To the Editor of the "Norra-Cuina Datty News."
Sir,—I would like to record through jthe medium of your columns, my deep regret at the decadence. of modern courtesy exhibited by lady passengers in tramcars, Having occasion to use the trams frequently, I have been able to observe during the past few years, the growing complaisance with which lady passengers accept seats from men donors. A man, be he of any nationality, who voluntarily relinquishes his seat, in favour of another, is, I hold, at least entitled to a courteous smile and word of thanks. Alas! nowadays should a tired business man show the least. tardiness in rising to give a newly entered lady his seat, he is more likely to receive a scowl than thanks.
Personally, I don't mind all this, but I must confess to a feeling.of shame when the donor of a seat happens to be a Chinese or Japan-, ese, and the lady one of my own race, because I think all men travellers on the trams will agree, that they receive more return courtesy from the Chinese and Japanese lady travellers, who cannot in many cases speak English, than they do from any other nationality.
am positive that all this apparent discourtesy on the part of our sisters arises from the trend towards "rush" in modern life, so perhaps my letter will cause a little trickle of gracious smiles to emanate on such future occasions, from those whom we men are glad to think of as "the weaker sex."
Enclosing my card, and thanking you, Sir, for the courtesy, 2 I am, ete.,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.