The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-26
COMMODORE THINKS
 OF GOOD OLD DAYS
Remembers Time When All Men Were Courteous to All
 Ladies

1 happened to be one of little party seated on a South Side porch the other evening. We were old fogies, most of us, conversng quietly of old places and old faces. But there were two young people, boy and a girl, sitting on the steps. and 1 glanced at them idly every once in while, wondering what they were discussing so earnestly. Presently my hostess rose to go into the house. The young man heard the slight move- ment behind him. glanced over his shoul- der and with quiet, graceful courtesy moved quickly and opened the screen for her-a little act performed without ostentation and punctuated with the half of a grave, old shioned bow. Then he returned to his place by the girls side and went on tempestuously about tennis. says the Commodore in the Kansas City Star
 You see, the reason I mention the incl dent is just this: It attracted attention. Two old ladies exchanged mods and smiles and man sitting next to me leaned over and whispered:
 Did you catch that, Commodore? Re- flutes one of your favorite arguments. doesn't it?"
 
 doesn't; in fact, it's the exception that proves the rule. If such manners as that were seen every day you would never have commented upon it. You probably share the opinion that seems to prevail among many of my young friends that I'm an old Meddle- some Matty. One of them, with whom had been discussing the abuses suffered by "the grand old name of gentleman" left my side the other day and from the | doorway. beyond the reach of my stick. turned to chant flippantly:
 1 ''Oh, please don't drive the railroad spike l In dear old mothers face;
 | Remember she's a lady
 1 And she holds a lady's place." l If you had seen the sun shine on as many changes in style and custom as have you would, perhaps, find more | cause for tears than mirth in social l system which condones youthful disre- | spect for elders and demands from el- ders meek submission to the sovereign ! will of some flghty Flora or foolish Fred find more truth than with coming from these half cynical jokesmiths who cal | attention in one form or another to the fnalienable right of children to choose | their own parents.
 Many of the little niceties of gooC breeding which mark the gentleman have fallen upon evil days-hysterical days lik' | from babyhood to old age. We have nt time for the formality of good manners that's what 1t comes to. The trouble starts with mothers who are too muci occupied with frivolities to take pain with their children, and it's easy to trac
 the results in daughters who flutter dis dainfully past the neglected regions o
 toyland to become debutantes at 1O 1 and 12, with all the mannerisms of wom en of the world; and in sons who joil the instruction against parental contro
 before they move out of knee trousers
 The subject has infinite variation
 which l could discuss until the COW
 come home For the present the fact tha
 stands out most clearly is that there ar
 plenty of clear-minded young girls who at sober moments, admit that they ar
 responsible for the bad manners of thei
 men friends by not insisting upon a nor
 respectful treatment; and there are younl
 men who realize their shortcomings. bu
 make no effort to change because they d. ' not feel that the girls care one way Q
 the other. And there 1t rests.