The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-10-06
What Is True Politeness 4?

enough; but he makes such long calls,
and comes so often, that he is rather
tedious. i wish the young folks were in;
but l must be polite, l suppOse"-and
with a slightly impatient air, the lady
went forward to receive the unwelcOme
guest.
How unfortunate that young people
must 90 through some modification, and
be subject to some slight rebuffs, before
experience teaches them the wisdom of
Solomon's counsel, "Restrain thy foot
from thy neighbOrs house, lest he grow
weary of thee, and hate thee.n l always
feel sorry that they must learn this. 1t
is hard lesson for the young. And |
am sorry for the hostess also. IL is no
easy thing to temper coolness with
kindness in such cases. / hope she will
show her annoyance as little rs possible.
But-hOw is this? Do my ears deceive
me?
'Ah! Mr.. -, am quite delighted
to see you again. Walk right in. Lay
aside your Overcoat, and spend the
evening.
''Oh, no! I couldn't possibly. was
Just passing, and could not resist the
temptation To run in and inquire about
You all. Must stay only moment
leave. You must stay to tea. Our
young people will soon be in, and to
lose your call will be a great disappoint-
ment."
~ really ought not to stop tonight;
but never know how to refuse you, dear
Mrs. -
When the "yOung people" came in,
they adjourned to the front parlor, and
were soon engaged in cheerful, pleasant
discourse, while the hostess turned her
attention TO her elderly guest.
81 am glad to be let off so easily. |
feared should be compelled to entertain
Mr.. - till tea time, and lose half my
visit with you. But are you not well :?
You look troubled ~
''Shall tell you honestly, feel only
half sure that | am really welcome
guest here tonight
"HOw can YOU say so? Do you not
know that you are always, and at all
times, welcome ~
81 certainly did think so antil within
a few moments
"What can have happened to change
your mind 50 very suddenly ,"
~ so truly love you, Mary, that ! shall
tell YOU the whole truth, frankly. When
| came, YOU met me with the greatest
eoryliality, and / was truly happy to be
with YOU once more. When the bell
rang, YOU seemed to dread the Interrupt
ton, and was half vcXed when you
recognized the voice of your visitor
That did not surprise me, for | well
understand how an unexpected call will
interrupt and mar anticipated pleasure,
by distTricting the attention, and draw
ing il away from the invited guests Of
the evening. Yet it WAS only 'call,
and need not have detained You long.
But | was grieved, and my faith in true
friendship sadly shaken, when | heard
your greeting to the rather tedious
caller Your manner was a. winning,
and your qualification as apparent, a.
when !, your invited and expected guest,
entered the room"
"Nhyi what would you have me do
surely not treat gentleman rudely or
unkindly?"
'By no means. But when you did
not wish him to remain, and knew that
he had no intention of doing so, why
feign desire for his company which
your heart did not sanction? If You
always urge him with such apparent
cordiality, no wonder his calls are long
and frequent-fcdiOUs. as you termed
them when speaking To me. Surely
neither courtesy nor pOliteness required
that YOU should do more than chat a few
moments, and let him depart. That
would have been true kindness. Having
fresh in mind your words and manner,
when YOU heard his voice in the hall,
and contrasting them with the extreme
urgency of your solicitation To remain,
is it strange that | said in my heart,
How do know but | was invited here
in the same spirit, simply as an act of
hA 81
affectionate greeting / received was but
seeBliRg-the heartless formula of FASH
iOnable life p"
~ only did as all must do, if they
would secure and maintains q respectable
standing in good society"
"My dear child, there is something
rotten in the State of Denmark'-in this
so-called good society'-if it compels
untruthfulness.
~ grieve that you judge me so harshly
You surely do not believe / would tell a
| falsehOOd >"
"That is too rough term to be men,
toned to ears polite; but, by your own
statement, what else was it ? You urge
/ this uninitiated young man to do that
which you acknowledge You did not
desire him to do. Bear with me, nv
child; | speak but for your own good. In
I the whirl and excitement of fashionable
Z life, YOU cannot understand how this
! hollow-hearted mode of existence ap-
pears to n looker-On. Not this instance
alOne-but there are thousand varieties
| in which strict truth is thought quite
oId-fashiOned and unnecessary
We are surprised and pained at the
/ lack Of real, genuine truthfulness in the
social intercourse between friends, as
well as with passing acquaintances. And
il is so often manifested in cases where
a strictly truthful course would be the
easiest and altogether the kindest way
A certain amount of attention, certain
number of calls, are thought necessary,
if one would keep i'm good and regular
standing i'm fashionable, genteel society
But that these calls aud attention:
should spring from the heart-from true
kindness and friendly feeling-is Otter
apparently as fully ignored rs if sucl
emotions had no real existence. AnC
when these ''calls'' have been male, th,
proper attention rendered, what goo.
has been accomplished Often none a
all; and il is well if sometimes positiv,
evil is not the result, il not to others. {,
ones own self Time uselessIy spent
words uttered that have no meaning, o
a covert one to wound and vex; assur
ances of pleasure and interest whicl
your heart denies; laying your owl
! truthfulness as a sacrifice on the altar O
pOliteness-what good results can yo
expect? We feel moved to speak eaI