The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-09-17
Giving Seats to Women.
An Unknown Correspondent
Passes a Rebuke to the Men
and the Landmark Submits
a F ew Words of Comment.
Statesville Landmark.

Statesvile Landmark
Theat following paragraph appear.
ed in a recent issue of the Landmark:
Men who are not disposed to give
their seats to women in public places
will learn with interest that man
who gave his seat to woman in New
York street car the other pay, fell of the
ear as a result and both his legs were cu,
Off Ii he survives. which is not expected
he will ever after be debarred from stand
ing up to give his seat to anybody.
The Landmark has received from
an unknown correspondent letter
postmarksd Fayetteville, in which
the above clipping is enclosed with
the following, written in lady,
hand:
Just keep your seat, young gentlemen,
Let ladies do the best they ken;
Tho straps may hang and knock and
bruise,
They ne'er limb made US lose;
Besides We've sense enough to stay
Within the car doors, anyway.
And hope that us you will excuse,
When gentlemen their standing lose.
All of which is very good. The
Ladmark can't reply in verse, but it
is moved to say, to keep it's own rec
ord straight, that it favors the old
rule gentlemanly conduct which re-
quires all males who have legs that
will support them to stand until all
ladies are seated. But realizes that
much of the bad manners of men in
this as in other respects, is due to the
bad manners of women. In a car,
for instance, how many ladies move
luggage to offer a seat to man?
Hardly one in dozen. They will,
like SO many men, occupy room for
two while not only men but members
OF their own sex stand. And when
the male being, with the eallantry
that should always characterize him,
offers his seat to "a 4ady, how many
show any appreciation? A smile, u
bow, or a word of thanks, would make
the average man feel more than re-
paid; and while the gentleman will
continue to offer his seat to women,
he does it less willingly when he sees
them take it as if he was trespass-
er and had robustness there anyway.
1t is the woman who is and always
must be the teacher of gentleness
and courtesy. The boy reared with
out coming under the refining and
gentle influence of a good woman
is usually bad hammered if not thor
ougherly bad. Men left to themselves
are disposed to be selfish and incon-
siderate. 1t is usually the influence
Ola good woman that makes the gen
tleman. But if the women cease to
be gentle, courteous and considerate
to men, is it any wonder that so
many men fall into the bad habit of
being incOnsiderate to women? If
the women are not refined and cour-
teous the man who is disposed to be
selfish and unrefined. will certainly
drift along his natural bent.
Not one word herein said is offered
by way of apology for the failure of
any man to at all times show proper
courtesy to women. 1t is our busi-
ness to be gentlemen and we are in
excusable if we neglect any courtesy
due the daughters of Eve. even
though SO many Of them seem at
times to forget, in the matter of
good manners at least, that they
are ladies. We have only mentioned
these things for the consideration
OF the beloved sisters, and to remind
them that the decadeHce in the man
ners OF men has its origin in the de-
cadence of the manners of women.
But brethren, we must still stand for
the women. We may not know any
better than to 90 outside the car be-
cause there is not room on the inside;
but we must stand, even to the ex-
tent of losing our standing.
Submitting with our best man
ners and the most distinguished con-
slderation to the unknown Fayette-
vile correspondent, and to- Others
to whom it may apply.