The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-07-21
How to be Courteous.
BIZ MICHAEL LAIRD.

BIZ MICHAEL LAIRD.
| wish to have three little chats with the
young friend who asked for some hints on
how to acquire good manners. The first of
these will come now, on the idea of Being
Courteous to Oneself The paper next week
will tell How to be Courteous to Ones Own
Family; and the third, How to be courteous
in Soc ety.
1t may strike my readers oddly to begin
by saying. do not believe boy or girl can
be polite to his or her companions who is not
really polite to himself or herself But this
assertion is exactly what 1 mean to start
with, for it needs to be recognized as the
first of al social truths by each one who de-
sires to please and entertain others without
anyaffectation.
A few DAYS since while riding in car,
my attention was caught by the entrance OF
two young men, each slightly past his ma
jority, and so near alike in general appear
that they were probably brothers. But the
resemblance entirely vanished on glancing
at their faces, when the features were at rest,
and when lit up by conversation.
One of them was plainly gay-spirited,
amiable lad, full of high spirits, accustomed
to be pleased with everybody and every
thing. A CHEEKY smile was oftener present
on his rosy face than absent. Every feature
unconsciously fell in to the harmony of radi-
ating out sunshine from an innocent unset
fish heart.
The countenanee Of his associate was
almost directly the reverse His eyes, nose
and mouth-corners all had the downward
hang of the Disconnected and sour DISPOSE
ton. His pallid and pimpled face rarely
lost its unconscious and gloomy frown, even
in the animation of conversIng with third
friend. He actually was so accustomed to
being fretful and disagreeable to himself that
he did not know how to treat his companions
pleasantly. Altogether, he was such one
as would throw a damper over any party
met for an evenings entertainment; while
the first lad could not help, unconsciously to
himself, filing young assembly with the
sunshine OF his sweet nature.
Ny stolen chances resulted in this conclu-
sion about the lad it was so pleasant to
watch. He had certainly, in some way.
learned the lesson of being truly courteous
to himself, and his companion had wofully
failed perhaps even did not know there was
such duty TO be mastered Let us see
then, what it is to be courteous to oneself.
The instinct of self-esteem seems to be one
of the natural motives implanted by Provi-
dence IN human nature, though it is possess
ed by folks in very varying degrees. 1t
seems reasonable for each one to have a good
opinion OF himself as long as the voice of
conscience does not accuse him of good
deeds left undone, bad deeds done and
unatoned for, and unruly tempers left &c run
riot.
Therefore, the first essential 1 would men
ton would be this; Each one ought to so con-
duct himself, or herself, each day as to re-
tain a high self-respect for his own manli-
ness or her own womanliness.
As long as we lead an honest pure and
peaceable life. we can look every
one we meet fairly in the eve
and not be abashed, like a coward who can
not help putting on hang-dog expression
before one he knows to be far better than him.
self
This forbids, at the outset, all violations of
the moral law, even if done in secrecy, all
giving away TO passionate outbursts,
or moody fits of sulkiness; for
ones sins always come to be proclaimed from
the house.tOp.
The stealing of fruit, the use of bad Ian
guage, an association with depraved lads, the
deceiving of ones parents, or teachers-ift the
guilt OF any of these beincurred, a lad will find
TO his sorrow that, to a corresponding degree,
the pure basis Of character, which alone can
permit him to develop in truly courteous
man, will be impaired.
Next, lad ought to be attentive to his
studies, that his mind may be fitted to be
guide to worthy thoughts; and he should
be attentive about his plays, too, that he may
develop healthy, robust body, and have his
blood so bounding that it will keep him sup
piled with an inexhaustible fund of good
humor.
Neither of these opposite pursuits can be
safely neglected, or else man, when at his
maturity, will find that his capabilities for
usefulness are very much limited. Either he
will lack the cultured skill to enable him to
assume responsibilities that would prove very
profitable, or else his physical strength has
been so undeveloped that he can not bear the
burden of executing all the enterprises that
offer themselves to his hand
1t is very important that a lad should learn
to be courteous to his own person. The first
of ali bodily duties is cleanliness. The wise
philosopher, Bacon, said over two centuries
ago: "Cleanness of body was ever esteemed
TO proseed from due reverence to Goo"
Bind the celebrated John Wesley repeated
the same thought in this form: 'Cleanliness
is indeed next to godliness."
Regular habits of bathing are due TO ones
own feelings of self-respect. The hair and
the nails especially should receive frequent
but not fopplsh care.
The shoes should always be neatly BACKED,
the clothes and hat brushed, and the linen
kept as clean as possible. H lbits of order
and regularity in the arrangement OF MINOR
matters Of ones toilet will cost but little