The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-24
TAKING A WoMAN's ARu.
The Policeman IL the Osly Man WAS O.
DO 50 with fropriesy.

The Policeman IL the Only Man VIE Cas-
DO SO with fropsiesy.
There Is only one man in the world
who can De pardoned for the strocisy
OF taking woman'S arm. and he Ii the
policeman who arrests her for shoplift
ing or tries to save her from q cable OF
trolley car or some other form of sud.
den death Any other man guilty al
such massacre of good taste and good
manners deserves-not 10 be shot. but
70 be designated "a gent
Common sense aud custom, have e.
tablished the rule that after dark q
gentleman shall give his arm 10 the
lady he IS with This not only signi.
ties 10 the public that he is acting as
an escort and saves her from it's CON-
menss and jostling. bat enables the
two to keep easily III step. There are
also occasions during the day when .
rude crowd. rough walking, standing
IN the cars or lack of strength makes
manly arm douhly welcome 10 deli.
cate v-os2,a In short the courtesy IS
beautiful in It's significance of the atti.
:ude of man and woman
/. must be admitted, however. tina,
many men are so ignorant or SO. care
less in their manner OF extending this
courtesy that sensitive woman would
rather walk with both hands in her
mnff or her pockets IL she dared thaa
avail herself of il. Walking behind q
couple arm-in-arrn. one can generally
guess at the mans breeding and his re-
lation to the woman The anxious
lover is as easily detected as the indit.
ferent husband.
The former holds his arm Mt an angle
acute with hope and tenderness and adj
mirably adapted 10 the height Of the
angel who trips beside him. " hen she
puts her little hand under his Goa.
sleeve his heart goes with a thump &c
meet IL, and IL is with an ill-concealed
effort that he refrans. il he does re-
frain. from pressing it passiona teiy 20
his side as he blesses himself that the
cruel world does sanction this one
sweet unspoken mode of communics-
ton. AS even the nohlest. stron est
tree inclines toward the sparkling and
murmuring stream, his whole being
leans toward the tender creature at his
side, and, with n courage that is deli
cious TO contem plate. he protects her in
her innocent little alarms from even
the shadow of a monse on the sidewalk.
Then watch the married man, not the
ideal married man, but the average
husband of the average wife lie stalks
along as nearly like the red Indian
with his squaw in his tracks as civiliza-
ton permits. His strong arm. crooked
at the feeblest angle. hangs Imply
down furnishing n sort of sliding scale
for the slender hand that in vain seeks
a resting place. Sometimes. in cross
ing walk or mounting q step, tho
slender hand slips away altogether.
and then in accordance with his degree
of ma tural brutality. indifference or al
breeding. he asks why the something
she can't hold on. or what the thing a.
bob she's trying 10 DO now. She signs
and says nothing.
Better it is TO see n couple Just in tho
prime OF life and who have climbed the
heights together SO well and 80 faith
fully that they walk with one gait.
just rs they feel, with one accord. be
with shoulder well squared 10 th.
world and strong arm that holds
with tender hrmness the hand that
came 10 him with the trueAt heart la
oil the world
Best of ali see the venerable couple.
whose bent figures aud snowy locks are
beautised by the love Of a life time. az
arm in arm they descend the hill of
life into the shadows Of the peaceful
valley.
To return, however. IN the purely
practical aspect of arrn-giving, IL 10
well 90 add that in certain parts Of the
country 1t has a peculiar significance
For instance. we arc told that In Wis
consin for young lady 20 accept of n
gentleman's arm in the daylight is az
most equivalent 70 the sending out Of
wedding cards and we know his ~ be
so in east Tennessee. Right up Ia the
Great Smoky mountains. which Miss
Murfree so lovingly depicts. the stall
wart mountasneer. Whose six feet OF
Drawn and muscle becomes as 30 much
pulp, win approach his divinity a, \
camp meeting or picnic with the agi-
,sting query. Have a wiug7- This y
the crucial test II from the depths %
q fascinating sun bonnet issue the cruel
words, 81 wouldn't give shacks for
chicken" then the usountainesr knows
his doom. II, however. through tso@e
bingham frills is breatbed the tender
words, - don't care II J do"--then
bring forth the magnolia blossoms and
ring the bcllk-k. y. Press