Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-12
OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW. J
Written for tho Times Republican.

Written for tho Times. Republican,,
Angelina Is again introducing vexa-
tious questions. The other evening she
asked this present scribe II It was true
that no great man ate pie with a knife.
What she Intended to ask was, did any
prominent parsonage put knife in
stead of fork into his mouth. 1t was
sumner. The writer stopped to think
IT he remembered of his particular
friends, governors, generals, presi-
dents, authors. noted preachers or for.
eign counts,-when dining with him, us.,
Ing a knife as q food carrier. He did
remember one governor of Iowa who
was accused of the habit, about election
time. and 1t was not even denied. Some
thought 1t vote catcher. But 1T would
not do to own up that the writer was
not posted on the personal habits of
great men.
My dear child" was the reply, "only
the greatest OF the great eat pie with
knife. Daniel Webster had very pecul-
lar ideas on money arrangements. His
reputation In other matters was not
that of other men. When he borrowed
money and forgot to return it, the very
act was imputed to his greatness. Dom
Paul probably eats pie with knife, but
nevertheless is great man as the
world goes. But no general in the
United States army eats with knife;
rather would he use his fingers. Gus
tom unobserved on the part of promi-
nent men shows lack of knowledge of
the world and its polite habits. An
ambassador to the court OF ST. James
can not only be innocent OF knife pie
eating, but the arrangement of napkin,
spoon and position of wine glass must
show he knows the way of the world.
We laugh at the customs of China, but
every one has some good reason for its
observance. Here at home, for instance.
in our best hotels, there is an unwrit-
ten law to prevent mans admittance
in the dining room without he wears a
coat. Did you ever think why such a
custom exists? In Japan visitor re-
moves his shoes before entering a
house. Stop and think why such a GUS
tom is observed"
Mrs. Birdseye interrupted this inter-
esting lecture to ask, why don't you
tell us the reason it's not good form to
eat with knife? What is the real rea-s
son for these arbitrary customs you
plention? l have known of certain
gentleman in this house to come to the
supper table on hot July night in his
shirt sleeves. ] wish you men would
adopt the plan of leaving your shoes
outside the door. Here is your daugh-
ter Saraphine telling me how to eat
coup properly: that is, to sip it from the
side of the spoon. It's in the Ladies'
Companion so stated, and that settles
1T. With your superior knowledge, tell
me why it's bad form to put the end of
the spoon in my mouth? Young Fitz de
Noodle has been coming here all sum-
mer with his trousers so long that he
has to fold them up three or four times
around his ankles. Now, Sir Oracle,
give me good reason for Fifty wear
ing trousers long enough for his grand
father? Perhaps you can explain the
real. true reason why a sack coat is
proper at one time in the day, frock
coat at another and swallow tailed in
the evening. Why light-colored trou-
sers are the thing in the morning and a
criminal offense after dark-a society
lcrime."
II am glad, Mrs. Birdseye, you are
taking him down a peg" said Mr.. Pes
simist. Some of the visitors to Hawaii
| tell of eating the national dish of pol
with the fingers. A person who should
try to eat that kind of poi with fork
| would be laughed to scorn. It's an im-
possibility. Now your husband says
there are good reasons for all estah-
Ilished customs of eating, drinking and
dressing. If so, why are they not uni
versal in polite society in all civilized
countries? Travellers accounts show
THAT Americans. wel-bred Americans
| make sad mistakes when abroad for The
/ arst time. Magazine articles written b,
those visiting in Japan show that {
stranger has actually to be educated be
fore he enters polite society there. Nov
to eat the same dish in one countr.
with the fingers, in another with ;
spoon, in the third with knife and il
the fourth with fork rather knocks
out the Birdseyean doctrine of goot
reason for every custom. Why. tn
other night / saw your husband a
Jones dinner party eating ice cream
with his fork
Ladies and gentlemen. allow me,
said the writer. ito take up these vari
Gus customs in detail. To begin with
why should we not eat pie with
knife? Ono business to eat pie anyway
{ at any time, remarked Pessimist.
Now knife is an article of warfare
to deliberately open your mouth 49,.
The Silent Partner remarked just Their
, as he put on his overcoat and hat, mo
to be impolite, but know you will ex
{ cuse me from not staying to the open
ling. One of the established customs c
polite society is to say goodnight"
I n -/