Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-01-12
MANNERS PAST AND PRESENT.

There are many worthy people who are
always looking backwards, and for whom
all goodness and excellence must exist in
the past tense Naturally they find many
things to complain of in modern condi-
tons, and over nothing do they grow
more melancholy than over the decline of
good manners. Chiyary is dead among
men. they wall Women have exchanged
grace and sOftnesS for brusqueness. Chill
dren are mere Doors. and then they sigh
for the good old days when people had
time for the proper cultivation OF the fine
art of department.
Good manners have been described Is
the expression of good feeling. That wars
never more prevalent than at present.
and in that sense manners Were never
better, but even taken in its convention
al usage, it is doubtful if the claim that
manners have deteriorated is not more
fancied than real We have not worse
manners. Only different. New condi-
lions have neceSsitated Il new ideal.
A Sir Charles Grandson, bowling over
the lily-white hand of lady of his time,
Is perfect picture of the good manners
of an epoch when men wore lace ruffies
and satin brocade, and women had moth
ing to do but smirk and smile and sim
peg. and listen to GrandilOduent compli-
mentS. Such an exchange of civilities
between the hustlng men and women of
the end of the century would be absurd
our manners, like our clothes, are less
ornate. but just as good. and the friendly
handshakc, or the curt nod cover Just
as much good feeling as the elaborate
bow, with hand ON heart, of the old
courtier.
There is equally as little truth in The
charge that men are less chivalrous than
they used To be. No man. it is true,
dresses himself up in Il suit of boiler
plate ana fares forth on his trusty
charger nowadays to play knight errant
to some distressed damsel. bus no woman
finds the men of her family any the
less ready to protect her becaus. thev are
everyday business men and wear sack
| coats and derby hats. There has been
but one Shipwreck in modern times when
the right Of way was not given 10 women
before man was permitted 10 enter the
boats, and in every great public disaster
me cry Is, save the women and children
| first
Certainly the modern woman has no
right to complain of the lack of chiyalry
among men. TO what does she owe il
that she can travel alone in perfect safe.
| ~ from one end of the country 10 thn
other, but to the fact that chivalry il
~ universal She needs no especial knight
! To protect her. In the good old times
| we are forever lamenting when a man
| did anything for woman hr hid II
!
Now he does not SAY, Il give Won this
of my grace hut Come up and share
| equally with ME in the good things of
! life, coheir of all the ages" That is n
SuhlimIty of chivalry that your Sir
! LauncelotS never even dreamed of
! Perhaps there is some truth in the CON,
! plIment thar womenS manners are mere
! nruSquc. Certainly they are more frank.
! We have aS sex, outgrown the sweet
meat age. We don't care to be fed on
! compliments
! Men aud women no longer always meet
on the impossible plane of the adored ana
! the adorcr They are comrades. and
| their manners must inevitably be pitched
! IN that key. When women read only
! wlNhy-waShy hooks that men despiSed.
! and were afraid to let ii be known they
were not idiots for fear of the reproach
! of being thought Strong-minded: whnr
! they shared none Of mans outdoor
! sports, and few of his amuSementS. stilt-
! Ell conversation and artificial parlor man,
/ ncrS We're possible. Now. when a WON.
| an treads pretty much all the round Of a
/ mans occupation and amuSementS and
! sports. it is different. You can't pose
! with Il person with whom YOU WORK OF
| fish and hunt and golf and it is this
| lack OF pose that old-faShioned critics
! condemn as lack Of manners. New Or
! leans picayWc.