best friend he had and the most trustworthy man living,
and that whoever she might be whom he had taken in holy matrimony for
his life-companion, he was worthy of her.

CAROLINE CHESEBRO'.

UNSETTLED POINTS OF ETIQUETTE.

In England the higher the rank the more affable and kind I
found them. It is only the little people climbing up who are
disagreeable.--SULLY.

Not alone of English people can this be said. In "society" all over the
world it is the same; for everywhere men and women born and bred ladies
and gentlemen value their reputation as such too highly to risk it by
any rudeness or uncourteousness. They may upon occasion be frigidly
polite, but polite they will always be. But customs vary so much that
some things which would be considered polite in one country would be
looked upon in another as rude or intrusive. Take, for instance, one
illustration among many which might be cited. A foreigner sent on a
diplomatic mission to this country brought with him letters of
introduction to several members of a large family. Having affairs of
importance to attend to, he was remiss about delivering these letters on
this occasion, but on a second visit, having more leisure, he made it a
point to have himself presented at a ball to every member of the family
who was present. After the ball he told a lady of the trouble he had
given himself, and asked her congratulations upon having accomplished so
much in one evening. She, being upon intimate terms with him, assured
him that his politeness was not only unnecessary, but would in all
probability be misunderstood. "According to the customs of our country,"
said the lady, "you ought to have waited until they asked to be
presented to you." "How could I do that," he inquired indignantly, "when
it was my duty to make myself known to them, out of respect for the
writer of the letters as well as for those to whom she had written?
Besides, one can never be too civil to ladies and gentlemen." The lady
replied, "True; only you must first be sure that you are dealing with
ladies and gentlemen who understand all points of etiquette as you do."
Before his return to his own country he learned his error by the result,
for during a stay of some months he never received an invitation from
any of the family. By following the customs of his own country, instead
of adopting those of the country he was in, he had subjected himself to
being looked upon as "a pushing foreign