The Globe-republican., 1897-11-04
Practical Etiquette.

There are many books OF etlQuet tie
before the public, and among them sew
eral which are written by persons Of
wide social experience and high culture
They are often excellent as far as they
60, but there are many deficiencies
which are painfully marked by those
who desire to form themselves in all
things upon correct standards. In many
of the common exigencies of life, We are
left by these authorities absolutely with
out direction, and with no light but the
uninspired guidance of common sense,
and everybody knows how little that
has to do with etiquette.
Where, for instance, is the manual
which lays down any correct and effect
i've way of expressing indignation when
vulgar people at the theater or opera
persist in continuing a noisy private
conversation during the most in
terestng portions of the play? how
soon is it well-bred to pass
from the stare to the frown,
from the frown to more demonstrative
expressions of annoyance and indigna-
ton? What book tells us how one
should behave when at the theater or in
a horse-car man weighing half ton
steps on our corns and apologies to our
neighbor? Just what is the proper
form in which to thank q man for re-
turning an umbrella, so that he may
feel that his unusual honesty is APP
preciated and yet not be insulted by the
expression of too great surprise on the
part of the fortunate neighbor? How
should a man be treated who gives one
cigar so bad that to smoke it would be
worse than a year in state prison ON
bread and water? These and many
similar questions present themselves
daily, and one searches in vain in the
book of etiquette for any solution for
the perplexing doubts they raise.
And there are other questions some
what less common, which may vet arise,
yet which surely should not be left un-
in any handbook which makes
any pretense to be exhaustive. If man
is introduced to another who has eloped
with his great-aunt, how should he con-
duct himself? On being presented to a
man who has killed one of ones ances-
tors in duel, how far is it etiquette to
exhibit a GOODNESS of demeanor? Would
it be excusable, if one Glanced, at table
d'hote or on shipboard. to sit beside q
sailor at dinner to order cabbage?
Would the same rule-whatever it Is -
apply to sauer-kraut, and would
the fact that the sailor was a
German affect the question? If
one were to marry a bride who had I'll o
to be descended from an an
cestor who was hanged, would it be I'M
kind or indicate to include q diamond
pendant among the wedding gifts? ia
girl is engaged to two men at once, and
marries one, is she to consider herself
still engaged to the other in case of the
death of her husband? Has a book
agent, or the man who asks, Is this hot
enough for you?" any rights that are rec
ognized by the etiquette of the best
society, and if so, what are they? If one
one-legged mad requests the loan of a
cork leg from another one-legged man, is
The second justified in declining to accom-
mOdate him, and wha. is the polite form
Of such q refusal? Should the announce
nent to lady that she has dropped her
hustle be made in the third person? If
, gentleman making q party call dis
covers, after being ushered into the
room. that he has inadvertently
come out in his shirt sleeves, should he
apologize, or allow the circumstance to
pass without remark?
These are but few of the innumerable
questions of practical importance that
press upon us every day vet which are
wholly ignored by writer's on etiquette.
Why in the world, then, does nobody
write practical and complete book on
he etiquette of daily life?-Boston
Courier.