Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-03-13
For The .Iournal
A True story for Children.

The people of Philadelphia are very
particular about who they admit into
their society. There is saying, that
| before a stranger is admitted into soci-
ETY. in New York they want to know
how much he is worth; if in Boston,
how much he knows; and if in Phila-
adelphia, who he is. Now while we
may not approve of all of these distinc-
tons, yet it is entirely right that peo-
| pie should know something about
| strangers before admitting them on
| terms of intimacy into their families.
Yet it is one of the crimes charged
against the people of the South since
the war, that the.y did not at once adj
NIT every Northern man or woman
who came among them into their So
ciety, though they neither knew how
| much they were worth, how much
they knew or who Shey were. But to
our story.
A few years ago gentleman and his
wife, with their son Charley, nine
Philadelphia and took a furnished
house in highly respectable neigh
borhood in that city; they were stran-
people feel nowhere so lonesome as in
a crowded city where they are perfect
strangers. But their little son Char
ley soon scraped acquaintance with
another little boy named William,
whose wealthy parents livea in a fine
house near by. Willie had a sled, on
which he and Charley were every day
riding each other on the snow. Some
time after their acquaintance began
Willie's parents proposed giving him
birth-d day party, and asked him what
children he wanted invited? He at
once said, in the first place Charley
must be invited. To that his parents
objected, because they were not ac-
quainted with Charley's mother. Will
lie SAID he could not help that, and if
Charley could not come that he did
not want a party, for Charley was
just the best little boy in the city, and
he liked him better than any boy he
knew. Children are quick to read
each others characters. Willie's
mother, to crafty him, called on
Charleys mother and asked her to let
him come to Willie's party, which she
agreed to do, and at the party Charley
behaved so well, was SO kind to the
other children while playing with
them, and SO careful not to hurt their
feelings by speaking unkindly to them,
that he soon not only became favor
tie with the children, but attracted the
notice of their parents. When tired
of playing the, children were invited
into another room to supper, which
you may be sure was good one for
Willie's parents were wealthy. At the
table Charley again by his polite be-
haviour and pleasant manners soon
drew the attention of all the grown
| people in the room; while other petted
| ard spoiled children would twist and
turn about, putting their elbows on
| tie table, saying [ want that and [
don't want this. and when helped
would rudely seize the things they
liked best. Charley sat quietly till
helped when he would thank them po-
litely aud eat moderately of what they
gave him. In short he became "the
observed of all Observers the lion of
the party. Rather a small sample of
a lion you will say. So he was, but he
made very decided impression, and
gentlemen insisted, as he was astrang-
er in the city, on seeing him home,
and when he did SO Charley thanked
him politely and regretted the trouble
he had given him.
6AiCCA LIZ iOAe viz p'A viz oiuCi I'OO-
pie were unbounded in their praise of
him, and said his mother must be a
very refined lady, and did not need
any better introduction in society than
behaviour of her little boy. So
they all called upon her and were as
much pleased with her as they were
with her son Charley, and after that
she never had occasion to be lonely
while she remained in that city.
The moral of this true story is hat
children when they go abroad
represent their parents, who are esti-
mated by the good or bad behaviour
of their children, and if children when
they go abroad wish to be loved them
selves and have their parents respected
they should be careful to behave well,
and 80 be sure of doing so,they should
always practice behaving well at home.