The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-05
STRANGER IN RICHMOND.
NE WAS IMPRESSED VIM THE
sKfNDLY COURTESY"
A Gentleman on the Street Directed Him to
Boarding House Where He Was struck
With the Dignihed Hospitality.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Sept Especial.
1t is the first visit l have made TO the
Sunny South. and II is rather bold. 1
confess, TO give my impression 10 tho
public. IL has always made Il very disd-
greeable impression upon me 20 ita- III
terViews with more or less noted stfanS-
ers IN the Northern papers, especially M
those published I'm New York The new
er-faiIng question: What do you think
Of" or How do you like this country
strikes me always as scarcely Nelled
confession that there Is something mate
rally wrong.
40 one possessed of the smallest de-
gree OF scif-respcct fishes for Compli-
ments, and. as b. is self-eVidtut that "a
question itself is such plain evidence OF
vanity which Is always sign oil weak
ness.
You can't fancy am Engiishman or a
japanese asking such n question. Meth
cr OF the TWO would care contlhentdl
what any chance visitor might think 90
heir native land, and their pride would
Doe aroused al the bare notion OF 3d. strdn-
ser expressing am opinion about what
they approve. a Japanese would look
pretty supcrciliously at you If You should
compliment him ON japan. and his look
would tell you as plainly as looks can
tell. And what the deuce is IL 10 you?
NJ you don't like this country. you can
get out. We did not invite you here. and
ID you leave us. we shall not go INTO
mourning no your departure
Which Of the two shows more strength.
pride. or Vauity2
NOT ONCE THE QUESTION.
I have not been interviewed during my
Southern trip. but ! have freely convcrs-
ed with number of evidently Well-odu-
Gated people, and NOT once has the quos-
ton annoyed me. what do you think
of the S0uth2'
They have shown interest I'm Japan and
China. tried 10 obtain information with
reference 10 those nations hut invariably
evinced too much self-rcsCncct tO inquire
about my opinion of their State.
Since my return 10 Washington. how
ever. the question has been asked repeat
eddy, and 1 have decided 20 give my i'm
pressions with due difiidence ana fo"
what they are worth.
/ said before thlt / had not been inter
Viewed I'm the South. Tn my hurried UP
through the states I have round out mat
"a sOi0urn i'm a hotel with its attendant
registration. is sure 70 Dring the report
ors Of every paper huzzing about your
devoted ears. That Is all right. BUT i
prefer 10 write my interviews myself so
that there can no no misspelling 0f prop
or names. and no mis,cpr ton or
the situation, which Us, ] acknowledge
involuntary on the part OF fnc reporter.
of some nice boarding-h0uso. Where / can
do my writing without 'ear # irtoUrp-
ton Hence. whom / arrived ln llch-
m0nd. I inquired after such place from
the first gentleman whom / met ] eN-
ucctod rebuilt have met with % good
many i'm the North and West and do NOT
blame people who are always in "a rush
for declining 10 listen 10 unprohtahle IN
tcrrogations from "a stranger. 5o. N I
fail with one. ] try another having, grown
callous 20 ordinations OF impahcnce.
SOUTHERN COURTESY.
Now. please notice my Richmond eXpe-
ricnce.
The gentleman whom 7 addressed I'm
tho street stopped. listened courtecus.v.
gave me fun directions. took me - tho
car which was 10 take me ID the address.
and took AN these pains with such cNi-
dence of goodwill that 7 could not eN-
press the obligations ] falt ] make my
ACKNOWLEDGMENT through the columns DIT
this paper.
arrived az tho boardIng-lous' M sup
pcr-ume and requested To see the land