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