New-York tribune., 1905-02-14
HoxsesviDes Exc6anee.
BAD MANNERS IN CHURCH.


West Side" treats principally with streetcar
manners on the part Of conductor and male passen-
ger when l enter a streetcar in New-York or in
most Of our large cities. am usually thrown vio-
!entIy ooWn onto seat necessitating rnortifying
4urch against my next neighbor owing to the hasty
Suooen starting of the So m lcr for the con-
ductor.
when board very crowded car I seIdom-per-
maps might say never-stand for any length of
time before some man politely rises and offers me
MS seat; therefore, what can I do but render ap-
preclatiVe praise TO my gallant countryrnen OF the
passenger contingent?
Ihere Is certain city in Union of about
sixty thousand inhabitants which has a most ad-
mirahle streetcar service. Neither "step Hvely!"
nor any other "hustlng" command is ever heard;
neither is a started until the passengers are
seated, and, save special unusual occasions
u Is rare TO see passenger standing hanging
to strap. Patient. oblging courtesy is a notice
able characteristic Of conductor and motorman
alike.
Though the allusion of West Side" 70 shopgfrl
manners claims my sympathy in goodly meas
Ure, we must not condemn the whole body for the
sins of some for many saleswomen are most
gracious and affabe.
In one Of the most prominent and extensive estab-
hshments in New-York the Indifference and mat
tention Of number OF the salesgirls is really in
toierabe. Not once, nor twice. but repeatedly.
have I had to wait for a salesgrl TO finish her
Irritation with of the young men in the store
ner gossip Win one or more or the OIher girls
before she could condescend to attend TO
In justice it must be admitted that in some of
the departments of this store the saleswomen are
There are salespeople, men and women, in some
stores whose conduct drives customers elsewhere
10 make their purchases rather tnan submit 70 thelr
curt and authoritative manners. often have
portunity to secure the service of some clerk Of
more satisfactory demeanOr.
good manners in shSpgirs than the dsgustlng and
sickenlng haot OF chewing gum: Every proprietor
employ shall chew gum in the presence of a Gus
doctors orders" and kindred excuses employed
by followers Of fads to Justify their bad habits and
Mh I 'seS Sensible 5 JSS peopIe d parent 10 nave any
From another source comes a grievance against
the delivery clerks Of the butcher. the baker; the
grocer. etc, for their bad manners My experience
that the urbanity. pOteness and thoughtfulness Of
the most Of those in that line Of life with whom
superiors in social standing The very lew other
And now I wish TO Introduce another phase Of
bad public manners" It has sometimes been said
that when some very good. respectable, Christian,
churchgoing people go away from home , Tor sea sea
The companion charge may be added that they also
One Sunday afternoon some years ago went TO
one Of the first class Presbyterian churches in
most cultured best beloved undershepherds the
Lord ever placed over flock; was rather early;
best in the church. The pew directly in front OF
four Young women A few moments afterward a
fine looking well dressed woman with a little child
down the aisle to the mead OF that pew, and
fairly looked those five people to their feet The
young and one OF the young women went out
of the pew, so leaving enough space for the woman
and her child, and the three other young women
sumed their seats. Soon after a fine looking, we'll
dressed man with a little child came down the
aisle aiming at the same pew. but when he saw
there was in il for him he quietly seated
Nov I am birthright Westminster catechism.
blue Presbyteran, with a broad fraternal feeling
for other Christian denominations. and my ante
cedents and environments were such that TINS IN
cfdent so filled me with holy horror that / came
near having a nervous collapse. To-day would
similar lnCldent IN an allosether IlILereIlt
light While 1 will yield inch on the score
of legitimate church hospitality TO any one. ex-
sympathy TO those good CfrlS-
tfan travellers and tourists who, having left their
manners at home, enter a church, eIude or ignore
the service Of the ushers help themselves to
f+i ~ ~ lsin7 n he told that they are in a pri-
These same people would doubtless resent being
made the victims of such usurpaton in their own
home church.
Another infraction of good manners is the habit
of si2htseers 10 into church on Sunday morning
lshed their curiosity 70 ledve curing tne opening
service just before the sermon regardless or the
churches Of historical architectural interest are
usually open at stated hours for the accommoda-
ton OF tourists. there is no excuse for this.
Lest il be contended that the prevalent so-caued
free pew system is an ''extenuating circumstance
in favor Of visitors helping themselves to which
ever pew they choose 70 Select, peg 70 say NO.
il is not. force Of efficient ushers is duty to
attend TO strangers and TO seat them 10 the best
ADVANTAGE while not eucroaching unnecessarily
TbaI I'M msn'sreG visitors uost Frequently insist
IAAt ~ mann
I aver that this criticism upon the conduct Of
church visitors does not initiate against the
ttv CIVILITY.
St Augustine. Fla.