UNWRITTEN LAWS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 2206, 1 August 1910, Page 7

UNWRITTEN LAWS.

80MB PECULIARITIES OF ETIQUETTE FOR BUSINESS MEN AND OTHERS. Etiquette rules in every branch of daily life, and there is no calling in which there is not some unwritten law which must be obeyed. Take, for instance, the members of the Stock Exchange. It is considered intolerably bad form to use a new piece of pencil for entering up bargains. Jobbers and dealers almost invariably use small stumps of pencil which are not relinquished until it is physically impossible to utilise the lead. Out of the hundreds of members in the House engaged in buying and selling shares very few will be obs?rved using a pencil of long dimensions. The result is that whenever a fresh piece of pencil is required a new pencil is cut in two before being taken into the House. OUT OF SEASON HATS.

Another unwritten rule of the Stock Exchange is that no member wearing a light-coloured hat must enter the House after the days of September. Woe betide the forgetful member who is seen wearing a light-col-oured hat during the balmiest days of October,, for instance. The highspirited, joke-loving members at once pounce upon the offending headgear which is turned into a football, the game being kept up while the slightest vestige of its shape remains.

There is one rule of etiquette among the members of the Rothschilds, that handshaking must not be indulged in during business hours. Members of the firm, even upon meeting with their best friends, will not shake hands if it is possible to avoid it. This, of course, applies only to business, as the shaking of hands is freely indulged in outside the working hours. A BANKING ETIQUETTE. The workers employed at Messrs. Ooutt's Bank observe a peculiar rule, which is that gay-coloured neckties shall not be worn during business hours. Not only must the bank clerks wear white ties, but also they must not wear moustaches ; in addition, the wearing of the silk hat and frock coat is still maintained, although many city men now are discarding the regulation attire.

It is etiquette in telephone and telegraph exchanges that bangles and other similar gewgaws should not be worn by the lady operators during business hours. Some little time ago there were strikes at the Post Office in connection with this rule, and also against the rule that gay-colour-ed dresses should not be worn. The former rule is due to the fact that articles of jewellery are likely to get in the way and cause derangement of the delicate mechanical devices used in working the telephones and telegraphs. At one of the largest of the popular London tea-houses the waitresses observe the rule that their hair must be worn in a flat, circular-plaited style. This gives an air of uniformity, and the rule is not relaxed until the waitresses have been promoted to some other post where they are free to indulge in other coiffures.

In many, businesses in which money Is handled by subordinates, the rule is observed that the assistants must carry no money of their own. This is in order to prevent the appropriation of the money handled. In the theatrical world there are more peculiar unwritten lawß than could be mentioned in the course of an article. At the rehearsal of a new play, for instance, some of the sentences are never given in full. Woe betide the artist who openß a parasol in a dressing-room, or who whistles, as such conduct will result in the offending person being turned out of the room. At the same time the rule is always observed that an artist when speaking of successes made, must have hold of a piece of wood at the time.

There is a peculiar rule that theatre attendants must not wear large rings. This regulation probably is due to the fact that in cases of disturbance rings have been used after the style of knuckle-dusters. Medical men are edged round with many curious rules of etiquette, especially in regard to attending the patients of another doctor. There is an unwritten law that a medical man must not be sesn smoking in the streets, or, at any rate, when on business.

The Law, the Army,, and the Church also have their peculiar observations. For instance, lawyers must not wear light clothes when

pleading in court, and numerous little disturbances have occurred in County Courts wbere solicitors have endeavoured to plead in unsuitable attire. Of course, there are good reasons for nearly all these rules of etiquette. As regards the etiquette of attire, black is worn by the clergy of all denominations, although this was not the case in the early days. Then butchers always wear blue smocks. This latter peculiarity probably is due to the fact that the blue smock is a relic of the attire worn by the Guild of Butchers in mediaeval days when each Guild had its own distinguishing colour. Blue cloth is still in use from the fact that bloodstains become less noticeable than would be the case if any other colour were employed. In the world of sport there appears to be no end to the peculiar rule* of etiquette. When following the hounds, for instance, there is no excuse for the man who rides ahead of the master, or too close to the pack. A man will never be forgiven who heads the fox. It is only the outsider who will ride on the offside of a lady, gallop along the roads, ride over standing crops, or after using gates leave them open.

Another rule is that new breeches, saddles, etc,, must not be usad. Before such are seen on the field, if they have not been worn., they are usually dirtied in order that the newness may not show. In shooting, to take another example, no real sportsman will fire at his neighbour's bird, or even in his direction.

Then in fishing it is essential that only flies must be used for catching salmon. Though the water may be the fisherman's own, or one for which he has paid a heavy rent, other tempting bait must not be employed,; it would be an unforgivable transgression to catch salmon with a worm. —"Scraps."

GERMANY'S GROWING AERIAL FLEET.