Evening journal., 1902-05-24
BiIIParSOn'S 'SCOIumn
Published Now and Then.
Public Courtesy

Certain it is that in the congested
centegs. where the eye rests only upon
strangers, there is a growing tendency
tor each to draw himself into his
shell. and to assiduously cultivate the
habit Of looking out for number one.
1t is only a habit, however, with
many, and Oltentimes when the en-
virOnment changes the selhshness and
indifference disappear.
1t has been noticed that those little
ccm,esies. which at a former period
women invariably received in public,
ale now withheld. A decade ago a man
VINO occupied a seat in car while a
woman was LETT standing, would have
Desa withored by the contempt of his
fellows.
10 see how all this has changd, one
has only to take few trips in the
public conVeyances of New York City.
On the elevated roads the crowds rusl
into the trains the instant they come
to a standsull. the strongest pushing
the weakest aside. Each man rushes
to a seat and travels to his destination
without lifting his eyes.
There is no Difference to feminin-
ity, youth, old age, beauty and ug-
liness are treated impartially. Each
seems to say Il am an atom, and each
atom must look out for itself"
We might figure out the reasons for
this state of affairs, and in the end
doubtless. we should conclude that
innately the New York citizen is ca
pable of all the courtesy Of other per-
sons, but that this regrettable habit is
due to environment
Some years ago ! found myself on a
train pulling out of Kansas City one
bright October morning. That train
was destined to roll into Los Angeles
some ten days later. That morning /
knew not soul, save my companion,
yet when we pulled into the depot at
the point of our destination there were
friendships that were hard to break.
This is not an exaggeratiOn; before
we had been out a half day we con-
stituted a large family that extended
from one Pullman to another; family
histories were laid bare, and each We'd
with the other in contributing to the
general comfort Sections were ex-
comfortable, an invalid was trans
ferred from an upper to a lower berth,
and even slices OF homemade cake
were passed around. At the end Of the
journey many of the new-made friends
said goodbye with regrets, and promis-
IS of correspondence were made, and
some of them we know were kept.
A few years since l found myself in
nCtle town on a small branch Of a
railroad out in the mountains OF West
Virginia. he hotel was bad, the town
muddy and mOnotOnOus, and there was
nothing to do but to await the going
of the first train some twelve hours
later.
in looking over the greasy register
found the name of Colonel Blank, a
rather noted public lecturer from
Georgia. He had been giving a lecture
there the previous night, l learned.
The inhabitants of the hotel were
good hammered enough, but stupid,
and therefore in pure self-defense
determined to make the Colonel s
acquaintance. 1t proved an easy task,
J for he was as anxious for diversion as
l was.
After a time he remarked that he
had discovered that by driving some
miles we could get an earlier, and a
better train, and insisted on my ac-
companying him. That ride will never
be forgotten. We reached Washington
after midnight, and he had entertained
me every moment with interesting de-
scriptions of the South, the war; and
reconstruction, politics, religion, litera-
mre-every subject that under his
treatment was fascinating and charm
ling.
He insisted on my stopping in
Washington as his guest at the hotel,
and seeing that should | refuse he
might be offended / complied. 1t was
only after an elaborate breakfast that
| secured my release and resumed my
Tourney. 1t was simply his idea OF
courtesy.
have two other Southern colOnel'
I'm mind. whom TO have met was a
privilege and an inspiration. One
might some years ago I was a passen-
ger on a boat bound for Toronto
Through the Bay of Quinte. The pas
lsengers were all out on deck, for il
was a beautiful night, and the glorious
full moon shone out over the watei
in a most enhancing way. Under sucf
circumstances. sleep in a stuffy state
room was ont of the question.
There we~sat. all strangers, eacl
bent on his own meditations. Present
Inv the Colonel came out on deck. w
knew he was a colonel; it wa
stamped on him from his graceful
4 masterful carriage to his moustach
and imperial He took a seat, and 70
. some time sat watching the shore
: where the lights and shadows playe
= along Prince Edwards Island.
Then he turned his attentio
( to the passengers. and gradually brok
q 1.-The icy barriers and drew them in cor
versation. He brought the capital
forward and drew from him a series
Interesting stories concerning tf
country and its history. He got OF
grave clergyman limbered up till
. told us some side-splitting experience
- He discovered that one young ma