Etiquette, Indoors and Outdoors.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 25, Issue 40, 26 May 1914, Page 2

Etiquette, Indoors and Outdoors.

(By MRS. FRANK LEARNED.)

Just as the well-drilled soldier is finer than the raw recruit, so is the cultivated, person trained in observing each law adopted in social life which distinguishes him from the uncultivated. Correct attitudes in standing, walking, and sitting cannot be learned without practice. There will be no grace in standing if the body sinks back on the heels, or the shoulders are stooping or the chest sinks in t or the chin is poked forward.

Standing is merely an interrupted step. To walk well there must be evenness of motion, with smooth, regular steps. There should be no jerking, mincing steps, no long strides. The foot is placed almost straight, turned slightly outward. It is awkward to turn the feet in and very bad form to spread the feet out. The arms should fall easily, the elbows being near the body. To swing the arms is not good form. When sitting down the knees should be near together. The shoulders may lean against the chair if the hjps arc well back, but it is more graceful to sit erect and bend slightly forward from the waist. It is awkward to draw both feet back, and very ugly to cross one knee over the other. It is incorrect to drop suddenly into a chair or to clutch the sides or arms of the chair when rising from it.

When rising from a chair one foot is in advance and the other is kept well back. •If one rises quickly, holding the body erect, straightening the knees, lotting the weight of the body fall on the foot in advance, there will be grace and ease in che movement and no desire to propel one's self out of the chair by the assistance of the hands.

A lady may accompany to the door a lady who is leaving after a call, if there is no servant at hand to open the door, but she may not leave other guests to do this. If the host is at home he should accompany a lady to the door or a man who is leaving.

A lady never goes to the hall or to the door with a man, nor does she over offer any assistance in finding his hat, stick, or overcoat. Of course, she never assists a man in putting on his overcoat. In fact, all of these belongings are left in the hall by a man when entering the house.

A lady takes .leave of a man who is calling by shaking hands with him in the drawing-room and letting him depart without other attentions.

There are certain essential things to remember about behaviour. It is extremely rude to yawn without making some effort to suppress it without concealing the mouth, to whistle or hum, to make monotonous noises with the hands or feet, to fidget about in a chai!r, to pick up paper knives or other articles and play with them when talking, to sit or stand opposite to a mirror and look at one's self while talking, to whisper or hide the mouth with the hand while speaking, to point to anyone or anything, or to lounge anywhere in the presence of guests. Always when entering or leaving a room or house a man allows a woman to precede him. He opens a door for her to pass. He does not precede a woman when entering a church or theatre, or any public place, unless there is a crowd and he can add to her convenience by so doing. He may precede her for this reason in the aisle of a theatre, but hft must stand aside for her to pass first to a seat.

In a theatre or other place where people have occasion to pass those who are seated they should beg pardon for disturbing them, passing with their faces toward them.

In any public place if a man opens a door for a lady or picks up a purse she has dropped, or offers a seat in a public .conveyance, he raises his hat and she acknowledges the civility by a slight bow, without smiling, and may say, " Thank you very much.” This ends the matter, and does not constitute any

sort of acquaintance. When accompanying a lady it is usual for a man to walk on the outside of the street. If with two ladies he does the same. It is extremely provincial for a man to walk between two women, and very bad form for a man to take a woman by the arm or elbow, or to help her up or down stairs or over a crossing unless she is old or infirm, or there is .some sudden or special danger from which , he must protect her.

IX a man wishes to speak to a lady whom he knows well enough to join her, he raises his hat and turns and asks her permission to walk with her in the direction in which she is going. It is contrary to good manners to stand talking in the street. He is not obliged to accompany her to tier destination, but if he leaves her he mises his hat. If he walks home with her, he waits until she is admitted before leaving her.