Our Deportment: Or the Manners, Conduct and Dress of the Most Refined SocietyYoung, John H.
General
Our Deportment: Or the Manners, Conduct and Dress of the Most Refined Society
Young, John H.
Etiquette
It is rude to interrupt friends whom you meet in a store before they
have finished making their purchases, or to ask their attention to your
own purchases. It is rude to offer your opinion unasked, upon their
judgment or taste, in the selection of goods.
It is rude to sneer at and depreciate goods, and exceedingly
discourteous to the salesman. Use no deceit, but be honest with them, if
you wish them to be honest with you.
Avoid "jewing down" the prices of articles in any way. If the price does
not suit, you may say so quietly, and depart, but it is generally best
to say nothing about it.
It is an insult for the salesman to offensively suggest that you can do
better elsewhere, which should be resented by instant departure.
Ladies should not monopolize the time and attention of salesmen in small
talk, while other customers are in the store to be waited upon.
Whispering in a store is rude. Loud and showy behaviour is exceedingly
vulgar.
ETIQUETTE FOR PUBLIC CONVEYANCES.
In street cars, omnibuses and other public street conveyances, it should
be the endeavor of each passenger to make room for all persons entering,
and no gentleman will retain his seat when there are ladies standing.
When a lady accepts a seat from a gentleman, she expresses her thanks in
a kind and pleasant manner.
A lady may, with perfect propriety, accept the offer of services from a
stranger in alighting from, or entering an omnibus or other public
conveyance, and should always acknowledge the courtesy with a pleasant
"Thank you, sir," or a bow.
Never talk politics or religion in a public conveyance.
Gentlemen should not cross their legs, nor stretch their feet out into
the passage-way of a public conveyance.
AVOID CUTTING.
No gentleman will refuse to recognize a lady after she has recognized
him, under any circumstances. A young lady should, under no provocation,
"cut" a married lady. It is the privilege of age to first recognize
those who are younger in years. No young man will fail to recognize an
aged one after he has met with recognition. "Cutting" is to be avoided
if possible. There are other ways of convincing a man that you do not
know him, yet, to young ladies, it is sometimes the only means available
to rid them of troublesome acquaintances. "Cutting" consists in
returning a bow or recognition with a stare, and is publicly ignoring
the acquaintance of the person so treated. It is sometimes done by words
in saying, "Really I have not the pleasure of your acquaintance."
AVOIDING CARRIAGES.
For a lady to run across the street to avoid an approaching carriage is
inelegant and also dangerous. To attempt to cross the street between the
carriages of a funeral procession, is rude and disrespectful. The
foreign custom of removing the hat and standing in a respectful attitude
until the melancholy train has passed, is a commendable one to be
followed in this country.
KEEP TO THE RIGHT.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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