The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-08
HEROIC IN BUSINESS.

HEROIC IN BUSINESS.
Business in the South is transacted
i'll grent degree by word of mouth.
There are such things rs promissory
notes, but they are not common.
am speaking here of the country
communities, and not of the large
cities. There is no marked differ
once between tho business motho Is
of Atlanta and Boston. Indeed,
since tho close OF tho war and the in
setting of tho immigration tide tine
South has boon much commercialized.
The typo has not changed. That
would be work of centuries. But
methods Of life and modes Of thought
have undergone modification. This
may bo better for tho country at
large. We hoar much OF tho glory
and beauty 0: tho "now South" But
l doubt that it is better for the up
pcr classes OF tho people. a happier
man than tho old Southorner never
broathed.
"NIark Twain" declares that Wal
ter Scott is responsible for the civil
war He means that much reading
Of "IvWhoo" and "rho Talisman"
made tho young men mad. They
dreamed Of riding with visor down
and lance in rest for the honor of
tho namo and tho roscuo Of ho.
lcugucrod dumsels. Io is mistaken.
Tho popularity of Scott was m
object, not Il cause. The poems and
prose of the wizard of tho North
were popular because the Southern
or is by birth and breeding chivalric.
lIe was 30 before Scott was born and
will remain 80 while tho same blood
is in him. At least l hope he will
This chivalry finds its most notice
able outlet in the Southerner's atti-
tude toward women. The female Of
his species is on " pedestal. Now
and then in the old days she strug-
gled bravely to get down, but he
would not let her. He objects to the
now woman, not because he fears her
competition, but because he thinks
she is not true to herself.
HIS GALLANTRY.
Tho Southernor's feeling for wo.
man is Il queer mixture of passion
and respect. 1Io regards her as
something TO 30 loved, to be cherish
ed, to be protected. He cannot get
over tho belief that she il fragile,
and he cannot be convinced that she
is able to withstand hard knocks.
10 him all women are pure until
demonstrated othorwiso, and they
are to be treated with deop respect.
They arc made of tinor clay, and are,
in fact, q superior order Of being.
1t is one Of tho strongest tributes
to tho worth of Southern mother
hood that Southern sons grow up in
this belief, and it never leaves thenls
If man imprudently attempt to de-
cry womanhood to q Southerner that
Southorner's mind instinctively goes
back to his mother, and he il apt to
enforce his disbelief with the strong
arm. Marriages arc very happy in
tho South and there are few divorcer.
Indeed, in tho lower Carolina there
is no such thing as divorce. Be-
trayals are rare Suits for breach Of
promise are practically unknown.
Invasions of tho household seldom
occnr. A Southerner who sued a
man for damages for alternating his
wife's affections simply could not
live in tho country. In every South
ern home stands tho silent sentinel
of tho iroside-tho shotgun. This
may be against the law, but it keeI
things quiet.
suppose that some day we will
have a Southern gentleman in drama
and in literature. 1t ought to be ca
to draw him, but the painter should
forget all that he has seen of Hoyt,
or Clay Clement, or Augustus
Thomas Wo have had tho true New
Englander in books many times. We
have had him on the stage. "Shore
, Acres is notable instance. We
, have had the true westernor, al
, though Bret Harte is not to bo
credited with his creation. Lot ns
hopo for the true Southerner. There
is literary lead in the South if some
Publisher or magazine editor has the
, skill and enterprise to mine for it.