The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-21
UNINTENTIONAL INSULTS.
Persons Must Be Very Careful When
in n FOREIGN Country

short time back a complaint was
received by the authorities through the
Chinese legation that the gentleman
representing her majesty in China had
been guilty Of conduct unbecoming an
ambassador and a gentleman-that he
had insulted the Chinese cabinet. In
vestigation, however, showed that the
only conduct of which he had been
guilty was humping the table at which
| he was sitting, to emphasize a remark.
or course no notice was taken of the
affair; but, all the same, the diploma
lists Of China were offended, for In that
country 1t is an insult to the assembled
company to thump the table, says Lon
don Tit-BitS.
1t only shows how careful one should
be in a foreign country. In England
If a man is visiting another, and stays
to dinner, he may ask for the loan Of a
hairbrush without giving offense; but
in Hungary he may not. To attempt
to borrow that useful article is one
Of the greatest insults which can be
offered to a Hungarian, and one which
will in most cases cause duel.
In France there are several insults
which the unwary foreigner may offer
without knowing it. For example, he
may be visiting a friend, and may put
his hat upon the bed This is a griev-
Gus form of insult, but why it is not
so, probably, results from an old SUI
perstition.
Again, there are two ways of pouring
out wine in France, as everywhere else.
One of these is to hold the bottle so
that while pouring the thumb is facing
the tablecloth. The second way is TO
hold the hand reVersed-that is, with
the knuckles downWards-and that is
a great insult to the assembled guests
and the host-a far greater insult than
drinking health in water, and that is
pretty serious in France.
Germany has some curious forms of
insult. To begin with, to offer a rose.
or any other flower, without any green
or leaves with it to lady is to deeply
insult her. though why this should be
so is not known precisely.
The German students are formed into
corps, some Of which are fighting corps,
and others not. Each corps has it's dis
tinctive cap, and when a member of
one meets another in the street it is
etiquette for each to doff his cap.
Should the other not respond, a COM
plant is made to his corps, and a duel
Is fought-a real duel, with sabers or
pistols not the fencing duel which is
pastime in Germany, just as foiltng or
single-stick is in England, for the in
suit is nearly the worst that can be
offered.
There is one worse, ana that is spill
ing or Ticking beer over another stu
dent purposely. No apology will wipe
out this offense; nothing will except
duel to the DEATH or a duel which is
continued until one Of the combatants
is too badly wounded to continue the
fight. A minor insult is to refuse to
drink with a student if invited. or to
refuse to respond with "Prosit' when
he raises his glass and says, Itch
komme vor," but this is more breach
of good manners than an actual insult.
We might finish with two Spanish
examples of curious insults in South
America. The first of these is to re-
fuse to smoke a cigarette which anoth-
er man offers you after he has had it in
his mouth; and the second is to refuse
drink out Of the same glass that man
has just drunk from, or, worse still, to
wipe it before drinking.