Year: 1868

"Shirley Dane writes as follows to
the Chicago Republican:


Did you ever notice how ludicrously
senseless the effect is, of a platoon of
women walking down the street on a
cloudy morning, when the sun no more
showed his face than if he was suffering
from toothache, and each one of these
women hold a large parasol open, grave
ly bearing down the promenade, carry
ing sunshade, or an umbrella, wheth-
er there is need of it or not, and the
fair creatures uuthinkingly carry them
raised 1t looks as meaningless as to
see, as l have seen, woman walking
down street in fresh breeze on a July
afternoon, tanning herself as she went,
from shere force of habit, not thinking
what she was about Do observe, ladies,
before you raise your parasols, whether
there is the least need for them A
convenient fashion is to hang the sun
shade by loop to the belt when it is
needed.


Another awkwardness that anuoys
persons Of PERCEPTION, is the way many
we'll dressed people use their parasols or
canes to attract attention. A stout
dowager standing on the curbstone
brandishing her parasol to an omnibus
driver is comic sight, the same crea-
ture giving the conductor of car a
poke with her pa-asol when she wants
to stop, is rude sight, and she usually
has no scruple in giving her neighbor a
dig on the knee in the same fashion if
she wants a window raised. Human
beings were not made to be punched
and instructed with sticks like cattle,
or pet monkeys. It's bad enough and
recoiling to refined person to have the
hand of a stranger laid on the arm,
even when it is necessary to attract at
tention, and the act should always be
attended by pardon me-" but to
have bamboo thrust at me by some
rude, intolerable woman, who finds it
easier to punch one than to speak civ
lily, is an offense against all good breed
! ing and sensitiveness.


Gentlem en- use their canes with odi
Gus freedom too The other night,
coming up in street car, an old gen
tleman wanted to attract the attention
of his clerk, who sat opposite, deli
cate, well-read boy, and the old rufian,
with his gold spectacles, an air of high
position, reached across and gave the
boy rap on the arm with the dirty
end of his gold headed cane. A word
would have reached the boys ear as
well, and drawn no more gazes from
the rest in the car. The boy seemed
to have no idea of the indignity, but a
kick would have been no more an Of
fense. saw very we'll bred gentle
man, who prided himself on his man
ners, once lay his cane on the shoulder
of lady he knew. to make her turn
round aud speak to him. He would
have been startled to know the uprise
of naughty, offended pride in that girl
at his rudeuess, unconscious as it was.


just remember, young man or wo-
man, trying to attain true refinement,
that you might as we'll lay the crimi-
nails lash on the shoulders of a Stanley,
or your hand on a princess baie shoul-
der, as to treat some people in the way
described The upheld finger signals a
stage driver; the slightest possible touch
on the arm, beckon or a word, will
draw the ear of fellow passenger, or
one with whom you wish to speak, and
you may save your stick and your pinch
es for animals who can't understand any
other intimation.


Do you know what sets fatal mark
against the gentility of many people
proud of their anners in other re-
spects 1t is a wink, look of meaning
exchanged in company, even of but a
third person


The most delicate woman may set
herself down for snob, if she is even
guilty of such IN act, no matter whether
the third person sees it or not. The
principle that allows the covert sneer
or comment, is mean one, and only
meaner then the habit Of which some
people are SO proud, of conveying a
sting in jest, or saying sarcastic
thing with polite smile in company.
The meanness of this is that it is simply
cowardly One strikes when the vic
tim has no opportunity to defend-and
the man or woman who will do this,
when they dare not put the assault into
words, is of nature too low to hold
parley with. Just answer at once, SO
that they will never dare the attack a
second time use no scruple; set your
heel on the crawling thing; but if you
hold faith or trust with such a person
again, you must be your own security
for oil consequences. Cowardly natures
are always cruel.