THE POLITE CHINESE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 18, 5 March 1915, Page 7 (Supplement)

THE POLITE CHINESE.

One of the sayings of Confucius is. "If yon do not learn the rules of propriety, your character cannot bo established." Unfortunately for the foreigner, a- the author of "Thirty Years in Moukdon," points out, the "rules of propriety." according to Chinese usage. are often diametrically opposed to tne customs of the> West. Tho European gtntleraan, even if he has a university education and polished manners, seems a mere boor to the Chinaman, and offends at every turn against the strict eiquetto that, in its main points, is observed by the lowest coolie. Wherever ho goes, the foreigner helps to confirm this opinion of him. Ho is travelling in the interior, .it may be on horseback, and he rides through the quiet country hamlets as ho would at home, at a rapid paco. As he passes a group of ram, he calls out, "Which is the way to X.?" Ho probably got? no reply, and ridss on, thinking what unmannerly louts these Chinese yokels are. A rough, uneducated countryman is the next traveller. He pulls in his horse to a slow ambl? as ho enters the village; this is one of the "rules of propriety.'' On reaching the group of villagers, ho dismounts—rule number two. "May I borrow your light?" ho asks. This is an apology "for troubling thorn—rule number three. Then he. too, iniiuires the way to X.. and receives ready help if mod be. a man will even accompany him to po-nt out the way. Thereafter these sain." yokels not unnaturally remark to each other what unmannerly louts foreigners nre, ognorant of the most elementary rules of propriety. KEEPING A SECRET. A voung man was visiting a beautiful girl,'when her little brother slipped into the room. a Mr. Jones, can you stand on your head?'' the boy asked. "No, said th? visitor, "I don't believe I can." "Well, I can. Look here?'' and he stood on h : s head in the corner. "Ha! ha!" laughed Mr. Jones. "Who showed von to do that?" "Sister told me I must never tell," s.r- lie.

WHAT THE DOMINIONS WILL DO

2.30..000 MEN FOR THE FRONT,

Sir Robert Borden, the Premier, was accorded an enthusiastic reception at Montreal on Monday, when ho addressed the Canadian Club at a luncheon party ou the issues of the war. Citing Genera! von Bernhardi's statement that the self-governing Dominions of the Empire might be completely ignored as far as concerned a European war tho Premier said:—"l venture to predict that before this war closes—unless it reaches a conclusion sooner UiAu wa can reasonably expect—the German armus will find confronting them 250, 000 men from those same self-governing Domimom. And these men with the forces of the Empire will esteem it as honour to fight side \v sida with th« valiant troops of France and Belgium, whose courage.and endurance undov most deadly trials have already aroused thei admirat'on of the world. said Sir Robert Borden, had strengthened th. bonds ot mo Empire."

In one respect only,'' ] lo continued, evolution has not attained full devel opment. The citizens of the self-govern, ng dominions do not directjv particv pate through their Misters or th/oug* 1 arliamcnt m the councils of the Empire which determine the issues of peace and war. It would ft rash to predict a method by which that great pin wis be so red, but of this I am convinced hat the events 0 f this war will powerfully assst in hastening its wise suluA MOVING STORY. Dumas'* power to take his readers oy storm and hold them entranced to tho vsry last word of his romances n vividly illustrated by a story which it •s said the late Lord Salisbury was fond or telling. Once when he was Prime Minister '^n at , a „ tim « when he was under the spt'll of Dumas's "Monte Cristo," Lord balßbury visited the Print- of Wales at Sandnngham. On the first morning J'o got up at half-past four, and went with his book into the beautiful gar. den. He had oeen reading an hour c r two when he heard some one. " W hat! Are a Prime Minister's duties so heavy that he must needs be up so early m the morning to study?" "It was th e Prince," was Lord Salisbury s further account, " 1 s howed him tho book that had drawn m 0 out so early and ho said, laughingly, that he would read such an apparently fascinating story." Three weeks laW they met again and the Prince immediately began.— " 'Monto Cristo' drew you out of b<xl at four-thirty in tne morning; I may say that it drew me out of my bed reeularly at four!" * SOLDIERLY BREVITY. Soldiers can bo as laconic as sailors, ino late Sir George Groves used to ttll or an old soldier who went about begguie; bearing a placard:— Actions 7 Wounds ij Children ~ g Total 24 CANADIAN RANCHER'S GENEROSITY. One of the largest and unostentatious individual gifts to the British Government from tho Province of Alberta m connection with the war is that of a "hoi© car load of horses presented by a Mr. George Creighton, the well-known owner of a hor.se ranch in the district of t oehrane, Alberta. A PUBLIC SETTLEMENT. At times of overwhelming tragedy tho fervour oLpublic sentiment sometimes gives rise to incongruously comical situations. Such an incident occurred in Pans during the French mobilisation. On August 3rd, a captain who was carrying his equipment, stopped a horse cab on a crowded sfreet, and asked the driver to take him to the Eastern Railway termiuß. Tho cab stopped, and the cabman, who was in :'J humour, stand sullenly at tho captain, and shook his head. "But it is urgent!" cji;d the. captain. ''l am late! I must get there immediately I" Again the driver discourteously shook Ilia head. A group of bystanders witnessed the cabman's refusal. They spoke to one another in an undertone. Suddenly they rushed forward, picked up the captain bodily, thrust; him, equipment and all, into the cab, and slammed the door. Someone pul&ew the drdvjer from his seat. A man from the crowd leaped up and caught the reins. In almost na timo the captain was rattling away to the Eastern railway term'n'is. As bo looked back he saw tho crowd cheerfully rolling the surly cabman in the street. A RARER ORCHID. The late Mr. Joseph Chamberlain was passionately fond of orchids, and at one timo cultivated them assiduously at his Birmingham estate, where he had gathered a large collection of rare varieties of the tropical flower. The following characteristic anecdote, from 'Les Annals.' is said to have been told by an officer of the British embassy at Paris. One morning, when the officer and Mr. Chamberlain were walking together on the Quai Aux Fleurs, the great statesman suddenly caught a glimpse of a rare specimen of his favourite flower. "What is the price?" he asked, making his way to the person carrying the blossom. "Five hundred francs, monsieur; it; is tho only one of its kind in France." Mr. Chamerlain paid the price, crumpled the (lower in his hand, and scuffled it underfoot, •'I have it in my collection," he explained to his astonished (companion, "and 1 don't wish a foreigner to possess oiiu .like it." THE CROWN' PRINCES WAY. '1 he German Crown Prince has earned an unenviablo reputation in the war a» a hooligan and a looter, but few people are aware that even before the war he was often ill-mannered if ho thought that his dignity had been outraged. At a big dance one evening a certain voting latiy wished to dance with him, but the Prince evidently thought that she was too much beneath him and, turning to an officer who was a member of his suite he said, curtly : "This lady wishes to dance!" Tho officer understood what was rej quired of him, and immediately offered tho lady his arm. There was nothing for it but to submit to the insult, and after waltzing once round Ihe room with the partner thus foroed upon her. the mortified lady was led to a seat and left to muse alone upon the curious ways of German Royalties. Sor¥y SHE SPOKE. "Conductor." said a lady passenger who wanted to alight the other side of the new Wanganui bridge, "do you go over the bridge?" " Yes, madam," replied the conductor, "wo never go under 1"