The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-05
MANNERS IN
 THE METROPOLIS Department Store Particular
 Field for Despair CASUAL COURTESY NEEDED New York Takes the Palm Among Nations for Its Hustling lndlffer-
 ence and Lack of
 Feeling.
BY GRACE NORTON.


 New York. November 4-(Special Corre- spondence.) Jour public manners aie coming food for thought and toplo -toi conversation. But the amount or tnoush' and conversation Is in inverse ratio 'o the amount of manners. Indeed. beiore the latter are nil. 1t behooves us not ohly to think and to talk but to do'
 Berlin has the reputation of having the worst public in Europe. There IS cei'a'n grossness of rudness there which sur pa sses the brutality of the Engnsn anu the refined affrontery of the Parisian. But for plain, hustling indifference. New fork takes the palm among nations
 A Bulgarian official recently arrived and full of elaborate politeness, accosteo a man on Wall street. T want to go to Bleecker street" said he in earefui Ens- lish with a courteous bow. why 'he devil don't you go" replied the Wall street man on the run The Bulgarian wondered whether this was a bull or bear
 There is just one place left uptown in New York Saving the policemen) where something like old-time courtesy does US gentle work, That is the Fifth Avenue Hage May that blessed, numbering old in stitution endure Here men and women help one another to seats, asslst m get ting change from the driver and Tn pass ing fares up to the box, with frequent May l help yous,' and Ihank yoos' that do the heart good
 Go with me sometime into the so-caileo slums of New York also, where strang- CTS will walk with you half a block to show you the way, will hunt up others to inquire directions, will stop cars Tor you and lift bundles. And these are the people whom the cold and prosperous uptown folk think they will reform in some future day-when they get the time!
 Well, a certain daily paper has started a young woman out with ten-dollar bill, which she Is to offer to the first man who gives her a seat in an elevated train. She travels at the rush hour and l will war rant she stood long and went far ere she had to give up the first bank note. But this premium on politeness Is said to have created ripple at least in the stagnant pool of indifference. There are many of us who would be glad to offer BIO if we had them for an escape from ei- lowing, showing and harsh words, let alone a seat
 But the department store Is my par ticular field for despair. Of the three volumes that could be written on the sub- ject of Casual Courtesy the first, and a
 
 material from the department stores. can even think of a thrilling plot into which to weave the incidents. A young woman attractive and sensitive, after few months of shopping, single-handed, finally commits suicide in desperation at the treatment received by stony-faced and naughty ladies behind the counter The various stages of her Encouragement might be graphically depicted-the final snub by the large blond at the house. hold furnishing counter q received one yesterday upon the same spot and am still shivering)-the worn-out spirit and the tragic endi It would be a great book. And as I feel myself already taking on the symptoms of the victim through sym pathy, I will jot down few notes ere her fate overtakes me utterlyl
 Has 1t not been proven by the success full of the world that the personal touch enters all things and must in all walks i of life be counted upon? Well-and Is not 1 the commercial world baked every day here In New York by the crude discour- l tesy of small salesmen and women? l After having gone to W.'s and been snubbed from counter to counter my per- | fectly legitimate questions as to goods grudgingly answered, my attempts at 1 friendliness disdained and my person sub jected to naughty stares--am very apt to | give W. my large and valuable patronage 1 l Is frequently kind-he takes little after 1 the policemen on Broadway, who save our lives so debonairly day after day--but to fall from the tender mercies of the floor walker into the chilly circle of the sales- woman means a shock to the nervous sys- | tenn.
 Yesterday had occasion to buy various stains, cleaning materials and other household effects. My domestic experience being rather short. I asked information as to the use of the same. I was really unable to buy without a little investl- gation and as there were no other cus- toners In sight the opportunity seemed excellent. Not so did 1t prove. My ques- tions were received as so many insults added to the injury of my wanting to buy i at all. Was that woman determined that l should not get through the experience with ease? How much of her nervous en- ergy was she willing to put out in ob- structing matter and just how much of mine did she want to use up in turn? i It was incredible.
 I passed on to another counter and l