs leave 10 differ very de
cidedly from her in several directions:
Like most visitors from Europe, landed
on your shores with strong prejudice
against America and Americans preju-
dice which am now forced TO admit was
based on ignorance and that has now en-
tirely disappeared. | attribute its existence
70 the fact that whereas your people Of re-
iinemcnt SO closely resemble well bred peo
pie in the old world that they pass in
our midst practically unperceived, those OF
your eonntrymen who attract attention to
themselves and TO their nationality and
who render themselves disagreeably con-
spicunus abroad are precisely the vulgar
ANh AlfthhhttAfh titIlthA VI
whose manners appear quite as offensive to
you here as they do to us.
we cannot help seeing them when they
ARE In Europe, whereas we do not have our
attention called 10 those whose behavior Is
simple and transformations, and the result
il that Americans do not enjoy particu-
larry good name among untraveled Euro
peans. As have said before. this preiu-
dice Is based ON ignorance md will disap-
pear by degrees in proportion rs we get TO
know you better
The feature Of American life that has
struck me more than anything else since
my arrival here is the charming character
Of your hospitality, which compares In
every respect most advantageously with
ours. There is nothing still or stilted about
your welcome. You have the exquisite tact
to give us always the flatterng impression
that In being entertained by you we are
comforting upon You pleasure and an OBJ
legation instead Of your comforting IL upon
u.s. Carriages are placed at our disposal
flowers, books, boxes at the theaters, invi-
tAtious 10 luncheon and dinner, are show
cred upon rs, and all this il done simply,
pleasantly and without any thought Of os-
tentatiou, but just as II it were perfectly
natural thing to do.
The kindness that have met with in
New York. Philadelphia and in Chicago
simply amazed me aud gave me an uncom-
forial'le feeling Of conjunction. for certain
I ly we do not act thus in Europe. To be re
ceived in our homes II il necessary To be-
long not only TO our particular set, but TO
be entitled in some decided manner to be
come the recipient OF our comparatively
limited hospitality aud a. far as putting
lsKstfh ft,
the hands Of our guests, as you Americans
do. that seems TO be with us quite out OF
the question
~ feature Of American life which is less
pleasing 70 the European eyes, at any
rate, is the absolute lack of Difference
shown by interiors TO their superiors here.
II IL true that the former do not pretend Ia
recognize any Kind Of superiority, except
ing where they themselves are concerned
but il Is very trying at first To find how
faint is the line Of demarcation separating
the 'uobodigs'' from the "somcbodieso In
this country | know well that this Is
merely Il want Of form, and that all well
born Americans are fully IA conscious OF
their advantages rs we Hresof ours, but
then why not morally compel Others to feel
so n we'll. Just as we do in Europey Serv'
ants aud petty tradespeople are, without
any manner of doubt. the least attractive
features here, and their insulIerable way OF
importing to you their convictions that
they are quite AZ good a. You is very of
fensiye.
Another subject which arouses my
amaZement is the American children that
have seen and the way in which they art
brought up. To me they appear utterly un
disciplined, and they seem to get too much
OF their own way in everything They eat
at all hours and whatever they fancy, have
no regularity in anything and frequently
talk to their parents n were the latter not
worthy Of the most tritiing sentiment OF re
spect, and as if they were nothing hut play
fellows of their own. The result of this sys
tenn. or rather lack of any system, is that
these children are fragile, delicate looking
nervous and often very trying.
There IS yet another raInark which
would like 20 make. and that is with re
gard TO the ever spreading anglomanig sc
prevalent here Why should New Workers
who have 50 much reason to be proud 81
their country and OF their nationality, seek
to shame the one and annihilate the othel
by paltry imitation of our very worst de
fectsg Heaven knows that there are few
things more utterly inaue and iaiotic thar
an English 'masher, or rather, as they ar,
now called, an English exquisite They
do not exist am happy TO say, among tbs
higher classes az British society. but ar,
generally found in the middle classes, Of
still more frequently in the great 'confrerie
of city men. such a. brokers. bank clerks
etc. who fundly imagine that hy assuming
these airs aud ;graces they mislead the com
mon herd 10 take them for thorough paced
aristocrlts. Now, Why should Americans
attempt 10 ,lo likewiss2
There Is nothing morc loyable than Al
American who consents to remain what
God has made him-namely. an honest
kind hearted. genilemaniy, and, above all
a manly man. But how can one helI
laughing at the poor creature one encoun
ters only too frequently in Fifth ayenu,
and also, alas in fashionable circles here
who is physically only a poor imitation Of
tailoTs fashion engraving. and morally
m absolute nonentity'
You will thiuk me hardly compliment
taFy and certainly very ungrateful aftei
what | have said about the charming WAY
In which | have been received here If
add that Ia fashionable drawing rooms ths
topics Of conversation are worse than linn
tied. The people one meets at entertain
ments seem 10 have nothing TO talk about
ave trifies concerning their own restricted
set. This small talk iuyoluntarily remind,
me Of the conversations heard in beuighted
provincial towns Ia France or England and
are in no Wise worthy Of the most elevated
grade oi metropolitan society. New York
tribune.