IHE CUSTOMS OU THE COUOTEY. 
taiiily if there is anything v/rong about it, it must 
be in going into low back street places drinking on the 
sly. If any one does see you going in or coming out 
of these places they are far more likely to talk about 
it, than if .you were seen under the same circumstances, 
in one of the best houses in the principal thoroughfares.” 
But his companion smiled, shook his head, and said, 
“You don’t know the customs of society here ; you 
know nothing about i’ .” “Well/ says our friend, “I am 
certainly getting a good many lessons in the ‘ cus- 
toms of the country,’ as you call them and, allow me 
to say many of them are very bad ones, at least have 
a tendeflcy to produce a good deal of evil, and it seems 
to me, that what you call your position, or standing 
in socie-y, has to do with all because the lower or 
working classes seem not under the same fear and dread. 
Ko one thinks anything at all about seeing a carter 
or working man smoking on the road, or going into 
li is public for a glass of whiskey or beer, provided he 
does not drink too much. It is though^, if any one 
thinks of it at all, just a matter of course.” “ That’s 
it,” says our ovm companion, evidently grasping at 
an excusej “that’s it, the wmrking or lower class of 
people do it, and so it wmuld not do for us.” We 
cannot see this, because if it is proper, in a respectable 
vrorking man to smoke on the road and drink in a 
wayside public bouse when he is thirsty are they to 
be allowed social liberties, which are to be denied to 
their superiors? “Is a man to go about choked with 
thirst in a hot dry day for fear people should see and 
talk about him entering a liquor bar because he happens 
to be a man in good position as to means and society ? 
A truce to all this nonsense, come in here, and ha?e 
glass of beer or soda water if you like,” but he 
would not : it was a very public thoroughfare ; some- 
body would be sure to see him. 8o tLe friend bids 
his companion farewell and tells him plainly enough 
Ids companionship won’t do for him. A man who is 
afraid to smoke or drink a class of beer “ before folk” 
for fear of what people will s iy about him has veiy 
probably a few other habits and customs,, not so harm- 
less as the smoking and the beer, which would hardly 
bear invesdgation.^ 
Our friend having made some friends ia introduced 
by them to others, until at last he receives an invita- 
tion to an evening party “Justin a quiet way.” He 
has a consultation as to how he is to dress, and is 
duly informed on this point- Having dressed himself 
all in black and white sb.irt with full open breast and 
white necktie, and glazed leather boots, he walks up 
and down the room, surveying himself in the mirrors. 
Surely his friend has not been taking his fun off him 
