Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-09-15
WHAT MAKES A GEErLEMAN7

"hAA n AhAo IA ZEN ILEMA
:" tell you, he isn't anything g.
"Why nots He certainly is comely,
and civil, and successful in business. and
IN every respect, appears like gentle
man."
That may be; but his father wasn't
anybody, and his mother was of low
/ family
Why, her father v;,s a shoemaker
cordwainer,' it used to read on his
sign; and he used 10 mend rips in boots,
and put taps upon soles. for a living"
Wasn't he honest 90
81 dare say"
Wasn't he Industrious 2"
" He must have been, to have left his
children the.sum which he was reputed
10 have done"
Wasn't he an amiable and agreeable
man %
g That he was. | we'll remember with
how much pleasure used to wait in his
little box of shop, while he stitched the
gaps IN my feathers, TO listen to his anus
ing and instructive stories. But whv do
you take such an interest in the old nanx'
g am trying to find out his lowness.'
1t seems he was honest and indus,ri-
qualities which usually give a man some
rank among his fellows; and yet you say
he was low person. Was he vulgar 81
No; he wasn't vulgar; he was quite
refined for man of his opportunities
but he was shoemaker; don't YOU un-
derstand how his ignoble calling should
TX his position IN society, in spite of his
good and even remarkable qualities OF
course, blacksmith and shoemaker and
such men, cannot be gentlemen, as mer-
chants and lawyers, etc, are.
think Mr.. Longfellow once wrote
poem about a blacksmith, who was gem
tleman; and | think a good many people
have considered themselves honored by
the acquaintance Of a certain other black
smith who once hammered iron, (and
Hebrew, too, J IN Worchester; and don't
quite perceive, either, how the making or
selling of tape and delaines, or wholesale
groceries, or stocks, rs a petty merchant
counter-hopper,' or picking fuss gem
orally, as a lawyer should make one a
gentleman while making and selling of
shoes tor horse or man should make one
low. And even if such trades make
one low, l don't quite perceived how they
therefore make ones children low
You object to Mr. A, because his father
| wash / anybody and his mother was sof
a low family. They were both of them.
upright and honorable individuals, who
had made the most of their advantages,
and who brought up their children with
honor to themselves, and usefully for the
world. And yet, you vote them low
AID their children ditto; while here Mr..
/ b., whose pompous bow you returned so
deterentIally, a moment ago, had no faith
or at all IN the eye of The law. and has no
character at all, in the eye of the gospel:
but has accumulated great wealth bv buy
Ing cheap whlskey and druggino it in his
cellars, and selling it as the best old port.
/ cognIac, etc, etc. He is 4 gentleman.-
There is no lowness' about bnn.'
You refer to Col B., suppose. Ur.
certainly, IS gentleman. He keeps fine
horses and gives fine dinners, and spends
money freely, and has Il lovely place:
and II surely isn't his fault that he wasn't
better born. Everybody considers him a
gentleman" -
81 consider him scoundrel and n
cheat; and you would if You knew the
history OF his watts, casks and bottles.
would sooner marry daughters of mine to
the poorest shoemaker, or the sootiest
blacksmith that swings a sIedge-so he
were honest, and industerious, and intel
hgent-than to such a bloated hunbug as
he, and the like of him Low You
had better, wait till all these people are
| eternally sorted, and you will find that
sons OF the highest shall be lowest, as
well as that some of the first shall be LAST
We lost the rest; for the g Metropoli-
tan car in which we were seated, had
reached our stopping place, and we rung
the bell and alghted, meditating upon
hlghness and owness, as they had been
outlined IN this brief discussion. We own
that our sympathy was strongly drawn
out toward the defender of the gentility
which consists in clear head and good
heart, as against the sham gentility con-
ferred upon dolts by the possession of dol
lars CongregationaIist