Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1896-11-04
YOUNG MAN OF THE PERIOD.
He Needs 3 Sharp Lesson to Improve
His Manners.

He Needs Sharp Lesson to Improve
His Manners.
It is obviously absurd to discuss
what does not exist, and therefore
those who have anything to say on
the subject of mems manners had
better say it at once, for if matters
progress at their present rate men
will soon have no manners at all.
Every century has its diatribists--if
the unoouth word may be allowed
and ours is no exception to the rule.
Mrs. Lynn Linton, Ladye Jeune,
Ouida, Lady Cook and others have
at all times expressed themselves
against the evils and follies of socie-
ty, but society does not seem to i'm.
prove, and Lord Meath's mime
teenth Century" utteranoe is not
bit too strong. Manners are dying
out. especially among men, and it
really seems as if gentlemen would
soon be thing of the past. 1t is
high time that the young men Of
London we're brought to their bear
ings, and it is only the women who
can teach them the lesson that they
need. 1t is almost incredible the
lengths to which the young male of
the present day will go in bad man
ners.
In the first place, he has practical
~ ceased to answer invitations. So
general has this practice become
that hostesses always reckon upon it
when giving a ball. A very we'll
known woman of the world recently
sent out cards for dance. She ask
ed SO women and 600 men. About 80
Of the 600 had the decenoy to let her
know whether they intended to &C.
oept her hospitality or not. Of the
remaining $40 some came and some
staid away. Yet the legend R. S.
Y. p. was in the corner of every
card.
A great many men who wrongly
imagine themselves to be gentle
men, when they receive card for
ball, don t reply to it, but when the
night of it arrives they go to the
house little after IL, deposit their
coats and hats and make straight for
the supper room. There they squat
down, eat and drink till they are
satisfied, and, having done so, de-
part without paying even a momen-
tary visit to the ballroom or having
the decenoy to greet their host and
hostess. In fact, they use private
house merely as an eating house and
go to it only for the practical pur-
pose of gorging.
To many this statement will seem
well nigh incredible. It is perfectly
true, nevertheless, and dozens of
hostesses could bear witness to it.
When men do condescend to shake
hands with their entertainers and
"show" in the ballroom, they very
often refuse to dance and absolutely
decline to be introduced to any girls
who want partners. They are there
fore only in the way and deserve to
be carted inoontinently into the
street without further parley9 Their
fatuous faces Stay enjoyment in 9th
ers. They squeeze round the doors,
making entrance and egress almost
impossible, and their long limbed
lassitude is standing insult to the !
girls who come to ball to dance,
and not to make themselves ridicu-
lous by vanity and offensive by ill
breeding. I wonder that hostesses
have tolerated the airs and graoes of |
these deplorable degenerates so long.
Every one complains of them, but |
everybody seems afraid of them.
Why? A sharp lesson would do them
all the good in the world. Some
woman in authority, some leader of
society, should decline to admit to
her house those who have not replied |
to her invitations and express herself
frankly to the men who come and
refuse, with contempt, to either
dance or depart. A few bold words
would clear the air and bring these
impertinent and badly behaved vul-
garians to more reasonable and
more desirable frame of mind, Lon