Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-10
THE DECAY OFCOURZESY.
sy.wALkER LEWIS, D. D.

The decay of courtesy is a proposition
hardly admitting contradiction. 1t
dominates itself. If one is inclined to
raise a question mark after that state
ment. he might as well remove II and
place a period there. The proceedings
OF conventions, the sessions Of boards
and councils and legislatures. the atti-
tude OF men toward. each other In trav-
ell. on the streets and in business. TEEN
with Illustrations of this decadent 'vir-
tue. whose vigor and bloom are
peoples glory.
1 cannot think our past civilization
carried In its social relations so much
OF the coarseness manifest in the pub
lie manners of today. 1t is said, Man
never is, but always to be blest," and
likewise for finding excellence the habit
OF search is invariably from the pres
ent into the past. ''The golden age" OF
everything is back of our generation
rather than overhanging II with balmy
skies. To the Inquiry. why were the ,
former days better than these2t II the
matter OF courtesy were under consid-
Grafton, It could hardly be answered,
in terms true in many other matters,
Thou inquirest not wisely concerning
this We are a better educated, better
equipped people than were our fathers,
but we are not more refined. The fiber
of character may be as firm In us as It
was in them. but its texture is coarser.
Men at heart may feel no more un-
kindly toward their fellows now than
In remoter days OF our republic, but
they are at less pains to keep the fact
Of how they feel II they feel adversely,
from leaping extensively to the surface
of life at every opportunity for pretu-
dice or Irritation to manifest it's senti-
ments. Frequently bruqueness OF man
ner and utterance. as natural In some
as shape OF hand or foot, is taken for
intended slight, when the, intention
and the heart are kind; but not much
OF modern coarseness. making men
unpleasant, or, to say the least, not
agreeable to. their fellows, is prop
erly attributable to this source, and Is
therefore to be taken out OF the ac-
count. People owe each other for cour-
tesy. due but withheld, for Sights and
insults instead of respect.
Now 1 am far from objecting to
plainness Of speech. The severest can
dor and the hardest words may fall
upon the ears and the heart OF our fell
lows without offending the sensitive
ness OF a gentleman. Two friends of
mine were capital examples, one a
benedict, the other a bachelor. Origi-
nally of the same statue, the benedict
became much stouter after his mar
riage The bachelor was offered a
very fine suit the other had bought In
the period Of his leanness. He was
independent, though lean, and said;
''I'll take II for what you gave for it,
"No" said the other, ''the pay is moth
ing. It's a present" The bachelor
thought to flank his generous antago-
mist, and after examining the suit de-
clined again. IT'S entirely too big for
me; it's big enough for GOLIATH" mo,
1t isn't" replied the benedict, ''but
It is not too big for any other liar, and
you must take 1t.
Now the harshness of this statement
did not affect its courtesy. It isn't
necessary for a man to become a gush-
er IN order to render to his fellows the
honor which Is their due. When
former Georgia president of college
ran against a COW on the campus and
began the profoundest apology to
madam" he made, owing to near
sightedness, mistake which, though
quite creditable to his gentlemanly
heart. Is not expected Of persons that
see we'll OVERRIDING the agreeable costs
more than IT brings. The man who
gushes is in danger Of lying fearfuiiy.
Insincere Is he who Is, delighted" to
see everybody. who compliments every
sophomore in bar or hustings or pulpit
as a Hill or a Pierce, lifts his hat to a
clothes line decorated with a silsS skirt
and greets a business drudge as a
royal gentleman" because OF his COM
mercial Importance. may be rated as
a Chesterfield, but hts courtesy falls
far below the genuine stun one sees in
even the newsboy that puts half hts
days earnings in fruit for his little
invalid companion OF the route.
recall a candid, rough man Of other
days He was like a blackjack, though
mockings birds nested and sang in its
branches. ano, mado widows and want
glad with their notes. He had offended
a townsman by his outspokenness. A
mutual friend informed him Of the
fact and sent him forthwith to make
an apology which he was prompt to
offer. His cordially intended amende;
however, was worse than the offense.
Captain Blank, I'm told 1 offended
you yesterday by a remark. didn't ,
mean to do II. Why, captain, 1 didn't
think you were such an unmitigated
fool!'F And after that he turned upon
his heels and entered his office. He
thought everything was adjusted and
pleasant, when the mutual friend burst
into his ONCE next day, warm enough
himself over the bIunder to explode
a powder magazine. '
I'm astonished at your he said re-
proachfully. You have a good heart,
but less suaviter in modO than any man
in Georgian What that means I do
not exactly know" came the blunt re-
ply; "but II II means money, give you
to understand I've got as much of that
as any of you"
Glorious old capitalist The blackjack
had many a bag of gold at its roots,
but it's rough and stubborn head bow
ed to child or governor alike as the
winds OF heaven swept over its
branches. Had he been five times as
wealthy and important in business en-
terprise, he would have shown no diff
ference Of department toward the ricn-