worldly ways and byways-第9节

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and　hardly　raises　his　eye…lids　as　he　languidly　manoeuvres　the　rope。　　

I　have　seen　that　boy　now　for　months；　but　never　when　his　boots　and　

clothes　were　brushed　or　when　his　cravat　was　not　riding　proudly　

above　his　collar。　　On　occasions　I　have　offered　him　pins；　which　he　

took　wearily；　doubtless　because　it　was　less　trouble　than　to　refuse。　　

The　next　day；　however；　his　cravat　again　rode　triumphant；　mocking　my　

efforts　to　keep　it　in　its　place。　　His　hair；　too；　has　been　a　cause　

of　wonder　to　me。　　How　does　he　manage　to　have　it　always　so　long　and　

so　unkempt？　　More　than　once；　when　expecting　callers；　I　have　bribed　

him　to　have　it　cut；　but　it　seemed　to　grow　in　the　night；　back　to　its　

poetic　profusion。



In　what　does　this　noble　disregard　for　appearances　which　

characterizes　American　men　originate？　　Our　climate；　as　some　

suggest；　or　discouragement　at　not　all　being　millionaires？　　It　more　

likely　comes　from　an　absence　with　us　of　the　military　training　that　

abroad　goes　so　far　toward　licking　young　men　into　shape。



I　shall　never　forget　the　surprise　on　the　face　of　a　French　statesman　

to　whom　I　once　expressed　my　sympathy　for　his　country；　laboring　

under　the　burden　of　so　vast　a　standing　army。　　He　answered：



〃The　financial　burden　is　doubtless　great；　but　you　have　others。　　

Witness　your　pension　expenditures。　　With　us　the　money　drawn　from　

the　people　is　used　in　such　a　way　as　to　be　of　inestimable　value　to　

them。　　We　take　the　young　hobbledehoy　farm…hand　or　mechanic；　

ignorant；　mannerless；　uncleanly　as　he　may　be；　and　turn　him　out　at　

the　end　of　three　years　with　his　regiment；　self…respecting　and　well…

mannered；　with　habits　of　cleanliness　and　obedience；　having　acquired　

a　bearing；　and　a　love　of　order　that　will　cling　to　and　serve　him　all　

his　life。　　We　do　not　go　so　far；〃　he　added；　〃as　our　English　

neighbors　in　drilling　men　into　superb　manikins　of　'form'　and　

carriage。　　Our　authorities　do　not　consider　it　necessary。　　But　we　

reclaim　youths　from　the　slovenliness　of　their　native　village　or　

workshop　and　make　them　tidy　and　mannerly　citizens。〃



These　remarks　came　to　mind　the　other　day　as　I　watched　a　group　of　

New　England　youths　lounging　on　the　steps　of　the　village　store；　or　

sitting　in　rows　on　a　neighboring　fence；　until　I　longed　to　try　if　

even　a　judicial　arrangement　of　tacks；　'business…end　up；'　on　these　

favorite　seats　would　infuse　any　energy　into　their　movements。　　I　

came　to　the　conclusion　that　my　French　acquaintance　was　right；　for　

the　only　trim…looking　men　to　be　seen；　were　either　veterans　of　our　

war　or　youths　belonging　to　the　local　militia。　　And　nowhere　does　one　

see　finer　specimens　of　humanity　than　West　Point　and　Annapolis　turn　

out。



If　any　one　doubts　what　kind　of　men　slouching　youths　develop　into；　

let　him　look　when　he　travels；　at　the　dejected　appearance　of　the　

farmhouses　throughout　our　land。　　Surely　our　rural　populations　are　

not　so　much　poorer　than　those　of　other　countries。　　Yet　when　one　

compares　the　dreary　homes　of　even　our　well…to…do　farmers　with　the　

smiling；　well…kept　hamlets　seen　in　England　or　on　the　Continent；　

such　would　seem　to　be　the　case。



If　ours　were　an　old　and　bankrupt　nation；　this　air　of　discouragement　

and　decay　could　not　be　greater。　　Outside　of　the　big　cities　one　

looks　in　vain　for　some　sign　of　American　dash　and　enterprise　in　the　

appearance　of　our　men　and　their　homes。



During　a　journey　of　over　four　thousand　miles；　made　last　spring　as　

the　guest　of　a　gentleman　who　knows　our　country　thoroughly；　I　was　

impressed　most　painfully　with　this　abject　air。　　Never　in　all　those　

days　did　we　see　a　fruit…tree　trained　on　some　sunny　southern　wall；　a　

smiling　flower…garden　or　carefully　clipped　hedge。　　My　host　told　me　

that　hardly　the　necessary　vegetables　are　grown；　the　inhabitants　of　

the　West　and　South　preferring　canned　food。　　It　is　less　trouble！



If　you　wish　to　form　an　idea　of　the　extent　to　which　slouch　prevails　

in　our　country；　try　to　start　a　〃village　improvement　society；〃　and　

experience；　as　others　have　done；　the　apathy　and　ill…will　of　the　

inhabitants　when　you　go　about　among　them　and　strive　to　summon　some　

of　their　local　pride　to　your　aid。



In　the　town　near　which　I　pass　my　summers；　a　large　stone；　fallen　

from　a　passing　dray；　lay　for　days　in　the　middle　of　the　principal　

street；　until　I　paid　some　boys　to　remove　it。　　No　one　cared；　and　the　

dull…eyed　inhabitants　would　doubtless　be　looking　at　it　still　but　

for　my　impatience。



