Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-02-24

"HANDLHe, b0vsy A0W0bs" our dear.
polite, gentlemanly grandpa used to cry
when his grandsons came rushing ncisily
into his presence asking fAvors, making
remarks, and replying TO questions, leav-
ing out the little, very important words
.Ssr," nsem."" y you pssass," "zAesk
you" and Aboase me-"
Not reply could be gained from grand
pa, NO matter how pressing the case, tin
the hand1ss were applied to the sentences.
II six boys had been waiting to start on
fishing expedition, II . new kite was Just
ready TO be launched, II brass band, and
q procession Of Gagged wild beasts, had been
passing the door, not even the elephant
could move him to reply to q string Of
sentences without handles, uttered BY q
boy with his hat on his head and his hands
in his pockets.
As q consequence, the boys about grand
pa grew civil and polite. They learned 70
fore them they ceased to interrupt COM
and pleasantest seats in the windows, %
priced by the old, who cannot walk out 70
see the outdoor sights. A they sat about
the evening fireside with their books and
games, they became an ornament instead
Of nuis0Ncs, - have heard boys called
by those who do not view their actions
with loving mothers partial eye.
Grandpa, with his sanity spirit and
courtly manners, has gone to his reward.
With his generation have passed away our
gentlemen Of the old school" who obey
ed the command. Be oo1rteous." "Yea
ma'am," and No, ma'am." have become
antique phrases; and . half.spoken
"Yes'm" and " Nom, " shake ofthe head,
nod, or nothing ct al, has taken their
place. A group Of boys standing by tho
roadside district schoolhouse, with hAtD
of, making polite salutation to paseers-
by, - was the custom in ancient New
England days. would be more wonderful
sight to behold than the children who
Knocked the hoary headed prophet Of God,
and were devoured by the bears.
don't know how grandpa could oAe
dure Il, II he was alive, TO hear the sort
of inarticulate sounds, perhaps intended
for lymph umph" that procsed from the
mouths, without opening the lips, of our
young people nowadays, In place of the
absolute EYES, ma'am." It tries my love
and patience severely.
This now code Of manners may be q
"modern improvement; but I fail TO SEQ
its beauty or utility. A polite, respectful
boy can never, by any freak Of fashion,
be transformed into anything but beam
tiful sight. Satan favors the modern sys-
tenn of calling parents and guardians "0ld
fogies," "played out" mot up to tho
times" because he knows they want 70
make boys manly, pure, and true; and 10
Ii trying 70 have them disrespectfhl, bold,
and regardless of the feelings of those
who are given them by God to guide them
in the paths Of wisdom.
They say "fhshions come around every
seven years." This 10 encouraging. I
hope the readers Of this paper viii not
wait for polite children to come In fhahion:
but when they ind themselves acting
rudely, win remember grandpas cry,
Handles, boys, handgss !"
an apple. What d You think he saidf
+" OF course" you win reply, che raised
his cap, and aid, Thank you" ] blush
to tell what his reply wss-s stare, and
the exclamation, Bully for you n
Boys, b oovrtsous. You win never b
at for any position Of power or influence
In our land unless You learn to uss the
handles. Our country II growing very
large; snd We shall want some noble
men for Presidents, Governors and Ceh&-
net members, twenty years hence. 11Opo
allew boys st least, win cling to old-hsh-
toned, respectful ways, such - George
Washington psacticed, and b ready &e
elevation to these high positions. -0kris-
''S' As~''..s 4 tHg.e