The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-08-09
DEJLLNB OF COURTESY.
Doirg As We Please.
MEN FORGET TO BE POLITE.

Roanoke Times.
It would seem nowadays that there
Is tendency TO ignore many of the
courtesies OF our forefathers, and that
we are becoming so eninently practical
in our twentieth century advancement
that soon the distinction between men
and women will be entirely lost. A
| few years agu man who put his FEET
On !; railing III the presence OF iac:Ias
was considered unfit for polite society
Today we find men's ieet higher than
| their heads and their persons uecupy-
ing positions Of abandon while visit
ing ladies that their own mothers
| woulc not haye counteaarcad for a
| single moment in their g;rIhood days.
Men are gradually losing their courtly
bearing. They respect women none
the loss, we balie9e, but thei- outward
bearing does not always indicate that
fact. How many men ever think Of
asking whether they may smoke when
ladies are around? They appear to
deem it their privilege and they exer-
else it everywhere. One finds the Gig
arctic going full blast in the door OF
the ballroom and encounters it in the
parlor.
LEN do not put themselves
ost to provide for the comfort of
women in public places. This is an
age of advanced education, and our ne "
ideas do not permit OF our seeing that
ladies ara given the best seat, shat s!1s
is assisted whenever possible, tnat she
is spared Inconvenience. We pay our
money as well as she does, and are
going to put ourselves out IN no way.
This is free country, and we are 60
ing to do as we please, and our women
might az we'll get used to 1t. What do
we care il smoke and cinders blow
upon her, if she struggles with a win
dow, il she has to work her unsteady
wsy to the water-cooler, If she has 20
take anything she can get at any and
al times! For shame that fnen whose
day it is to protect :he weaker sex
and guard her at all times should lose
their respect Tor her disabilities "a
looking after herself and proceed to
ignore her while exercising their own
superior strength IN the attainu1en. .!
their own selfish comfort. TO the
credit of the American people be it
said, there are many in whom the IN
stinct of courtIy bearing towards
women is an heritage which they
would not abandon If they could. 1t
ls refreshing in this day of selfish rush
and push to see gentleman, and by
gentleman we mean man possessing
the qualities the absence of which we
have so mush deplored. He stands !!
out upon society like the poem of the |
master mind among the mass of rub
bish of the day, like the work OF the
great artists among the pictures OF q |
mediocre gallery. One knows him
instantly and salutes him uncon-
sciously as he passes, and women vel
come him whether he has brains or
blood or comely person. The gentle
man in him, his consideration and at
tentiou to their wants, win for him 4
place among them wherever he goes.
Would that there were more OF them.
1t is true that women permit the care
lessness one 50 often sees, but they DC
so because they find they must, or
think they must at least, and not be-
cause they like it. We believe they
could stop It if they would. But that
is not the point, and does not excuse
the man.