New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-09
MINOR MDRiLS.

August Is the month when gOOd-breedlng
becomes the most popular virtue III the mar
kpt; like the AutOcrats potatoes, 1t Is
..skerce and high !" we never know to what
extent until the Summer holidays. Every
body turns out of his own house then
and iostles out-of-dOOrs with his neigh-
bors; all the unpleasant grumpy habits
which wife and child bear III silence,
all the nasty little WEAKNESSES, the sweet
modesties, the gentle unselish ways, which
make home a mini tire heaven or hell, come
ont TO public view now. All the world now
sees that this famous poet Is henpecked. and
hears how that great phiantnropist frets
and fumes at home from morning until night,
and finds which member OF each family 1t Is
that spiZcs on the seat III the shady corner OF
the tender bit of the srloln.
This great August outing Is miniature Day
of Indictment the secrets OF every household
are revealed you cannot take your seatin
car or at a public table without pungng
into some family group. Z ually, too, the Ia
bic and car are taken INTO their confidence
and forced to hear of the tleas In the last
clearinghouse, or the condition OF baby's
stomach, with franbnCss touching but tire
some. These garruious condolences are only
one hint of the lack of good breeding OF
which the peripatctic householder proves him.
self guilty every day. The average American
Is generous, hoSpiJable, chivllric in big,
headlong way toward women, but he Is not
courteous he has a large contempt for trivial
amenities, the almost meaningless acts AMI
words which make life a pleas mt journey in
stead of the tramp of treadmlll. If our
clergymen soOumng among strangers at
beach and mountain would preach these
MINOR morals just now, every day would give
them force aud pertinence. Here IN the ear
is a youug fellow singing Pima ore an old
one warm from Ocean Grove singing Sankey's
HYMNS. and two fashionable women Sowing
at them both. Why should they scowI2 Is not
the world and the sunshine big enough to
hold us aud all Uncle Tohv's buzzng
flies in calm and comfort Why, On The other
hand, should We thrust our religious emotions
any more than Little Buttcrcup into uuwill-
ing ears ? There is base of selfsbness in
every phase of illbreeding even though 1t be-
practised by the most pious and worthy OF
men.
Some day Americans will discover that pO-
likeness pays. They have not found 1t out
vet. The farmer takes Summer boarders with
a grumpsh protest; so much lodging, victuals,
use of teams; SO much money at the end of
the week. He has not the shrewdness to see
that little cordial humoring of their
freaks and follies would make him and
his house home instead of a hotel.
Help them heartily with their picnic, show
them where the snlpe are plenty, take little
human interest in their first catch of trout,
and they will overlook tough meat and
hard beds and crowd your gates Summer
after Summer. If you are Summer
boarder, too, now is the time to remem-
Der that you only pay for lodging
and food You never have bought the right
TO nag and brOwbeat the man unlucky enough
10 be your host. In short, to whatever point
of the compass you go, you will find that Il
little decent reserve as to your own condition
and rights, pleasant word and courteous
consideration for the people about you, will
"pay your way and make the summer
smoother than greenbl cks and GOLD.
And lastly, remember that these petty cour-
tesies. which seem 80 insignificant, are the
only way usually in which any man can
honor his Master before the world. Not
one in ten thousand can carry the Gospel
into Mes0pOtama, but every one can
carry a smiling face TO the break
fast table. II will not probably be given to
any of us to save our brothers life, but we
have the chance every day 20 make the lives OF
all about us happier and better by words and
looks that cost nothing but self-cOutrol
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