El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-05
Manners In Mansions
By Mrs. Madge Humphrey

A AGISTRATES must often wish
N for a recognized code Of man
ners for jewellers in flats.
Frequent cases come before these en-
barrassed gentlemen which they must
find difficulty in deciding. The truth
is that an eleventh commandment is
needed for the various families who
are domiciled under a single roof. 1t
might be worded: Consider the 9th
ers-' II every one were to obey It,
there would be considerably less fric-
tlon- As things are, one can scarcely
take Up q paper without reading about
some pickering, some assault some
SANDER in the many mansions Of the
metropolis
One Of the causes of these dissen-
slons is the enormous quantity of talk
that goes on. Every small ANNOYANCE
IS discussed until Ii becomes a griv-
ahce- IemperS rise, and when as
6IleNeo and aSEreSSOr meet on the
stars there are all the elements Of
strife prepared A spark is enough to
start the combat The dog belonging
20 10. 10 may make an insulting re-
marx TO the canine pet Of No. Is, who
resents II without delay. The owners
OF the animals join in the warfare and
mutual recrimination ensues Domes-
TIC pets have been a cause of war ever
since the first house was built.
Borrowing shOuldd never be prac-
ticed by the lover OF peace. II is
nancy, no doubt especially when one
IorEets the early closing days. But K
IS very dangerous The lender is apt
TO adopt critical attitude toward
what is returned She thinks Il rather
less than she had lent. or suspects IL
OF being inferior in quality. II the
borrower should DO OF liberal dispose
ton and return more and better than
her neighbor lent, the borrower NAV
wonder II she thinks 1 want interest
IL NJ Ma -H--
people,
one single cantankerous woman is
sufficient TO disturb the entente cor
dale in a whole block OF flats She
takes low views OF the actions OF
others, attributes base motives, Is in
credulous Of good intentions. IS desti-
tute OF such herself, and her manners
are OFTEN inSupporta bic. She frequent
y adds untempered curiosity to her
faults OF temper, opens other persons
letters by accident and has been
known TO examine kilograms by some
patent method OF her own OF unstick-
ing and sticking down again. She
may be unaware that the law has a
special label for her in the word can
tankerous-" This is the woman who
sends abusive postcards to anyone she
may happen to dislike. She even sends
abusive postcards 70 herself and tries
10 fix the guilt on someone against
whom she has a grudge
Wisdom dictates that Il Is much
better TO begin with a little aloofness,
tempered by a ready smile and pleas
ant bow, than to start off an acquaint-
ance with the habit Of conversing
whenever one meets another denizen
OF flatland. There is a happy medium
between civility and rudeness which
can be attained BY a person OF q mod
crate mind When one mansion" lady
says to another, 7 can't allow so and
So the person addressed very natur-
ally feels aggrieved- A gentle tone
and quiet manner are the best equip /
ment for life in flats. The rIOtous
scenes Of which one occasionally reads 1
would then be avoided. There is 50 /
much in manner. over susceptibility
appears to be a characteristic OF I
dwells in mansions" To be too cas- 1
lily annoyed is to render ones own I
life uncomfortable and to make enc 4
mics II one gives expression to the /
annoyance.