Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-04-12
THE LADY AND THE MILDLY.
They Speak as They Pass By. But Not as
of Yore.

The Lady and the MILDLY are at odds,
says the Sun of this morning. lie no
longer lifts his cap with the gallant,
graceful swing of formor days when he
meets her on the streets of Annapolis or
in the Naval Academy grounds. and in
place OF the bewitching smile she was
wont to give him he receives look that
indicates sadness, rath L than rapture.
When the MILDLY meets the Lady now
he brings the fright forefinger to the
lower part of the headdress above the
right eye, thumb and finger extended
and joined, palm TO the left, forearm
inclined at about forty-five degrees, hand
and wrist straight
In other words, the bow OF the old
days is replaced by the stiff and formal
military salute as prescribed by 'sregu-
lations.n She does not like il, for she
does not see why military regulations
should apply to her. lie does not like
it any more than she does, but he cam
not help himself: neither can she, but
she has the privilege of saying uncom-
plimCntary things about his superior Of
ticers, while he, as he expressed it, must
take his medicine without even making
a wry face.a Several days ago we re-
ceived the following communication,
signed "A Gentleman ON this subject:
"Among the latest efforts Of the pres
ent administration at the United States
Naval Academy is an order TO the effect
that the cadets and officers must not do1f
their caps to ladies, but simply salute.
Such step would be unbecoming gen.
tlemen and all who recognize such a
rule and conform to it, deserves to be
boycotted 10y the gentle sex. Where, in
any civilized country will you find such
rudenessl 1t is all very well for men
to salute one another, but when it comes
to men saluting women it is barbarous.
The officers and cadets would receive a
nOtoriety bY no means envlaOle. A man
who passes a woman who speaks To him,
and who does not raise his cap in return,
simply proclaims to the world that he is
no gentleman. 1t is not the fault of the
cadets and officers but of the man who
tries to force fad of his own upon gen
tlemen in the form of a regulation re-
quiring them to insult our wives, moth
ers and sisters. Those who do not con-
form to this rule are to be highly COM
mended. Some show plainly their breed
ing by jumping at the chance of obeying
the rule, while Others have hard time
in breaking themselves Of the chiyalrous
habit. 1t is to he hoped that good sense
and good breeding will prevail before
long"
1t is said some of the girls declared
they do no care for this restriction. 1.-The
manner in which the salute is given, :"
remarked several, "made no difference
to them, and they did not intend to
make the boys feel badly over thing
they could not help. And these girls
have smiled in their sweetest manner
smiles with just suggestion of rogue
ishness and mischief in them-and their
popularity has increased accordingly.
For while the girls carried their de-
cision into effect. They even went down
to the Naval Academy grounds for their
afternoon strolls in order to meet the
cadets and receive the regulation bow
and then not to recognize it. But they
got over it after the first. flush of their
Indignation wore off, and now they re-
ceive the salute with smile that has n
great deal of sadness in it-a sort Of
memory-of-p -pleasanter-days smile.