The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-08-09
Little GentIefoIHS.

Little GentIefotks.
GA gentleman" she began, thought
fully. ''What does that mean, Ralph ?"
81 know. The teacher said it was
just what it sounds, man who is gentle
and nice in his ways, polite to the girls
and old women, and never says rude
words, nor tries to cheat in croquet or
marbles. Is that all, auntie?'
cit doesn't all lie i'll being GENTLE
laughed the old lady, "nor yet in being
a genteel man, as some folks think it
does. 1t is more than being kind and
polite, or nice in manners, or clothes,
though they all belong to it. 1t is, first
of all, to be a man-manly. At the root
of the notion of gentleman lies the
idea of being strong, useful, protecting
man; and nothing else has the stuff in
it to make gentleman. In the old time,
when the world was divided into two
classes, gentles and common people,
there were very strict lines for the
former"
ooh, If could only find them now !"
cried Ralph. 1.-THE rules to make gen.
tlemanl Are they written anywhere ?"
"They were never written, that I know
of; but they were handed down from
father to son. and never laws were obeyed
as strictly as these. We know enough
of them to be sure that the standard of
a gentleman in those days did not in
many things differ from what it should
be to-day. And there is no reason why
a little boy should not carry in his heart
as stainless code of honor as plumed
and yisored Knight of ST. john
"There are no knights now," said
Ralph, little sadly.
"Im not SO sure of that. Things go
by working, nowadays, more than by
fighting; but they call for the same
knightly qualities of courage and endur-
ance that rode forth with spear and crest
to the field of battle. What do you think
was knights first duty? To fight for
the true cross. The next was to serve
his King and country. My Ralph's work
is the same to-day-always believing in
God and His truth, and, because you be-
heve in it and cannot help it, working
for it and defending it. And to the day
of your death there will be something to
do for your country. You must watch,
that bad principles do not creep In, or
bad men get control, and you must count
no tax OF time or money too great to
keep things what they should be for you
and those who come after you. This
will be your work before many years,
even If you never have to go out with
rifle and saber to really fight, as your
brothers had to. When bad men or
careless men say, as they are saying now
about many things, This is not exactly
what ought to be done-it is not doing
fairly by what we ought to protect, but
it is the easiest way to get along there
must be one man to say, No, the right
way is the easiest in the end, and the
only way, if it is only my little Ralph,
larger grown. No matter if you are
only one for the right. Say your word
as becomes man. The rest may see it
and be ashamed; but, at least, you will
have your heart and your conscience
clean.
"The knights VOW was to succor all
who were oppressed, to right all wrongs
which he came across, and to help all
who stood IN need. If knight came
upon any deed of cruelty or injustice
he could not say, I" It's no affair of mine
I won't Interfere. 1 may get. into
trouble by it, and get hurt. Il was his
particular business to interfere, and.
when he saw creature tortured, Or
found captive in prison unlawfully, or
knew of insult offered to a woman, a
child's inheritance taken from If. OF a
child stolen from its parents, as hap
pened in those cruel days, he was dis
graced If he did not go at once, with his
good lance and his men, aud set things
right. What he was not strong enough
to do he besought his brother knights to
aid HIM in doing; and to refuse this APP
peal would have cost knight his honors
and a sovereign's favors.
g For man to draw back from dan
ger, when called to it, was a disgrace
to take q bride, or allow himself to be
influenced by fear or favor, was to be
unworthy the spurs he wore, and the So
ciety os other knights. don't see why
you could not be little Knight OF ST.
Ralph Vide 4,Cake