The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-27
MANNERS TOWARD WOMEN.
A Young Woman Declares She Prefers
COmaraderie to Courtliness.

New YORK sun.
Some of my dear sisters. / see,'' said a
young woman of observation to q reporter,
have started in on one Of their perennial
kicks against the decline In good manne
among men. Like the generality Of US, they
realize a condition, but go all to pieces
when 1t comes to a definition. Manners are
not what they used to be, but they have
not declined: they have only changed. Men
don't walk for miles with their girls, hold
ing their hats under their arms and writing
quatrains on their shirt cuffs; but then
il used TO be. You fellows don't wear love
ly white wigs; the beautiful parting In your
hair. that you have so carefully worked out
you don't know the difference between a
madrigal and a trilogy. But all the same,
write 1t down. please. that the professional
was In the days of the professional courtier.
But. say the kickers. men slap girls on
the back, smoke in their faces, and call
them old fellows nowadays. That's right.
good old days they lay at their feet and
blew funny little love songs without words
into flutes and carried ;Sab their enslayers' pat pa,
sentimental verses done up in blue ribbons.
Well, and what of it? Isn't the girl Of to-
day a good fellow? Why should she object
to a mans smoking in her presence when
she don't think she imperils her own pre-
cious soul or her digestion or her reputa-
ton by smoking a cigarette in his? I'm
smoking a cigarette now, but you don't
think you've a right to insult me for that
reason, i guess. And why should a man
trip daintily half a meadow ahead of me
to open a gate, when / can jump over 1t?
1 mean crosswise. you know. And. what's
more. the very man before whom 1 gave
one exhibition of high and lofty vaulting'
asked me that evening to marry him.
$50 far as / am concerned, and / think
i speak for quite a number OF girls, j don't
banker after all this solicitude ard courtli-
ness about which there is so much talk of
the doleful and reminiscent order. I'd a
heap rather have good fellowship and be
Jolly companions every one i keep my
eyes about me, and you can take it for
granted that when men treat girls as 'splen-
did chaps and 'duced good company they're
not likely to treat them as toys or appe-
Tiers.
the cnange with years just as much as
with places. But don't be alarmed; we girls
know that there is Just as much champion
ship OF and devotion to us to-day as there
ever was There may not be so much fall
lal. lace-cuff. and fine saying about the de-
votion. but when IL comes it's as deep and
reverent as any mother could wish; and the
championship may not be so Watteauesque
and romantic. but it's considerably more
honest. About the lost courtliness there
was a good deal OF veneer covering a good
there is a good deal of rough timber, but
it's heart clear through.
You fellows have got lots OF bad points
about you, but-pass me the matches. please
-ifs my opinion that the closer we girls
get 10 an equality of companionship with
you the better IL is for us. Cynthia was
not half as safe with courtly Sir Lovelace
as the tennis girl is with the jolly, decent
boy who calls her Jack"