Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-07-28
.fJ'OID FRIETEOI'.

.fJ'OID FRICTEO.N.
All men are in some degree alike. No
matter how apparently stolid, each has
sensibilities keen to discern an ctlront, and
prompt to respond to kind treatment. And
every one whom we meet, if entitled to
recognition at all, is so entitled as a human
being. If there are those who seem rude
and whose demeanour is repelling, it is
more than probable they have been driven
into this attitude of defiance by the rude
ness of an unmannerly world Yet even
the toughest and most abused can appre-
ciate gentlencss-which is the true phase of
"gentiity." Watch at public table and
you will find that those guests are most
promptly served whose voices are never
heard. Domineering and noisy people
shout themselves hOarsc, and are neglect
ed while the lifting of finger, by n judi
cious traveller, will bring two or three wait
YRS at once to his side. Hector is in bad
Cdor, all the world over; while the true
gentleman or lady is discerned at once, by
that natural sympathy which responds al
ways to courtesy.
Intercourse among strangers--and there
must be intercourse in this travelling world
is agreeable or disgreeable, as people are
mindful or unmindful of the small courte-
sizes of life. The other day the writer here
of, while passing from railroad car, felt
very unpleasant punch from behind. A
young fellow, conceited and foppish, was
oil of coli IN,
force his way faster than there was any
need and If he had not been impervious
to eye language, would have subsidized
under the glances of Indignation and sur
prise which were turned upon him from
all directions. Not word was said to him,
for no one thought him worth word. 1t
is not among impossibiitics that he may
have business intercourse with some per-
son Of that very party; and if his conduct
on that occasion is of piece with his usual
demeanor, he must find it necessary to be
very subvervicnt on special occasions to
overcome the prejudice created by his habi-
tual bearishness. And even then he will
not succeed.
This incident is not spoken of because it
is rare, but because it is of a kind entirely
too common. The Ledgcr has taken notice
before of the unfortunate mistake which is
often made by conlounding independence
of feeling with rudeness of manner. There
could not be a greater blunder or one more
fatal TO the pretensions which impolteness
is designed to enforce. The man who is
sure of his own position can afford to be
dclerential to other people. He can even
be patient with the small eXactions Of those
who evidently know no better than to tax
the forbearance of those whom they meet.
The quiet way to dispose Of impolite peO-
pie is to avoid them. If you are forced
into chance contact, forget them. And if
you cannot escape, defeat them, by relus-
ing To he rfiled by their imperlinence.
The original Mormon, Joe Smith, had an
ehicacious way of dealing with troublesome
gentiles. 1t was to "let them severely
alone"
One OF our contemporaries, the Scientific
| american, is very severe upon railroad
and other officials for THEN curtneSS and
| want Of pOliteness. No doubt there are
| disObliging persons among them-ior they
| form a large class. But ii should be re-
membered that, in addition to the more
serious part of their business, they are per-
| picked with a vast amount of routine de-
tails, taxing both memory and patience.
They are quite as much sinned against as
SHINING; for there are many travellers OF
the monitor prov class referred to above,
who have little consideration for any body;
and least Of all for those persons whose SER
vices 1t is fancied the passengers buy with
their passage tickets. There should be, we
| concede, no rudeness on the part Of rail-
road employees, for the companies have all
the world to select from. And there should
be, on the other hand, no uncouth behavior
or unnecessary questioning on the part OF
the passengers. While Doors travel, how
ever, we fear there is little hope that the
courteous can wholly escape the conse-
| quences of the misconduct Of the discour-
teous.
The only consolation is, that the peace
ably disposed can, by a proper indifference
to tribes, avoid unnecessary chatting, and
by courteous department to others disarm
even the toughest specimens of humanity
Most of the minor miseries of human life
are aggravated by our own impotence, and
many of the pleasant trifies of human inter
course are not appreciated because not no.
ticed. A constant habit of making the best
Of everything, and seeing the world in its
pleasantest aspects, tends to cheerfulncss
courtesy, and long life. But the crabstick
which happens TO live long, only grows the
crookeder and more knotty.- Philadelphia
Ledger.