Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-01-03

MAKING CALLs.-Making calls is in
general one of the thankIesS and unsalis-
factory duties of civilized life. OF fconrse
nelghborly calls and those of frien Ship,
which have some characteristics of Il visit
and none Of the embsrrusnents of fine
clothes and slight acquainlanceship calls
IN parlOrs where we are almost as much
ut home AS under our roof-trre, where We
are at liberty 10 remark upon new pic
ture or knlck knacs, where we may air
our opinions with the certainly that they
Will not be repeated or misunderstood!
where we may even expose uur ignorance
without lOosn : esteem g Ills upon people
with whose aims ami objects we are fami-
litr, WIN whom we have many things in
common. whose mrthO $ of thought and
motives OF action are not all guess work to
Us, who we know with III tlhemutiral cer-
talnty are glad TO see us. who are not our
critics, and do not sit upon the defensive
throughout our visit rs if we hLd co l.e
WIN The intention OF spying out the naked
ness Ot the land, Ut probing the family
woGnds, and wrestling from lhum the fam
lily secrets-lhese offer brilliant Compre-
hcnsion Of some Of those imposed upon
us by society or duty or circunistln eS.
There are people, however, who seem to
have been born with decided genius for
the work, who keep their acquaintlnces
IN constant debt to them, who are ALWAYS
uneartnng old schoolmales, and prove
fertile in invcnting prctexls for culing
upon high and low, while no stranger
within their gates but receives the benefit.
10 this class usually belongs those who
have no children or household to heed
and are not obliged TO sruggIe Tor Il live,
llho1d. 1t consists principally Of well-lo-du
widows and spinsterS, who, having been
detrauded out of IL family life of their own
levy Il tax upon that OF Others in short,
OF idle folks, fond OF IL cheap, easy and not
unwholesome excitement. No doubt this
propensity has its valuable side, arising us
it does from the social feeling in which
many of us have no leisure TO indulge our
selves. In the meantime, TO most OF US
mere ceremoniouS visiting is Il task wholly
uncongenial. What is achieved we
might ask, by spending fifteen minutes
twice or thrice II year with people for
whom we have no special adaptation or
liking; to whom we grow no nearer dur.
ing Il lifetime; with whom we have only
time to touch upon the weather, the fash
ions, the servants, or other frivoities who
neither interest amuse nor instruct US? A
call should naturally signify IL proof of
interest, whereas it is often only polite
fiction, hollow curiosity. Perhaps some
of the most disagreeabc people to call
upon are those VINO remind US of our de-
linqucncies in this respect, with whom
:" | was afraid you had forgotten tue road
here or " DO let us see you again before
the next Centennial, are current phrases.
savorng more of good will, it may be,
than of good taste; while those who enter
tain us with family jars, with accounts of
the domestic digest ms, who apologize for
unlidy toiettes, and whose conversation
sugg' sts the game Of twenty questions, )"
renders the fine art Of making calls more
or less IL bore.-ndrper'S Bl5r.