The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-21
A SOCIAL VERDICT.

cTucIa1 moment OF 01S-I1Te Wnen ne would
be considered a possible lover for the clever
Edith Losing, to whom he had lost his
heart on first acquaintance.
The dinner was one of those dainty ag-
gregations OF silver and cut glass and dec
oratiye china which give bizarre effect
to our meals at the present time, even
when ones feelings must be tied with
blue ribbon or kept out of sight, and when
it is a social crime to eat anything with
spoon. But Royal Mathews was accus-
toned to modern luxury and would have
died before be would have admitted that
he did not know the whole social shibbo-
leth That Edith Losing would attempt
so judge of q mans morals by his man
ners never occurred to him.
Before the dinner was well begun Ma
thews was aware that in some way he had
offended Miss Losing.
Edith Lossing's friends were much
afraid that she would end her days IN sin
gle blessedness, or else go through the
woods and pick up the figurative crooked
stick as a last opportunity. So many eli
gible men had sought her hand and been
refused that it was currently reported that
she had been disappointed in love and was
determined to live and die an old maid
Her friends had on several occasions an
nounced themselves satisfied with the can
didate only to be told that Miss Edith had
refused him.
The trouble was that Edith was hyper
critical. 1t was so with other things be-
sides the affections. She took all the
sweetness out of life by finding it's sugar
was adulterated with chalk. She left the
sky out of her landscapes and mutilated
her friends by petty criticism. She had
heard or read somewhere that manners
were the shadows of morals, and by this
half inch rule she measured men.
The day after dinner she went to lunch
with her best friend, who boarded at
stately hotel and was a person of common
sense, the scarceSt commodity on earth.
She was fond of Edith while bewaiIing the
positive virtues which made her SO dis
agreeable.
'''I met Allen Holbrook in the lobby,
and he stood and talked with me without
removing his hat" she announced to her
best friend after they had lunched and
were seated in the parlor of the hotel.
'tThen 1 suppose You will disallow him
q single good quality" remarked the B. L.
But it was such a want of respect"
complained Edith.
PUT it on another basis. Perhaps,
new woman, he was treating you with tho
freedom of good comradeshtp. Could he
pay you a greater compliment?'
1.-THE new woman will demand every &C
acknowledgement of social form, !" answered
Edith. "It was unbearable rudeness.
Let US think that he was so glad to see
you that he never once thought of his hat.
1t will be more charitable. But, tell me,
for 1 am dying to know, is Royal Mathews
to be the happy man?
Royal Mathews is an insufferable
boor, - retorted Edith with good deal of
asperity, showing that she was secretly
hurt.
"What did he dor You told me he was
to dine with you yesterday. Did he eat
with his knife?''
''Worse, a thousand times worse"
'Did he do as Emerson did when Mar
garet Fuller was his guest-eat in his shirt
sIeeves9'
''No and he is not an Emerson. -
81 insist upon you telling me the depth
and breadth of his transgression. If you
do not, 1 shall ask him myself when he
calls at 5, as he promised -
every well, I will tell you, and the
consequences be on your own head. You
know that 1 pride myself on my house
keeping, and that all the glass and silver
is taken care of by myself. / think [ can
claim spotless brilliancy for the tableware,
yet when that man sat down at the table
what do you think he did? But you would
never guess-nO not i'll a lifetime. The
wretch picked up a corner of the table
cloth and deliberately polished first his
glass, then the plate and finally the silver
at his plate. 1t was done in a moment,
but with no attempt at cOncealment. I
was so thankful that no one else saw him
the affair would have been talked over
in the Kitchen
Edith waited for burst of indignation
from her B. E. and was surprised at a
peal of laughter. This was followed by a
grave thoughtfulness, and then the Best
Friend said:
sciously following a habit acquired at the
hotels Of our country, where food is served
in haste and often by incomp etent help. I
do not imagine the poor fellow was for a
| moment conscious of what he was really
doing, and I admit that the habit is a very
careless one. But it rates several degrees
less than a crime.''
II don't know about that, - said Edith,
but with relieved look. Il have always
looked upon a mans manners as his Gre
! dentials; they either uplift him or degrade
! him"
Yes, my Edith, but you must not for
get the awful soul that dweIls in clay.
| You make much of the accomplishments
of the clay, but there is the deeper life tha5
Is its sanitation. And now may I ask
what is that object on which you have been
| WTeaking your will ever since we came in
| from the table?''
Edith looked and was aghast.
at is a table Napkin" she said.
where did I get it?"
Carried it off with you unconsciously,
0 woman Of cruel Judgment! Suppose
were to accuse you Of appropriation? You
see how easy it is to forget ourselves and
become in a moment objects of condemna-
ticn or suspicion. Charity, my dear, will
even condone the swallowing of knives
and the abstraction of Napkins
The Best Friend rang the bell and gave
a waiter the suspicious object. Then Royal
Mathews was announced and was aston
ished beyond measure to find his lady OF
| the ice of the preceding day as warm and
| glowing as Uebe.-DetFoit Free Press.
] Elevator Knees.
rrn.,,nr, rrIc r,nndn hon. ir,iAin1 nA+nr,,r,1