One　would　imagine　the　villagers　were　all　on　the　point　of　moving　

away　（and　they　generally　are；　if　they　can　sell　their　land）；　so　

little　interest　do　they　show　in　your　plans。　　Like　all　people　who　

have　fallen　into　bad　habits；　they　have　grown　to　love　their　

slatternly　ways　and　cling　to　them；　resenting　furiously　any　attempt　

to　shake　them　up　to　energy　and　reform。



The　farmer　has　not；　however；　a　monopoly。　　Slouch　seems　ubiquitous。　　

Our　railway　and　steam…boat　systems　have　tried　in　vain　to　combat　it；　

and　supplied　their　employees　with　a　livery　（I　beg　the　free　and　

independent　voter's　pardon；　a　uniform！）；　with　but　little　effect。　　

The　inherent　tendency　is　too　strong　for　the　corporations。　　The　

conductors　still　shuffle　along　in　their　spotted　garments；　the　cap　

on　the　back　of　the　head；　and　their　legs　anywhere；　while　they　chew　

gum　in　defiance　of　the　whole　Board　of　Directors。



Go　down　to　Washington；　after　a　visit　to　the　Houses　of　Parliament　or　

the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　and　observe　the　contrast　between　the　

bearing　of　our　Senators　and　Representatives　and　the　air　of　their　

CONFRERES　abroad。　　Our　law…makers　seem　trying　to　avoid　every　

appearance　of　〃smartness。〃　　Indeed；　I　am　told；　so　great　is　the　

prejudice　in　the　United　States　against　a　well…turned…out　man　that　a　

candidate　would　seriously　compromise　his　chances　of　election　who　

appeared　before　his　constituents　in　other　than　the　accustomed　

shabby　frock…coat；　unbuttoned　and　floating；　a　pot　hat；　no　gloves；　

as　much　doubtfully　white　shirt…front　as　possible；　and　a　wisp　of　

black　silk　for　a　tie；　and　if　he　can　exhibit　also　a　chin…whisker；　

his　chances　of　election　are　materially　increased。



Nothing　offends　an　eye　accustomed　to　our　native　LAISSER　ALLER　so　

much　as　a　well…brushed　hat　and　shining　boots。　　When　abroad；　it　is　

easy　to　spot　a　compatriot　as　soon　and　as　far　as　you　can　see　one；　by　

his　graceless　gait；　a　cross　between　a　lounge　and　a　shuffle。　　In　

reading…；　or　dining…room；　he　is　the　only　man　whose　spine　does　not　

seem　equal　to　its　work；　so　he　flops　and　straggles　until；　for　the　

honor　of　your　land；　you　long　to　shake　him　and　set　him　squarely　on　

his　legs。



No　amount　of　reasoning　can　convince　me　that　outward　slovenliness　is　

not　a　sign　of　inward　and　moral　supineness。　　A　neglected　exterior　

generally　means　a　lax　moral　code。　　The　man　who　considers　it　too　

much　trouble　to　sit　erect　can　hardly　have　given　much　time　to　his　

tub　or　his　toilet。　　Having　neglected　his　clothes；　he　will　neglect　

his　manners；　and　between　morals　and　manners　we　know　the　tie　is　

intimate。



In　the　Orient　a　new　reign　is　often　inaugurated　by　the　construction　

of　a　mosque。　　Vast　expense　is　incurred　to　make　it　as　splendid　as　

possible。　　But；　once　completed；　it　is　never　touched　again。　　Others　

are　built　by　succeeding　sovereigns；　but　neither　thought　nor　

treasure　is　ever　expended　on　the　old　ones。　　When　they　can　no　longer　

be　used；　they　are　abandoned；　and　fall　into　decay。　　The　same　system　

seems　to　prevail　among　our　private　owners　and　corporations。　　

Streets　are　paved；　lamp…posts　erected；　store…fronts　carefully　

adorned；　but　from　the　hour　the　workman　puts　his　finishing　touch　

upon　them　they　are　abandoned　to　the　hand　of　fate。　　The　mud　may　cake　

up　knee…deep；　wind　and　weather　work　their　own　sweet　will；　it　is　no　

one's　business　to　interfere。



When　abroad　one　of　my　amusements　has　been　of　an　early　morning　to　

watch　Paris　making　its　toilet。　　The　streets　are　taking　a　bath；　

liveried　attendants　are　blacking　the　boots　of　the　lamp…posts　and　

newspaper…KIOSQUES；　the　shop…fronts　are　being　shaved　and　having　

their　hair　curled；　cafe's　and　restaurants　are　putting　on　clean　

shirts　and　tying　their　cravats　smartly　before　their　many　mirrors。　　

By　the　time　the　world　is　up　and　about；　the　whole　city；　smiling　

freshly　from　its　matutinal　tub；　is　ready　to　greet　it　gayly。



It　is　this　attention　to　detail　that　gives　to　Continental　cities　

their　air　of　cheerfulness　and　thrift；　and　the　utter　lack　of　it　that　

impresses　foreigners　so　painfully　on　arriving　at　our　shores。



It　has　been　the　fashion　to　laugh　at　the　dude　and　his　high　collar；　

at　the　darky　in　his　master's　cast…off　clothes；　aping　style　and　

fashion。　　Better　the　dude；　better　the　colored　dandy；　better　even　

the　Bowery　〃tough〃　with　his　affected　carriage；　for　they　at　least　

are　reaching　blindly　out　after　something　better　than　their　

surroundings；　striving　after　an　ideal；　and　are　in　just　so　much　the　

superiors　of　the　foolish　souls　who　mock　them　…　better；　even