Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-28
DON'T TAKE A wOMAN's ARM.
He Who Does So Deserves to he Call
ed "a Gent"

He Who Does So Deserves to He Call
ed 81 Gent"
From the New York Press.
There Is only one man in the world who
can be pardoned for the atrocity Of taking a
woman's arm, and he is the policeman who
arrests her for shoplifting or tries to save
her from cable or trolley car or some
other form of sudden death. Any other
man guilty Of such q massacre Of good
taste and good manners deserves-not to be
shot. but to be designated "a gent"
Common sense and custom have establish
ed the rule that after dark a gentleman
shall give his arm to the lady he is with
This not only signifies to the public that he
Ii acting a. an escort, and saves her from
Its comments and jostling, but enables the
two to keep easily in step. There are also
occasions during the day when a rude
crowd. rough walking. standing in the cars
or lack Of strength makes a manly arm
doubly welcome to q delicate woman. In
short, the courtesy il beautiful in its sig
ntficance Of the attitude Of man and wo-
man.
1t must be admitted. however, that many
men are 50 ignorant or SO careless in their
manner of extending this courtesy that a
sensitive woman would rather walk with
dared than avail herself Of 1t. Walking
behind couple arm in arm, one can gen.
orally guess at the mans breeding and his
relation to the woman. The anxious lover
Is as easily detected as the Indifferent hus-
band. The former holds his arm at an
angle acute with hope and tenderness and
admirably adapted to the height Of the
angel who trips beside him. When she puts
her little hand under his coat sleeve his
heart goes out with a thump to meet it,
and It Is with an i'll concealed effort that he
refrains. II he does refrain, from pressing
II passionately to his side as he blesses
himself that the cruel world does sanction
this one sweet. unspoken mode Of communi-
cation. As even the noblest, strongest tree
lnciines toward the sparkling and murmur-
Ing stream. his whole being leans toward
the tender creature at his side. and. with a
courage that Is delicious to contemplate he
protects her in her innocent little alarms
from even the shadow of a mouse on the
sidewalk
Then watch the married man. not the
ideal married man. but the average hus-
band OF the average wife. He stalks along
as nearly like the red Indian with his
squaw IN his tracks as civilization permits
his strong arm, crooked at the feeblest an
gle. hangs Imply down, furnishing a sort of
sliding scale for the slender hand that in
vain seeks for resting place. Sometimes
IN crossing walk or mounting a step, the
slender hand slips away altogether. and
then, In accordance with his degree of
natural brutality. Indifference or iii breed
ing, he asks why the something she can't
hold on, or what the thing "a bob she's try-
Ing to do now. She signs and SAYS nothing
Better II Is to see a couple Just in the
prime Of life and who have climbed its
heights together 50 well and SO faithfully
that they walk with one gait Just as they
feel. with one accord; he with shoulder well
squared to the world and a strong arm that
holds with tender firmness the hand that
came to him with the truest heart in all the
world.
Best of all see the venerable couple
whose bent figures and snowy locks are
beautfhed by the love Of a lifetime as arm
In arm they descend the hill of life into the
shadows Of the peaceful valley.
To return. however, to the purely prac-
teal aspect Of arms-giving, 1t is we'll to ada
that In certain parts Of the country II has a
peculiar significance. For instance, we are
told that in Wisconsin for a young lady to
accept of a gentleman's arm in the daylight
Is almost equivalent to the sending out OF
wedding cards, and we know this to be so
In East Tennessee. Right up in the Great
smoky mountains. which Miss Murfree so
lovingly depicts, the stalwart mountainee-
whose six feet of Drawn and muscle be-
comes as so much pulp. will approach his
divinity at camp meeting or picnic with
the ag1tating query, Have a wing?" This
Is the crucial test II from the depths of a
fascinating sun bonnet issues the cruel
words. Il wouldn't give shucks for chick
en-, then the mountaineer knows his doom.
IT, however. through those Bingham f-ills is
breathed the tender words, Il don't care IL
do'-then bring forth the magnolia bios
SONS and ring the bells.