The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-03-10
True Politeness.

!
:;a,
ThM browning grace of character
cannot: be learned or acquired by
study ot etiquette books. They
Indeed are useful as manuels Of
social intercourse, and may help
one in the observance of conven-
tional rules, but they cannot make
the ruet-lady or the true gentle
man. Gsnuine politeness strikes
its roots far below the surface, e,;deep
in the heart, and blossoms out in
all the little acts of life.
He whose, pulse beats in time
with the great pulse of humanity,
who feels that "every human heart
is human," bears about within him
the very elemental soil from which
true courtesy spon eousl ly
springs. This large affinity char
acterizes all truly great souls and
constitutes an essential part of their
greatness. Some of the manifesto
tions of its presence. are perfect
simplicity Of manner, entire ab-
sence of all acting for, effect, total
Inconsistencies of seR. We see
these in persons who have travelled
extensively in our own and other
countries, and who have thus been
so thrown into sympathetic rela-
tions with people of various nation
alities and civilizations that their
citizenship is consciously cosmo-
|politan. We see it in philanthro-
pists who may in all their lives
have lived in the narrow precincts
of single township, yet whose
benevolent activities have brought
them in. direct personal contact
with the poor, the ignorant, the
degraded, the unfortunate, no less
than with the happy, the wealthy,
the prosperous, the intelligent.
There is no need Of circumnavi-
eating the earth to acquire this
largeness of heart whence true
politeness springs, since nearly
every neighborhood furnishes fit
ting representatives of all condi-
tions of the race, and at our very
doors we may communicate if we
will with China, with Ethiopia,
with almost every type of humani-
ty: -.
In great many neighborhoods
there IS found certain class that
pride themselves on their blood or
their correctness of department, or
their discrimination Of character,
and think the bost way of assert
ing themselves is to pass those
socially beneath them without
recognition. This spirit once man.
ifested in a community is as conta-
gious as smallpox or scarlet fever,
and almost as nlischievous, and
soon infects all save the truly
healthful souls in the place. These,
breathing the high atmosphere of
universal sympathy, untainted by
the narrow prejudices that torment
and gangrene lean and meager
souls, can afford kind word or
glance to all they meet, giving the
faithful laborer due recognition on
account of the manhood that is in
him and the substantial good that
he renders society, tightening the
heart Of the humble servant girl
who honestly tries to. do her duty
and who in her sphere is as indie
spensable rs the sun is in his,
giving the need of just apprecia-
ton and due respect to all, howev-
er high or low their station or
calling.
Politeness has been called "be-
nevolence in little things" From
the very nature of this definition
it appears that benevolence in little
things can only come from q large,
q universal benevolence of heart
from which all smaller streams
flow as rivuIets from d Common
fountain.
Instead, then, of placing great
stress on the mere outside show,
poring over books on how to
behave, practising poses before the
mirror, let the weightier matters of
the law-real kirdliness of feeling
toward everybody, broad and
catholic sympathies with all classes
of people-let these be cultivated
and all little matters of etiquette
will take care Of themtelves.