Evening journal., 1900-03-26
COUNTESS CASTELLANE|
SHE COMPARES AMERICAN AND
FRENCH MANNERS.
Impressions of the Young Woman
Who Was Formerly Miss Anna
cOuId-she Says Frenchmen Have
More Taste.

The Countess Castellane, formerly
Miss Anna Gould, said to a ne wspaper
reporter the other day;
'ro be frank. then, in matters Of
etiquette the people Of my adopted
country seem to me far ahead of those
in America.
''In little things, which, after all, as
in the question of dress, are the big
things, the Americans are neglectful
or ignorant.
give years abroad in the aristo-
cratic Faubourgs have made me cog
nizant Of details, which, when l was
Anna Gould, / should probably not
have noticed.
knowledge is gained by experience.
l remember that / used to write that
sentence in my copybooks in as round
and perfect a hand as l could mas
ter. l have learned now that it is a
fundamental principle.
"Until had lived, as it were, en- vie
intime. with the Parisians of st. Ger
main. l still thought our customs. our
manners, all perfection. Now l am en-
dowed with power to contrast.
with what do find fault? All, re-
member the praise will come later.
First then, to attach the blame.
For instance, let us imagine a
scene in one of the most exclusive
drawing-rooms Of this beautiful city.
Follow me through the front door,
where we have presented our cards to
a butler. perfectly trained, admirably
uniformed. The house, as far as we are
permitted a glimpse of it, is charming
ly furnished. Everything is, if may
so express 1t, as It should be. By the
lights In the drawing-room, which are
toned. to perfection, with draperies at
the windows or shades on the lamps.
one distinguishes a group of women.
beautiful, well-dressed.
well, imagine l have entered an.
nounced by the butler. The hostess
rises and greets me. By the custom
which prevails in America, she intro
duces me.
What? 1 am astounded, not that
she introduces me-remember, 1 have
been born and brought up in America
but that no one rises. No, they sit
perfectly still and bow.
I'm France would they do that7
Never When the hostess rises they all
rise.
mo one is ever introduced there un-
less she requests it. Without being in
troduced every one speaks, taking 1t
for granted that to be guests at the
same house is sufficient guarantee Of
ones social standing.
"But an introduction in France, no
matter how informal may be the gath
ering, Is a signal to rise. OF course,
am speaking now entirely of a gath
ering Of women. know none who
would remain seated and bow to an
other.
Then let us pass on the moment Of
departure. Imagine I have said good
by to the hostess. The others also re-
main seated while l disappear. All,
what bad tastel Pardon me, so it
seems TO me, who has become accus.
toned TO seeing everyone rise as
pass out of the room.
Here it is no uncommon thing to
see a woman stretch out her hand to
a friend and remain in her chair while
she does so. She will greet her cordial.
ly, and yet not take the trouble to rise.
1T is a custom which resident of
France cannot fail to comment upon.
"The French people seem, SO to
speak, to have their manners at the
tips Of their fingers.
81 believe l must say it-they are
uniformly more polite.
Il believe they are, as a rule. more
considerate Of ones feelings.
after all, has not someone said
that good maners are Indicative of n
good heart? All French people have
not only good hearts, but, surely, it
seems to be part Of their training nev.
er to hurt anyone's feelings.
Il have seen here as gorgeous lew
els, as magnificent costumes, as ever
one could see in Paris. OF the former
l must say 1 have seen more.
Here the women seem to wear
their jewels as if to say:
Can one have too muca- Of a good
thlngT
by all the Partisan laws of good
taste-yes.
"ln France there are never any en-
tertainments given for women only.
All, imagine such a thing in France!
How funny it would be. Every one
would say, Why not men, tooY
How do account for this fact that
there are no women's lunches, wo-
mems teas?
Wen, this you may resent, so l say
1t timidly: The French woman is more
domestic than the American. Yes. she
is. She would not think of leaving her
j house, her babies, unless for some
: thing important To meet women
would not be to her important. To
meet men-ahl well, yes, men are
more important.
mo French woman would ever
deny the importance of man any more
than she would DENY his attraction.
Are Frenchmen more attentive
than American men? An, / married a
q Frenchman, and had met innumera.