Show MORALS IN RUSSIAN ASIA mock modesty of natives who are aed to the status of women which is already too low in russia itself is even worse in those parts of asia which are under russian control A respectable lady there will not accept an invitation of a gentleman to any place of amusement unless some member of her own family accompanies her and this tendency of the really good women to draw the line between themselves and the extreme looseness of the lower classes has resulted in a prudishness which proved rather embarrassing a year or two ago to thomas G alien jr whose account of his bicycle trip across asia so interested the readers of alie century magazine a few months ago the particular instance in question he relates as follows whenever exercising on the wheel we had adopted the english custom of turning over the upper portion of the stocking to leave the kneecap free for action but far from suiting the exquisite sensibilities of tashkent Tash kent society this feature of our professional costume was looked upon as actually indecent on this particular occasion a certain individual accosted us rather abruptly and with a supercilious glance at our knees informed us that our indecent exposure had produced considerable abashment among his lady companions of course we retired at once to avert the disastrous effects of a second esthetic shock but we wondered at anu same lime now it was that a community which could connive at social scandals and look with equanimity upon the half naked natives working on the street should be so disconcerted at the sight of a kneecap |