Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-02-14

cult for their friends to treat them with
geniality. The coldest-mannerc people
are frequently those who look fer most
warmth from others; and when their
expectations are mt gratihed they forget
that the GOODNESS they meet with is but
dim reflection Of their own. But mis-
cradle as is the state Of persons who
suffer from over-scnitivcnces. il Is TO be
preferred to that Of the hardened wretches
who are imporvious 10 the sternest on
slaughts Of the cold shoulder. There
are beings who are 50 con>inced Of their
Town nftrectivsness tbet ring will
persuade then, slsaf thcg seiscts Of
snaeIn asefsiue. NJ s,s;er q s.sss
the mnhner 81 an 4 ~ 4 TAM III Il
unusually cold they attfs6af1NiE to dys-
pepsia or to the depreciation III the value
of his investments.
1t may be doubted whether any hu-
man being has ever lived to the age of
thirty without experiencing the cold
shoulder in some form or other. Who
does not know what it is, when casually
falling in with couple Of friends. to see
them smile significantly at each other,
and then accord him a colder greeting
than he expected Or who has not heard
knot Of bis acquaintance chuckle with
ill-concealed mirth when be left them ?
If any one has escaped such a fate, has
he never found the conversation of q
friend cold or abrupt when he had hoped
it would be sympathetic and familiar 7
Is there a man so lucky that he has new
err been made to feel that he was in the
way when paying call? Have not most
of us occasionally found that our most
interesting communications have been
responded to by vacant Really" while
our best stories have failed to provoke a
smile ? Do no friends who once signed
themselves "yours very afectionately'
conclude their letter with chilling
"yours truly ?" Have none Of the old
nick-names and familiar expressions
been dropped, and are all the standing
invitations to luncheon still In force ?
Have we not written affcctionate and de-
tailed epistles which after long delay
have received but curt notes in reply,
containing no allusion Whatever to our
friendly remarks aud inquiries Are not
our tempting invitations sometimes re-
fused with no better excuse than regrets
that those whom we invited are unable
to accept them
AT first sight it might be imagined
that nobody would be subjected to cold
shouldering. unless he had committed
some heinous offence, or at any rate lay
under suspicion of having done so. Par
ticularly, however. ii is -rsherwise, MS
the punishment of which we speak is
apt to follow comparatively innocent
actions, while real wickedness often es-
capes scot-free. Conduct which might
bring the offender into the Divorce Court
may possibly expose him to the cold
shoulder of good society, but visits to
the houses of the leaders of the opposite
cliques, or intercourse with respectable
people whom nobody knows" would
quite certainly render him liable to Sc
we're penalties. Again, it is simply sad
when man becomes o confirmed dipso-
maniac; but if he changes his religion,
however conscientiously and at whatever
sacrifice, be is visited with the scverest
penalties of the cold-shoulder. Those,
however, who wish to taste the cold
shoulder in all its bitterness should take
an energetic part in canvassing at an
election-if possible, selecting one in
which both candidates are Of similar
politics. Instead of being political
contest it then becomes purely person.
al affair, and although, when it is over,
there is great deal said about letting
bygones be bygones, and although it is
generally understood that no absolute
cutting is to be allowed to follow, the
families and supporters Of the rival can
didates find abundant opportunities for
the use Of the only alternative weapon
of modern social warfare, nor are they
slow to use them. The two champions
very likely may shake hands and declare
each other TO be excellent fellows, and at
public dinners it may be given out that
there is to be peace on earth and good
will toward men; but. for all that, it is
said in private that this man acted like
traitor, that man like q scoundrel, that
Brown told lie and shall some day be
made 10 eat his words, that Jones repre-
sented the familiar friend of evil notorie-
ty, and that Robinson behaved in man.
ner that can never be forgotten. Il can
not, therefore, be q matter of surprise
il freezing politeness is tho warmcst
kind Of intercourse that takes place be-
tween the rival factions for months, IL
not years, TO come and the cold shoul-
dering which follows resembles a gener-
al engagement rather than little quiet
dueling. Bad, however, as are election
eering contests in this respect, the most
enduring chilly treatment is that which
a man experiences after heavy pccuniary
losses. AT 6rst the sufferer meets with
good deal Of ostentstious sympathy
and patronizing coincidence, but this is
succeeded by coldness, as surely as the
autumn follows the summer. But har-
dcst Of all TO bear, 10 man with any
real self-respect, 10 the eoolnoss Of the |
poor and Of social interiors. Nothing
can well be more humiliating than this,
for il implies that much as Il would be
10 their private interest 70 curry favor
with him and put up with some disa-
on his part. they have such
a contempt for his behavior Of character
that no accident Of birth or circumstance
can make up for his personal de6cien-
cies.
II is sometimes scarcely less disagree
. IL. A.. -. A.. ...-..-s fha no1d -akoul-