Morris tribune., 1898-03-09
uNlNTENTIoNAL INSULTS.

,tersons Must BE Very Careful When In a
i Foreign Country.
A short time back a complaint
was received by the authorities
through the Chinese legation that
the gentleman representing her maj
esty in China had been guilty of
conduct unbecoming an ambassador
and gentleman; that he had in
suited the Chinese cabinet. Investi-
cation, 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. OF course no notice was
taken of the affair, but, all the
same, the diplomatists of China
were offended, for in that country
it is an insult to the assembled COM
pany to thump the table.
1t only shows how careful one
should be in foreign country. In
England, if a friend is visiting an.
other and stays to dinner, he may
ask for the loan of hairbrush with
out 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 Hungarian and one which will
in most cases cause a duel.
In France there are several insults
which the unwary foreigner may
offer without knowing it. For ex-
ample, he may be visiting friend
and may put his hat upon the bed.
This is a grievous form of insult,
but why it is not known. It is a
very ancient one, and so probably
results from an old superstition.
Again, there are two ways of
pouring out wine in France, as ev-
erywhere else. One of these is to
hold the bottle SO that while pour
ing the thumb is facing the table
cloth. The second way is to hold
the hand reversed-that is, with the
knuckles dOwnward-and this is
great insult to the assem- bled guests
and the host, a far greater insult
than drinking a 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 pre-
cisely.
The German students are formed |
into corps, some of which are fight
ing corps and others not. Each |
corps has its distinctive cap, and |
when a member of one meets an
other in>the street it is etiquette for
each to doff his cap. Should the
other not respond a complaint is
made to his corps, and a duel is
real duel, with sabers or
pistols, not the fencing duel which
Is pastime in Germany, just as foil
ng or single stick is in England-for
he insult is nearly the worst that
ian be offered
There is one worse, and that is
splitting or Ticking beer over another
student purposely. No apology will
wipe out this offense. Nothing
will, except duel to the death or
/ duel which is continued until one
# the combatants is too badlyI
wounded to continue the fight. A
minor insult is to refuse to drink
With student if invited or to re-
use to respond with "Prosit' when
le raises his glass and says, ''Icth {
zomme vor," but this is more al
reach of good manners than an
ctual insult.
We might finish with two Span
sh examples of curious insults in
outh America. The first of these !
: to refuse to smoke a cigarette {
7hlch another man offers you after I
e has had it in his mouth, and the '
econd is to refuse drink out of the
anne glass that man has just :
runk from, or, worse still, ito wipe a
before drinking. -London Tit $
its. e