Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-03-08
POLITENESS AT HOME.
Practice as Well as Preach Politeness If
You Wish Your Children to Learn True
COURTESY.

"Tbank you, Charlie" said Mrs.
Brown, as her little son handed her s
paper he was requested to bring. "Thank
you, Bridget" the little fellow said a few
hours after, as he received a glass of
water from his nurse.
Well Mrs. Brown, you have the best
mannered children | ever saw said a
neighbor. 81 should be thankfal If mine
were as polite to me as yours are to The
servants. You never spend half Ms much
time on your chlldren,s clothes as DO,
and yet every one notices them, they are
SO well behaved ~
"We always try to teach our ohildren
poll'eness," was the quiet reply.
This was the whole secret. When /
hear parents grumbllng about the manners'
Of their children, always wish 10 ask,
Have you always treated them with
politeness 2" l once knew a man, con-
sidered quite gentleman in society, who
would speak to his children in a manner
that well-instrucled dog would resent
He would order them with a growl to
bring him his slippers, or perform some
other little service; and yet he complained
OF the ideness and disobedlence of his
children.
Many parents who are polite and polish
large, are perfect Doors, inside the hone
circle. What wonder If the children ore
the same. II they should accidentally
\ bfush against angtber in the streets, an
apology would be sure 10 follow; but who
ever thinks of Offering an excuse 10 the
lille people, whose rights are constantly
being violated by their careless elders 2
| u q astranger offer the slightest service, he
| Is gratefully thanked but who ever re-
membered to reward tue little tireless feet
that are travelling all day long upstairs
and down, on countless errands for some
body
It would be policy for parents to treat
their children politely, for the sake of
obtaining more cheerful obedience, If for
no other reason. The costless use of an
IF you please" and 81 thank you, -
now and then will go far to enlighien an
otherwise burdeneome task Say to your
son "JOhn shut the door," and with a
scowl he will move slowly towards it, and
shut il with bang. The next time say,
John, will you shut the door, please ~
and he will hasten with a Pleasant smile
to do your bidding.
Many children, as they grow older, are
obliged to learn the rulos of poliieness as
they would a lesson. The consequences
! Aot MhNh AhN1 hRBtuA III HOIlNt1 NntN are
awkward and blundering. Onthe o'heI
hand, children who hlve been accustomed
to politeness at home are at their ease in
the most polished circles, and are saved
that confusion and self-condemnatior
which are sure to follow any breach of the
rules of etiquette.
Some children, learning from their pa
rents, seem TO consider politeness at homl
atiectaton. Brothers who would Jump NJ
with alaFcity to give an easy chair t,
some dashing miss of their acquaintance
will appropriate it to themselves when Il
home, without the slightest apparent con
seiousness of the presence of a sister, o
perhaps a mother. Wantsof politeness I
the cause of more quarrelling anon
, brothers and sisters than anything else.
In their plays children are constant
!, meeting with little accidents, for whic
q they should be taught TO apologize. hay
!, seen the checks of child flush wit
y anger, his eyes flash, and n little han
/ raised to strike the unfortunate breaker {
!. a toy when, as if by magic, the bio
> was arrested by these words "Excu;
/, me; | did not mean TO-" Polish is nj
= everything. 1t is, however, somethin,
!. Ii is better TO have black Kettle that
. sound than bright one with hole in q
:, bottom; but there is 10 reason why II
=, sould d one should not be bright too. shii
y them W, and both happiness and iniluen
n will be increased.