Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-10-25
THE HOUSEHOLD.
"Putting ON Airs

once saw dainty little lady, about
six years Of age, walking up from Con
gress Spring In Saratoga. She was very
beautifully dressed. She held little
parasol with her thumb and two fore
fingers, while her least finger and the
next to it were held as far of as posi-
BILE from the handle, and crooked. Her
little head was moved from side to side
and her mincing walk flung her sash
to and fro behind, as she went up the
hill The little darling was 7 putting on
airs." In her it was sweet, and what
her mother would have called cunning.
She was pretty little parody on big
simpletons. That was all. One could
not see her "airs without smile OF
amusement, because she knew no better;
but when great fat old dowager came
along and tried to be dainty with her
sunshade, which was smaller than the
little bellies, and attempted mincing
gait, which resulted in dislocated wad-
die, she could only be beheld with a
smile of contempt or derision. She
was putting ON airs, and ought to
have known better. '.'t
f.Pntting on airs I" is the assumption
Of manners incongruous to ones char
acter or position. The reasonable thing
for man to do is to cultivate his char
acter as thoroughly as possible and LET
il produeeits own manners, rs living
tree produces its leaves. The assump'
ton OF what does not belong to us is a
fraud in the community. Such cheats
aud shams are all those who are put
ting on airs.
There is the, !" airs Of wisdom, which
many people do greatly affect. The old
carricature, if carricature it may be
called. of the potentious physician, was
the great gold headed cane, held up
against the side. of the nose, while one
eve was closed, and the other was turned
up in deep thought, when all the while
the old humbug knew that he was going
to administer calomel and jalap, what
ever the case Of. the patient might be.
"a still tongue makes wise head, y is a
fool saw that has led to much putting
on airs" Men say nothing, are solemnly
silent, look unutterable things, or shrug
their shoulders as if they add to their
vast store of knowledge, the discretion of
being very careful of what they said and
to, whom. they. said it, and when, and
where, and how. These people put son
the " airs - of wisdom's bird, look Just
as wise as Minerya's owl, say as little,
and have as little sense. The biggest
fool j ever saw looked wiser than the
Lord ever intended any man to be. e
But in our day there is much putting
on Of the "air" of ignoranea and inno-
cence. This Bret Harte has caricatured
in that Heather Chinee, who was so
"child like and bland, and sat down to
play a little game he did not under
stand" but who did the business for
truthful James and his friend, .Mr. Viii
liam Nye. Beware Of innocent people.
Beware of them whose diet is mothers
milk. These babes of grace will prove
too many for you, if you let their airs
deceive you. Smoothly shayen old poll
ticians, with faces like those Of over
grown boys, blunderingly honest, not
caring for appearance enough to put
their clothes ON deoently- -dear, bucolic
old gentlemen, they can show you a
trick worth two of any the proiessed
gamblers in politics can exhibit. The
greatest scoundrel you ever knew could
not comprehend the meaning of the sins
YOU charged him with on discovery, and
looked vacantly innocent while you re-
viled him. Is this not so2
What folly Is this putting on ol
airsp A young preacher undertakes
to carry the style Of the Archbishop Of
Canterbury; a man Of business walks
round his store condescendingly point
ing out to his customers what goods he
has, with a slight rattan held in kid
gloyed hand; girl at Long Branch ol
| the Springs behaves like a member o.
some kniekerbooker family, when every
body knows that her grandfather drove
a dray and her mother retailed ginger
bread; a youth who was raised on pork
and beans, or bacon and greens, in Q
country cabin where floors never saw a
carpet, 9aSe more trouble at EeteI
table or in clearinghouse than a trav-
cling noblemanl what fantastic TRICKS
are thesel
My friend, if people do not see thee,
"why put on airsl If they do see thee,
dost thou notknow that they see through
thee? Then why be putting on airs ?
Put off airs and put on honesty-and be
natural. = From Baldpin's Autumn
Leaf. T