The Haslingden Gazette. — 1907-05-18 (Haslingden, Lancashire, England)

WALL KENE."  now often 0120 liners the phrase, "Ho ii A per. feet gentlornsua" on the lips of the modern girl! Generally, alto refers to some sleek, tailor's dummy, blest with the every-day gift a of !stature in but the slightest degree; thia "perfect gentleman" has the faculty of sintering into a species of conversation consisting mainly of monosyllabic utterances uttered in an affected drawl; and if entouraged may probably venture a remark on the weather; his exterior is polieheil, his grammar may be correct, and his politonew perhaps cannot be ex. elided; his conduct, when with the fair sex, is absolutely irreproachable—in broad daylight, and maybe his personal appearance has earned for him the soubriquet of "Beauty." But are the,o bril. liant qualifleations essential, does their paisiessiori stamp the owner with the hallmark of "Gentleman," and must the mut who falls short in one of these particular, stand for over without the pale of gentlensanlineas? The old time standard has disappeared; the ranks of the Yeomen are thinned; and the country opal* and his gallantry are things to be read of in short stories, but very seldom met with; while the drinking, gambling, jolly-good-fellow of the pest century .nrold—if his could come back to this land of money-tag pride—ho set down as • "ne'er. do-weel." If • man earns his daily bread to day by daily toil—he is just • man. If he can forestall the market, commit a sharp practice neatly, promote • shady company Cr two—leaving a few mined families. in their wake, if he can dottiest, things, and at the same time wear a siik hat at the couToot angle, why bless you, be is • gentle. wan, a perfect gentleman no matter how Marl suicides (moral murders) 111.0 On Ills conscience against the successful specuLation that has gaimod hint hie social designation. Fmobbery and wealth, with its attendant pomps and vanities, ere at the present time synonymous terms with "Gentleman." and the phrase "The tailor make, the man- was never nearer a false justification than it is today. • Few men—l may "few men" because there ant exceptions, and they arc the exceptions who prove She rule--ran combine honesty and integrity with unaffeetisi style and gain the title of gentleman. If you or I wore to point out such a man and honour him with melt a distinction, we should be considered witty; we should have perpetrated a good joke and unearthed a paradox of the finest Water. (No, Ism not Irish, but I want to drive the point home.)  , , Yet. really A is not an imptssible task to get at the distinguishing point of gontlemanlint-s. but it iss hard task.  It is necessary to break the hard shell and get to the kernel before one can pace judgment on • aut. and it a necessary in like manner to break through the Aril of external appearance and get to the heart before ono can clas.ify to man. The waving locks, the smooth middle partings' anii brush and comb, and Brilliantine efectr--ititist bo overlooked; the neat c.-ease in the trousero cutlet ho passed by—this ce.ult is Easily gained I.y plaeing our nether adornments in • press Or between the mattresses. They are rely •ro. Icialiticat of coarse, it is very pleissant br see a wan neat and tidy in appearance, but vvelyste eadisot be eat and in looking for tho g‘iitkman, tonsorial and sartorial arts give but very little assiet•nes.  A splendid education will go • long way, io equipisiag la man with forces to fight the world and raise him in the social rank, but education atone is sot the parry, rt for geidlem.snlinese. Point out the man who hoops the fifth Commandment; who kilos., and re...pinta the meaning of the word wife; who ean treat all crher women as h, mould hie own sister; and who possesses the virtues, truth, honesty, and courage; and if that man be .I,e:sed in tho blackest of coveralls, if his hands are horny and roded—ho is the g--nilunuin. It, may not have the knack of turning neat cone pliments out by tho yard, and perhaps he has never rained hie hat tu anyone in his life; but, nevertheless, that is the man whom I ant going to ',Anil the perfect gentleman in face of ad the rules of etiquette and eocial customs.  Mankind generally will eay he ia plat • man, but therein is the crux—it is better nowadays to be a man, a manly man, and be called to eh. than earn the title of perfect gentleman by paei‘mg through the mire to each the present day olimato of • gentleman.