Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-05-26
tFrom the Pennsylvania Inquirer]
CULTIVATE GOOD MANNERS.


CULTIVATE GOOD MANNERS.
Inc obligation Of Coon MANNERS is incum.
bent upon all. Many men have owed their
elevation and prosperity in the world, entire.
lyto,hsiraddress, and manner. How often do
We entertain friendly feeling towards per.
non, ofwhon we know nothing more than their
cordial greeting in the street; and, on the
other hand, how often are we conscious Of a
secret dislike, (blameable, indeed, where we
have nothing TO condemn but stiff, formal
mode Of recognition. The former, it is plea.
sure to meet we heartily reciprocate his
bland saluiation and kind smile, and would
be delighted to do him good turn; the lat
ter, chills US by his freezing air and rigid
csuntenance; and we would be very glad TO
avoid speaking to him altogether. The cor
dial man makes even his enemies his friends I;
the cold, forbidding man converts friends in
10 enemies Every man has a degree Of self
love, which is gratfied by the one, and
wounded by the other.
Many man complains of his want Of sue.
cess Ia business, and bewails the nisforunes
Of trade, when he has nothing to blame but
his stiff, unpleasant demeanor. He chllls his
customers and friends by his unbending rig
ity, and is surprised to find that men shun
him as they would an iceberg, or a walking
skeleton. The cordial man commences bu'i-
ness with no capital perhaps, but his good
manners, and he soon gathers friends, cus;o-
mets and dollars.
Selfishness and narrowness of mind, which
are generally the cause of cold manners,
thus betray the unhappy possessor, and ruin
his interest. We do not recommend good
manners because they are profitable; were
they Improbable, the duty would be as i'm.
perative, and should be as cheerfully per.
formed. We merely show, that kindness and
goodness have every thing 10 commend them
TO our practice. The exohortations Of Holy
Writ, upon this subject, are frequent and
pungent; and no man maintains we'll the
Christian character, who is not habitually
gentle, conciliating, and pleasant in his inter.
course with others. Have kind smile and
akind word for every body, and you will find
the benefit Of it every day of your life. Men
often complain of the way in which the
world treats them but, the fact is, that you
will be treated yourself very much as you
treat others. If you wish 10 make thorny
path for yourself, you can easily do so
When you meet an acquaintance in the stree
take care not to smile, but speak 10 him a:
if you had the rheumatism in your neck.
II your customers ask you 10 show then
your goods, let them see that you conside
tia great deal oftrouble, and that YOU expec
them to buy, Immediately, without any los
Of time, or impertiment questions. "What'
the use Of talking about it! You are Their
to sell, and they come to buy" When yo'
are in company, insist, peremp,orly, upo
the correctness of your political, religious, o
literary, opinions and resent any dissent from
your views, as personal insult. Whereye
you may be, at home or abroad OH Echang
or in church, always insis, upon your "righ,s
the best seats, the best dishes aud the be.
Of every thing, you can lay your hands or
II man greet you with friendly smile
and cordial shake OF the hand, take car
to put him right down with frozen aspcc
and pump-hande shake in return. II yo
follow these directions, mnutely, you wi
find the world as sour as your uinegar ca
make it; but. if you wish to be happy, re-
pected, and have ':,hat which should accon
pany" mans earthly course, ''as homo
love-" respect "and troops of friends" be II
reverse of all this, and you may confident
expect success. -.-