The times., 1899-05-07
Forcing Manners.

The season Of the open car arrives, and
with it the season of the hog. There is
small percentage of our population which,
by its conduct in public places. gives some
slight reason for the Spanish epithet
American pig" And this percentage is
not always the addressed and ilI-paid ele-
ment, either.
In the winter, the hog temperament is
particularly in evidence in the theatres and
dry goods shops. Its symptoms are un-
willingness to remove the hat when the
curtain goes up, though the wearer knows
perfectly well that it prevents the person
occupying the seat behind her from seeing
anything on the stage; also conversations
carried on in loud tone of voice. and the
habit of humming in unison-or disunison-
with the orchestra between the acts.
The masculine hog compels two three or
four ladies to rise and allow him to pass
out during every intermission; he tram
pies on their skirts. knocks their hats to
the floor and sometimes does not return
till the curtain has risen for the second
act. This temperament also leads part
of the audience to put on its wraps and
rise to leave the theatre about five minutes
before the end OF the play. SO that the
closing scene is entirely spoiled for most.
In the dry goods establishments it mani
tests itself in groups of women stopping in
crowded aisle in the busiest part of the
store TO engage in animated conversation;
it also leads to disorderly and unseemly
scrambles in a crowd.
But the hog temperament is really in its
glory in the time of the open car. Its
performances can be avoided to some ex-
tent in the winter, by doing ones shop
ping when the stores are not crowded, and
by attending the better class of theatres
But everyone is obliged TO ride on the
street cars often at busy times of day,
and one hog can make a great deal of
trouble for seven or eight people.
OF course, any person who has paid his
or her fare has legal right to secure the
end seat of the car, on the shady side, and
refuse to move along. But well-bred peo-
pie have a great many legal rights which
they never dream of exercising. They con-
slider that they have above all a right TO
behave gently and courteously to their
neighbors. and not to allow any emer-
gency 10 force lneLl 10 90 u ruue tnlHR. 1T
is not pleasant, of course, to ride several
blocks in the sun on warm day, though
this is seldom necessary, since the blinds
on the sunny side of the car are usually
/ closed. But that Is not the point. The
well-bred person will not compel another
person TO do what he does not wish to do
himself II is permissible to hire another
to do disagreeable work, of course, but to
use an accidental advantage of position to
force another into an annoying situation
is not the act of a well-bred person, from
any point OF view. And this is done, pre-
meditatedly and with determination, by the
end-seat hog. He plants himself in the
narrow space at the end OF the seat, and
forces one, two, or more persons, some of
them laden with parcels. to climb over him,
at the imminent risk of losing their foot
hold il they chance to be infirm. and seat
themselves in the less desirable place in
the middle of the car. Thence, II they
leave the car first, they must climb once
more over the knees and feet and umbrella
of the hog, who does not even have the