The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-02-06

selves in. A few ashes mixed with them
will also be found useful.-Cor. Country
Gentleman.
The Familiarity that Breeds Contempt.
Of all the sources of bad manners, we
know of none so prolific and pernicious
as the license of familiarity. There is
no one among our readers, we presume,
who has not known a village or a neigh
borhood in which all the people called
one another by their first or Christian
names. The "Jim," or /" Charley" or
"Mollie," or "Fanny," of the young
DAYS of school-life, remain the same I'M
til they totter into the grave from old
age. Now, there may be a certain
amount of good-fellowship and homely
friendliness in this kind of familiar adj
dress, but there is not particle OF po-
likeness in it. 1t is all very we'll, within
family or circle of relatives, but
when it is carried outside, it is intolera-
BILE. The courtesies of life are carried on
at arms length, and not in familiar
embrace. Every gentleman has right
to the title, at least, of sinister" and
every lady to that of "Miss" Or Mis-
tress." even when the Christian name is
used. For an ordinary friend to address
married woman as "Dolly" or
"Mary," is to take with her an unpar-
donable liberty. 1t is neither courteous
nor honorable; in other words, it is
most unmannerly. We have known re-
markable men, living for years under
the blight of their Familiarity used first
names-men whose fortunes would have
been made, or greatly mended, by re-
moving to some place where they could
have been addressed with the courtesy
due to their worth, and been rid forever
of the cheapening processes of familiari-
ty. How can a man lift his head under
the degradation of being called "Sam u
by every man, young and old, whom ne
NAV meet in the street? How can a
strong character be carried when the
man who bears it must bow decently to
the name of Billy?''
This is not matter that we have
taken up to sport with. We approach
it and regard it with all seriousness, TO-
this feeling and exhibition of familiarity
lie at the basis of the worst manners O
the American people. We are not ask
ing, specially, for reverence for age O.
high position, but for manhood ant
womanhood. The man and woman wh'
have arrived at their majority have ;
RIGHT to a courteous form of address
and he who withholds it from them, or
presuming upon the intimacies of boy
hood, continues to speak to them a
still boy and girl, is boor, and prac
tically foe to good manners. We sup
pose the Friends would object to thi
statement, but we do not intend to EN-
!, brace them in this condemnation. The
look at this matter from a differer
standpoint, and base their practice ul
on certain considerations which have n
recognition in the world around then
We think they are mistaken, but the
courteous way of speaking the whole
!, the first name is very different from tn
!. familiar use of names and nicknames (
y. which we complain. There is no use
i denying that the free and gener'
use of first names, among men and won
> en-, in towns and neighborhoods, is
;, the last degree vulgar. Gentlemen an
ladies do not do it. 1t is not habit
:. polite society, anywhere.-Februa'
:. Scribner.