Evening star., 1933-02-19

I Owe, to the young Virginian with the FIRE.
l. proachable manners, was grave and
worthy subject. Perhaps he didn't smile as
much as he should have in his younger years.
But as he grew older, and the hair under his
powdered wig turned white, he had better luck.
His own rules of conduct were part Of his gen.
eral set-up by that time. They worked beau
tifully for him in the presidential days.
BE no fatterer, neither play with any that
delights not to be played withal." Here again,
he had found out the tactics that work and do
not work quite as though he were searching for
material for a love-lorn column.
There is touch of pathos in the next rule,
when you consider the gibes that may have
come the way of the serious minded young Vir-
ginian because of his own physical appearance:
"Reproach not for the infrmities Of nature,
nor delight to put them that have in mind
thereof"
Some of the rules are much like the ones
that we read in any newspaper column today.
eff any one comes to speak to you while you
are sitting, stand up. though he be your tn
ferior. and when you present seats let It he TO
give every one according to his degree"
Perhaps the presidential mansion was having
more or less difficulty with table seating at It's
dinner parties even then. A little more definite
information might have helped others choose
their places more easily in recent years.
when you meet with one of greater quality
than yourself stop and retire, especially if it be
at door any straight place, to give way for
him to pass"
Any public official knows where the first
President received the suggestion for this rule:
"Let your intercourse with men of business be
short and comprehensive"
And he wrote:
Eat not in the streets, nor in ye house, ous
of season"
There may have been guests at Mount YER
non, or in the first White House, who brought
their business worries with them. Washington
was gay and friendly soul, who wanted those
around him to be happy when the candles
shone and the fiddlers slipped into the dream
lest melodies
So he wrote another rule: ''Treat with men
at fit times about business and whisper not In
the company of Others"
A ND he had some rules about table man.
~ ners, too:
Being set at meat, scratch nor neither spit,
cough or blow your nose except there's a neces-
sity for 1t.
Make no show of great delight in your VIC
with knife, lean not ON the table, neither flnd
fault with what you eat"
The Father Of HIS Country would need to re-
wise at least part Of this rule # he wanted 4 to
apply 10 the twentieth century. Bread is noe
cut today. It Is broken.
George Washington wouldn't have invited q
guest back to his house. either, II he had placed
piece Of bread On his dinner plate and COW
cred Il with gravy. The -dunking" process
which few advice columnists sanction, though
Is on his list OF things to do.
II you soak bread tn the sauce let 1t be no
more than what you put in your mouth at
time and blow not your broth at table but stay
TILL 1t cools Of ITSELF" he wrote
Put not your meat to your mouth with your
knife in your hand, neither spit forth the stones
OF any fruit pie upon a dish nor cast anything
under the table,"
The servants may have complained because
the crumbs were too numerous and hard rolls
or bones sought the floor as depository.
Cleanse not your lips with the tablecloth,
napkin. fork or knife but if others do 1t let It
be done with a toothpick"