The Winslow mail., 1898-06-11
HOW Do you DO?
Real Harm Hidden In the Old Form
OF Address which Should
BE Remedied,

comment ca va"
"Wie geht es denn?"
One might have q different phonetic
set OF phrases for the tongue of each
man present at the time of the confu-
sion of tongues. and yet would the sense
be the same; the cordial inherited
query as to the state of being of the
person met and greeted. 1t is the law
of courtesy that holds good i'll every
race of people on the earth that their
first expressed anxiety on meeting a
friend shall be as to his health.
The question is usually met by the
same words from the person addressed
and then there is some sort of odd tacit
understanding by which one or the
other makes answer, and it is of these
answers that complaint is Hnjustly
made; if fault there lie in the matter ii
is at the door of the questioner.
''Oh, how people bore me telling me
of their woes"
81 fairly hate that Mrs. H. She is
always growing about her ailments"
The first thing Mr.. f ever says
when | meet him is this climate will
kill him. I wish it would"
why will people go on pelting their
unfortunate friends with history OF
their ills?"
These are just q few samples of the
expression we give to our growing re-
sentiment at receiving deluge of COM
plants whenever we stop to speak to q
friend. The fault lies all on the other
side, we think, and yet If we analyze the
situation, we will find that we have
brought the whole trouble upon our
selves, In the full flush of the meeting
we deliberately, following custom that
is almost as sure law in the social
body as is circulation of the blood in
the ply ysical, asked our friend: "How
do you do?"
What are they to do? If some one is
i'll. if they have new grief or a new
pain is it not only natural on their part
that they should tell us of it? They may
have a lot Of blessings, but a present
toothache makes one forget that stocks
went up n point or two the day before,
or doing all the cooking at home be-
cause the girl has left Is just cause for
overlooking the fact that one is In luck
to have things to cook.
No, the fault is in the question. We
ought TO address people differently il
we only intend to laugh with those who
laugh, and it is easily managed. Why
not go up to your friend and say:
|'I'm delighted to see you," or This is
a pleasure" or any one of hundred
possible forms of greeting that you
could fnd instead of the old hackneyed
and really injurious phrase: "How do
you doe"
1t is not exaggeratfng the state Of af-
fairs at all to say that this primary
question as to the state of every ones
health or feeling is injurious. 1t hurts
both parties alike; it spoils the bright
ness of the day, and it is positively hurt
full, SO, at least, say our most advanced
doctors. There is nothing SO bad In this
world for anybody as to brood OF con-
tinually speak of their sorrows or their
aches, and we all know that if in q day
we meet three or four people, each Of
whom tells us he has q sore throat,
we are inclined to think it is epidemic
and discover a scratch in our own throat
before bed time.
There are people who have thought
over the matter and decided to get
round the bush in this way:
"Oh! | always say: I'm very well,
thanks!' if anyone asks me, even If I'm
ready to drop" says one woman, and
another remarks that she answers the
query with the same question: 'Howdo
youdO?" In the first instance the scheme
is bad. If you say you are well when
you are Ill all sorts of funny annoy
ing complications are sure to arise;
some other unfortunate of your family
is asked after the state Of the house later
on perhaps, and, selecting you and your
ills for discussion, is met by the amazed
exclamation:
''Why, l met Z this morning and
she said she was very WE'LL"
''Oh, was she?" your brother may an
swer. Then why can't she do her own
errands?"
No. it won't do to make a rule to lie
when some one says: "How doyou do?''
and as for saying in reply: How do you
do?" the whole thing is about as sensi-
BILE as when two serious-minded roos-
ters take to remarking to each other:
Cock doodle do" There Is no escape.
II people will ask each other this sort of
hoodoo question they must take the
consequences, and they are bad.-De-
troit Free Press.
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