The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-08-18
ETIQUETTE IN FOREIGN
COUNTRIES is DIFFERENT

X c H MOND, VAS ecial-
Etiquette in foreign countries is so
ulHerent from that of our native land
thaJ some of us would not know how,
10 conduct ourselves should we sud
uenly realize on our oil investments
or get unexpected returns from our
mining stock and decide upon travel
as the quickest method Of disposjnr
OF the surplus, says Richard S.
graves IN the Philadelphia Telegran nh
1t may be several weeks vet before
any OF us start to make a Journey
around the world on the funds de-
rived from such sources. but il is iust
as well 10 consider beforehand how
we should act.
Not one of us would want TO he
pointed out as the person who struck
II rich only week before last and then
ne followed from place to place bv n
crowd that wished TO be present to
ENJOY our discontinue when. next we
made bad break. Those who now
nave money and travel in other
lands make a sufficient number of
plumbers to give us an undesira BILE
reputation and get us in bad with the
foreigners.
l have just learned. for example.
that IN Syria people do not remove
their turbans when they enter a
house, but invariably they leave their
shoes at the door. This knowledge
should be widely disseminated among
those who contemplate visiting
friends in Syria. over there the resi-
dents have expensive rugs on the
floors, just as we have here, but the
dlnerence is that they use theirs to
kneel upon and say their PRAYERS.
The people of Persia consider il
good manners to send word an hour
or two before they make a visit. That
gives the woman of the house time to
stralghten the pillow shams and do
up her hair.
No Turk will enter a house with
muddy or dusty shoes. In this par
ticular there is a difference between
the Turk and the average American
There is ground for some specuIa-
ton as to what would happen 10 a
farmer, say from Pike county, Ill,
should he chance TO be in Turkey and
accept on short notice a number of
invitations to call. Still in his pro-
tracted absence his wife back III Pike
lively little difficulty in keeping the
house clean unless she had grown
sons.
When two persons converse in
China etiquette DEGREES that each
shall compliment the other and de-
preciate himself.
Where is your honorable palace p"
one asks. The other replies: MY
wretched hut is in Luchan"
There is difference between this
conversation and that of two Ameri-
cans VINO meet in the smoking COM
partment of a Pullman car.
Been living there ten years now"
the other replies. I've done fairly
we'll, though 1 ought to have gone to
New York. I cleaned up $4,000 on
the side last year and invested il in
a home out on the avenue. Rather
nice little place, too. You live in
Cleveland?"
Yes, / hold out there as the pres
ident of one of the big banks and
have about 100000 in real estate.
I'm a little like you, though Some
times I've a good mind to go over to
New York and take Wall Street apart
TO see how ii is made"
Such conversation would not make
any kind of a social hit in China. For
the reputation OF our country 1 hope
that neither the man from Indianapo-
lis nor the man from Cleveland will
ever have the opportunity of talking
like that on the other side Of the
world. Not that / care particularly
what the Chinese think of us, but
wouldn't brag TO dog, at any rate.
When we get returns from the min
ing stock that is now reposing in the
bureau drawer and start on the jour
ney around the world we may feel in
clined to take our etiquette with us,
but nearly all of ii should be left at
home.