The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-02-17
NO. S,
F0liteness Paws.

Seems TO NE you treat that ragged
little brat with more politeness than
should, said roagh looking man to a
young shop keeper who had just done rp
three cents worth of sugar very neatly, ia
a brown paper, and tied it carefully.
The 10y in question had presented a
marked physiognomy. From under his
rimless hat projected wide full brow,
deep sparkling eyes, and features full of
eEergy and resolution. His face and
hands were scrupulously clean, but his
clothes were poor and patched, though
not as the man had in7iDuated, ragged.
His mother was a woman possessing
p uch force of charactcr-a hard-work-
/ ing woman who had been reared in ap-
parently better circumstances than those
that now surround her, for she vas the
wife of adruukard.
| The grocer was busy, and he evidently
had not heard what was said, so the rough
looking man remarked again.
81 say. Wyman, you're queer oue."
"How queer, Gross?p asked the grocer
throwing a scoop cf tea into the scales.
"Why you treattbe beggars atou. here
with as much consideration when they
come with their pennies, as if they bought
| by the Wholesale"
"And why shouldn't r. said The gro
Ger, looking up with his honest eyes wide
open and clear
"Oh, | don't know; it's queer, that's
/ all; you're the only man that Goes it
reckon. in these parts"
"Well, I'll tell you," said Wyman, de.
liberately unwinding the spool of cord
and twisting the string upon package
be held in his hand; "the fact is, if l
wasn't naturally tender towards the chill
dren, | should treat them, as l do from
motives Of policy You see, I'm but
young man, and these 'brsts, as you call
them, are growing up fast. Many of
them, of little worth as they seem now,
will become men of character and men of
business. Now, | want to retain their
custom" be said, laughingly; their PEN
nies, in the course of few years, will
turn into pounds; their three cents worth
of sugar will change into orders By the
barrel. | shall have many good custo-
mer among the 'brats, besides, I've al
ways found that politeness pays we'll"
Something in that" calculated the
coarse man, thrustiDg his hand into his
pockets, something in that; but | never
looked at it in that light before"
| "Thc boy who bought toe sugar." con-
tiaued the grocer, "is of no ordinary mind
! if am not mistaken. II his father was
dead, | would take bin with me into the
store and make man Of him-though I
reckon nature will do better for hi th an
| could; and the far-seeing grocer smil-
ingly handed cents worth of pins to a
little timid child, whose top curl just
reached the counter.
Time verified the prediction Of WymaH
the grocer.
There wasn't shop in the place where
SO much small change was spent as in his;
for the children loved to 60 where they
were not afraid of rough actions or rude
speeches. They felt themselves safe
while making their little purchases; they
saw that their rights were respected; and
it IS we'll known that on such triHing
sales much profit acerues in the aggre-
gate. Time passed, and Wymau, the
grocer, was the most popular man in town.
His pleasant face at forty years was
greeted everywhere. Young men and
maidens always patronizod Wyman. 1t
was strange to see the transformation that
took place, SO gradually the little ju-
venies shot up into awkward youths's,
10, 80 Jos onJ fbo, ,r,r- - a.
spectacle business men. Wyman enlarg-
ed his shop, and built him a splendid
house, "all the fruits of the children's
pennies" be often said laughingly.
"Yes, With bin, az pail 10 Je polite; it
always pays. 1t pays the merchant as
we'll as the mechanic, tie lawyer as we'll
as the physician. Urbape manners have
been the means of making many for
tune while tho cross grained have won
dersd why they didn't get along. The
roughneSs that speaks its mind at all pla-
ces, boastiDg itself that it is only honest,
blunt and straight forward" i, habit
that demoralzes as well as insults. Ask
any man you chance to see, if he remem-
bers those who treated him with urbanity
when he was child and be will recall
his namc with throb of pleasure Per-
haps too be will couple some other names
with the epithet of'old rascal!n and "I've
never liked that mani wouldn't have
dealings with him"
1t paid the grocer TO be polite The
ragged boy the drunkard's son, beams
great MS well as a rich man. lie es-
tabiished his sad mother in handsome
residence OF her own and sent in unlimit-
ed orders to the grocer. 1t was his in
( 6uence that gave Wyman several posts of
/ hoDar in his native city-for the town
became thriving city; aud when silver
hairs hung on the shoulders of the old
man, and the young Congres.man's name
rang far and wide spoken By admirinS
tongues, praised by men of wisdom aud
sterling worth. it was no idle boast for
him to say with a smile of triumph,
told sou sou Politcness pFys!