The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-08-03

unihshi ibnallen a thing thai e4efy]|
onH osa hAve,' feWsfh;nk Of havtng:
M9h OF laaustry;sof ihsegrrit 5ofs re.
spectable ittelleotnal: giftsi are mes :at
evSfy turn ;sbnt your purely VsSil mnns ia
rdra apis We<afe NOT speaking pr
people in their social relations, butsin
their intercourse with the outside world:
Many men who arc everything that is
genial and courteous in the home CIRCLE,
become cold, brusqne. or irritable the
moment they enter their counting
| rooms, Offices, or places Of. business,
whatever it may be. { The playful; lin.
dulgeut paterJdnailias Of half an hour
before, suddenly changes into snarly
ogre, who snaps up his pa1e-faced clerk
us if ho would make supplementary
breakfast OF him. Under such a master
it is no wonder that the clerk in turn
finds it impossible to be civil to any
stranger whom the chance Of business
thing. clerks in mercantile houses DO
not stand in neei of ungracious exam
pies. Much dealing with complicated
accounts seems to sour the disposition.
| Fraotions beget righteousness. II you
desire fine specimen OF irritability,
take an ancient book-keoper at the time
he is making out his balance sheet, ask
him the slightest question not connected
with his calculations. But for oil peo-
pie engaged in strictly sedentary occupa-
! tions. one should make generous allow
anoe. As o class, the clerks in retail
stores are remarkably courteous, ocn-
sidering the tests to which their patience
ia constantly subjected. We wish it
we're not in our way to say it, but women
make the very worst retail clerks in the
world. In most cases they seem unable
to separate their sex from the business
in hand. If their customer is man.
they like or dislike him ut n glance, and
are proportionately attentive or indiffer-
ent. When dealing with women-apd
are apt to bs ourt, impatient aud dis
obliging. II "a woman tastefully or
absurdly enters the store, business re-
/ celves q furtive stroke Of paralysis; the
new conner. is instantly inventoried, dis
I sected, and-so to speak-set upon by
the female coroners Of the shop, whose
vsrdicts are delivered to each, other
across the. counters by O system OF eye
telegraphy not to be understood by man.
None Of these peouliaritias attach them
selves to masculine clerk. He is rarely
downright rude; he ia more often over
whelmingly polite and killing-7a very
bad form: of oivlity.. '-& i
i Men who hold positions which bring
them into CONTACT With the public, and
place the public, 70 3 certain extent, at
their mercy, have no right to be any
thing but civil The ticket. master ut the
railroad station has no right to snub you
because you do not happen to know on
whloh track your train is. The condnc-
} tor hos no right to regard you with q
, r$ ~ ~psk
ration, when you esk him the name Of
the next station. You were not born on
} the road. and if your Interrogation con
vinces him that you are natural idiot.
he ought to respect your misfortune and
not betray it to the other passengers.
The haokman who gloomily awaits you
at the terminus OF the journey has nc
right to hustle you as.if you were part o1
your oRn baggage. The hotel clerk, the
/ natural humility Of whose disposition
lies buried under that monumental dia.
n9nd pin, has no right to treat you as
an inferior. Yet who that hos travelled
! hiss not met all these forms OF incivility
This, to be sure. is only one side OF the
story. The traveller is almost as likely
to'be exasperated ns the employee of the
road, or the clerk OF the hotel. Dut
then the traveller is not paid for being
civil, and the other gentlemen are.
It costs so little and is worth so much
A youhg clerk with oivility already has q
stock OF goods of his own. Regarded, as
, mere policy, it is the next best thing &c
honesty; and, like honesty, it is good 70,
its own sweet self. An uncivil man il
necessarily a disseminated man. n dis
> comfort to himself Webeg leave TO add
new sentiment to the copy book of the
period: Be civil and you will be happyl
The New York Times, Of Monday
, gives an ''interview" between one Of it,
reporters and May or Hall, in which the
mayor is made to say: Hereafter g
monthly statement similar TO inc ordi
nary bank statements, Of the condition
Of the city and County treasury, is to bt
made. The first report will be made or
the 1st OF August for the preceding
month. and think the showing will be
? so creditable as to defy the unfavorablt
criticism of even the most violent parti
: san journals.'
DEATH OF Mr.. BREEDEN. 1T is with
, regret that we record the death of Mr.
r. J.. Breeden. He was stabbed by q