Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-10-02
Railg 9irainian.
politonoss Paws.

"Secms 10 mo you treat this ragged little brat
with more politcness than should" said rough
looking man Ia young shop-keeper who had just
done up three cents worth of sugar very neatly,
in u brown paper, and tied it carefully.
Tho boy in question had presented marked
physiognomv From under hiS rimlcrs hat pro-
icctcd wide. iul brow. deep sparkling eyes. and
features full of energy and resolution. Ills face
and hand. were scrupulously clean, but hs clio.
thes were poor and patched. though not IA tho
man hal insinuatcd ragged. His mother was a
woman possessing much force Of chRracter-a
hard working woman who had been reared in ap-
parantly better circumstances than those that now
surrounded her, for she was the wife Of drunk
ard.
The grocer was busy. und no evidently had not
heard what was said, the rough looking man
remarked again:
Il sny, Wymnn. you ARE n queer one"
"Ilow queer, Grosss" asked thcgroccr throwing
n scoop of tea into the scales.
"Why you treat all the bcggcrs about here
with as much consideration when they with
their pennies. as they bought by tho Wholesale"
And why shouldn't r. asked tho grocer.
lacking up with his honest eyes wide open and
clear.
20 don't know 4; it's queer. that's all you're
the only man that does it reckon, in these parts"
"Woll. I'll tell you." rnid Wyman, deliberately
unwindmg the spool Of cord nnd twirting the
string about the package he hold in his hnnd '.-
'the ihct s i'll wasn't naturally tender towards the
children. should troat them as do from motives
OF policy. You Soc I'm but II Young man, md
these 'brats M you call them, are growing up
fast. Many Of them of little worth an they seem
now, will become men OF character, nnd meu Of
business. Now. want to rotnin their cust1m.
he said. laughngy. their pennies, in tho course
of n few years, will turn into pounds; their three
cents worth of sugars will change into orders by
tho barrel. shall many good customer among
the 'brnts; besides I've always found that polite
moss pays we'll"
Something in that" calculated the coarse man
thrnsiing his hands into his pockets. something
in that but never looked ut it in that light be-
fore"
THE boy who bought tho sugar, continued tho
grocer, "is ono of no ordinary mind, ir nm not
mistaken. lf his fhthcr was dead, I'D tnko him
with inc. into the store and nuke man of him
though reckon nature will do better for him
thnn could; aud the tnr-sccing grocer smilingly
handed n cents worth Of pins toa little tmd
child whose top curl just reached to tho counter.
Time verified tho prediction Of ymnn tho gro
Ger. There wnsnt n shop in the place where NO
much small change was spent rs in his; for the
children loved to ~ where they not afraid Of
rough actions or rude speeches. They felt them
selves safe while making their little purchases;
they saw TINT their rights wore respected. aud it
IL well known that on such tring sales much pro-
fit acerues in the aggregate; Time passed. aud
Wymnn, the grocer was the most popular man In
town. His pleasant fncc nj forty years WAS gree
ted everywhere. Young mon and maidenS always
patronized Wymnn. 1t was strange TO see tho
transformation that took place 40 gradually, the
little dirty faced Juveniles shot up into awkward
youths learning trades and then grow TO be
pcctabe business men. Wymsn enlarged his shop,
and built him splendid house "all the fruits Of
the children's pennies" hc often said laughingly.
"Yos. with him, it pad 10 be polite; it always
pays II pays tho merchant Ms well as tho mcchan-
c, the lawyer rs well ns the physician. Urbnne
manners have been the means OF making many u
fortune while the cross grained huve wondered
why they didn't get along. The roughness that
speaks its mind at all times, and in nll places,
bonsting itscf that it is only "honest blunt and
straight forward" s a hnbit that dcmoralizes as
well rs insults. Ask any man You chance to see,
II he remembers thoso who treated HIM with ur
bnnity when hc was child aud he will recall his
name with II throb Of pleasure. Perhaps. too, he
will couple some other named with the epithct Of
"old rascal" aud 1--WE never liked that mani
wouldn't have dealings with him
it paid the grocer to lie polite. Tho ragged boy,
the drunkards son, became n grent m we'll az II
rich man. He established his sud mother in II
handsome residence OF her own and sent in unlimi-
ted orders to the grocer. 1t his influence that
gave Wynan several posts Of honor in his native
city for the town became thriving city, and
when silver hairs hung on the shoulders of tho
old man, and the young congressman 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 smile Of triumph,
81 told you so.'
Politeness pays!