A young man walking with a young lady, when accosted by a beggar, always gives the beggar something unless the young lady is his wife or his sister.
So much for pedestrians. I can not, of course, pretend to give here all the rules for those who “go afoot” and I can only say that the safest principle for correct behavior in this, as in many social matters, is the now famous reply Thomas Edison once made to the stranger who asked him with what he mixed his paints in order to get such marvellous effects. “One part inspiration,” replied the great inventor, “and NINE parts perspiration.” In other words, etiquette is not so much a matter of “genius” as of steady application to small details.
TRAVELLING BY RAIL
In America much of the travelling is done by “rail.” The etiquette of railroad behavior is extremely complicated, especially if one is forced to spend the night en route (on the way) and many and ludicrous are the mistakes made by those whose social training has apparently fitted them more for a freight car than for an up-to-date “parlor” or “Pullman” coach.
GOOD FORM ON A STREET CAR
Let us, first of all, however, take up some of the simpler forms of rail transportation, such as, for example, the electric street or “tram” car now to be seen on the main highways and byways of all our larger cities. The rules governing behavior on these vehicles often appear at first quite complicated, but when one has learned the “ropes,” as they say in the Navy, one should have no difficulty.
An elderly lady with a closed umbrella, for example, desiring to take a street car, should always stand directly under a large sign marked “Street Cars Do Not Stop On This Corner.” As the car approaches she should run quickly out to the car tracks and signal violently to the motorman with the umbrella. As the car whizzes past without stopping she should cease signalling, remark “Well I’ll be God damned!” and return to the curbstone. After this performance has been repeated with three successive cars she should then walk slowly out and lie down, in a dignified manner, across the car tracks. In nine cases out of ten the motorman of the next “tram” will see her lying there and will be gentleman enough to stop his car.
When this happens the elderly lady should get quietly up from the street and stand outside the door marked “Exit Only” until the motorman opens it for her. She should then enter with the remark, “I signalled to three cars and not one of them stopped,” to which the motorman will reply, “But, lady, that sign there says they don’t stop on this corner.” The lady should then say “What’s your number—I’m going to report you.”
After taking his number she should enter the car. At the opposite end of the vehicle there will undoubtedly be three or four vacant seats; instead of taking one of these she should stand up in front of some young man and glare at him until he gets up and gives her his place.
It is not customary in American cities for ladies to thank gentlemen who provide them with seats.