Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-09-23
~P0LTTENESS PAYS.

at seems to me you treat that rag
gcd little brat with more politeness than
| should" said a rough-looking man to a
young shop keeper who had just done up
three cents worth of sugar very neatly !;
in q brown paper. and tied it carefully.
The boy in question had presented a
marked physiognomy. From under his
rimless hat projected a wide, full brow,
deep sparkling eyes, and features full of
energy and resolution. His face and
hands were scrupulously clean, but his
clothes were poor and patched, though
not as the man had %insinuated, ragged.
His mother was q woman possessing much
force of character-a Woodworking wo.
man, who had been reared in apparently
better circumstances Than those that now
surrounded her, for she was the wife of a
drunkard.
The grocer was busy, and he evidently
had not heard what was said, SO the rough
looking nan remarked again.
Il say, Wyman, you're a quere one"
How queer, Gross? p asked the gro
Ger, throwing a scoop Of tea into the
scales.
Why you treat all the beggars about
here with as much consideration when
they come with their pennies, as if they
bought by the Wholesale"
And why shouldn't II" said the gro.
Ger, looking up with honest eyes wide
open and clear.
20, | don't know; it's queer, that's all;
you're the only man that does it | reckon,
in these parts.1
Well, I'll tell you," said Wyman, de,
liberateIy unwinding the spool Of cord
and twisting the string about a package
he held in his hand " the fast is, if
wasn't naturally tender towards the chill
dren, | should treat them as | do from
motives of policy. You see, I'm but a
and these brats2a a y~ee-eal
them, are growing up fast. Many o
them, of little worth as they seem now.
will become men of character, and men Of
business. Now, | want to retain their
CUSTOM" he said, l%aughingly their pen
MES. In a few years, will turn into pounds;
their three cents worth of sugar will
change into orders by the barrel. | shall
have many a good customer among the
brats : besides, I've always found that
politeness pays WE'LL"
Something in that" calculated the
coarse man, thrusting his hands into his
pockets, :" something in that but / never
looked at it in that light before"
The boy who bought the sugar." con.
tlnued the grocer, :" is one of no ordinary
mind, if | am not mistaken. If his father
was dead, I'd take him with me into the
store and make a man of him-though /
reckon nature will do better for him than
| could !" and the far-seeing grocer smi.
lingly handed a cents worth OF pins to a
little timid child, whose top curl Just
reached to the counter.
Time verified the prediction of Wyman,
the grocer. There wasn't a shop in the
place where SO much small change was
spent as in his for the children loved to
go where they Scre not afraid of rough
actions or rude speeches. They felt them.
selves safe while making their little pur-
chases; they saw that their rights were
respected; and it is well known that on
such triflng sales much profit accrues in
the aggregate. Time passed, and Wyman,
the grocer, was the most popular mar in
town. His pleasant face az forty years
was greeted everywhere. Young men
and maidens always p~atronized Wyman.
1t was strange to see the transformation
that took place, so gradually the little
dirty juveniles shot up into awkward
youths, learning trades, and then grew to
be respectable business men. Wyman en-
larged his shop, and built him a splendid
house, all the fruits of the children's
pennies he often said laughingly.
"Yes, with him, it paid to be polite; it
always pays. 1t pays the merchant as
well as the mechanic, the lawyer as we'll
as the physician. Urbane manner have
been the e Of making many a for
tune. while the cross grained have won.
dered why they didn't get along. The
roughness that speaks its mind at all
times, and in all places, boasting itself
that it is only honest, blunt and straight
forward is a habit that demoralizes as
we'll as insults. Ask any man you chance
to see, if he remembers those who treated
him with ~urbanity while he was o child,
and he will recall his name with a throb
Of pleasure. Perhaps, too, he will couple
some other pames with the epithet of
" old rascal! r and I've never liked that
man !; | wouldn't have dealings with him."
1t paid for the grocer to be polite
The ragged boy, the drunkard's son, be-
came q great as we'll as a rich man. He
established his sad mother in a handsome
residence of her own and sent in unlimi-
| ted orders to the grocer. Ii was his in.
auence that gave Wyman several posts
Of honor in his native city-for the town
became a thriving city and when silver
hair hung ON the shoulders of the old
man, and the young congressman's name
rang far and wide, spoken by admiring
tongues, praised by men of wisdom and
sterling worth, it was no idle boast for
him to say with q smile Of triumph, l told
you So"
Politness pays?