The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-08-27
PUTTING ON AIRS.


We once saw a dainty little lady, about
six years of age, walking mp from Con
gress Springs, i'll Saratoga. She Wa
beautifully dressed. She held little
parasol with her thumb and iorefingers.
while her least finger and the one next 10
it were held as far as possible from the
handle, and crooked. Her little head
was moved from side to side, and be-
mincing walk flung her sash to and fr1
behind, as she went up the hill. Tr'
little darling was putting on airs" IN
her it was sweet, and what her motIeg
would have called cunning" She wa
a pretty little parody on big simpletoos.
That was all. One could not see her
"airs " without smile of amusement.
because she knew no better; but when a
great, fat old dowager came along AMI
tried to be dainty with her sunshade,
which was smaller than the little bellies.
and attempted mincing gait which re
suited in a dislocated waddle, she could
be behed only with smile of contempt
or derision. She was putting on airs,
and ought to have known better.
Putting on airs" is the assumption
Of manners incongruous to ones charar
| ter or position. The reasonable thing for
a man to do is to cultivate his character
as thoroughly as possible and let it pro
| duce its own manners, as q living tree
produces its leaves. The assumption %
what does not belong to us is r fraud ia
the community. Such cheats and shamN
are all those who are putting on airs.
There is the "air" of wisdom which
many people do greatly affect. The Old
caricature, it may be called, of the pra
tentious physician, was the great gold
headed cane, held up against the side ct
the nose, while one eye was closed, and
| the other was turned up as if in deep
thought, when al the while the old hun
bug knew that he was going to admin
ter calomel and jalap, whatever the case
of the patient might be.
"a still tongue makes wise head
is fools saying that has led To much
putting on airs" Men say nothing.
are solemnly silent, look unutterahie
things, or shrug their shoulders IS if
they add to their vast store Of know
edge the discretion of being very careful
what they said and to whom they said
it, and when and where and how. These
h, oirhs nI WI
bird, look just as wise as Minerals owl,
say as little and have as little sense. The
biggest fool we ever saw looked wiser
than, it seemed to us. the Creator ever
intended any man to be.
But in our day there is much putting
on of the "air' of ignorance and inEo-
cence. This, Bret Harte has caricaturod
in that heather Chinese, who was 50
"child-like and bland and sat down -
play little game she did not uu6ct-
stand but who did the business To-
truthful James and his friend, Mr.. VIA.
Nye.
Beware of innocent people. Beware
of those whose diet is mothers milk.
The babes of grace will prove too much
for you, if you let their "airs" deceive
you. Smoothly shaved old politicians
with faces like those of over-grown boys
blunderingly honest, not caring for an
pearances enough to put their clothes on
decently-dcar, bucolic old gentlemen
they can show you a trick worth two OF
of any that the professed gamblers IN
politics can exhibit. The greatest scoun-
drel you ever knew could not ccmrrc-
hend the meaning of the sins you charged
him with, on discovery, and looked Va
cantly innocent while you reyiled him.
Is not this so?
What folly this putting on airs = \
young preacher undertakes to carry the
style of the archbishop OF Canterbury: n
man of business walks around his store.
condescendingly pointing out to his Gus
toners what goods he has. with slight
rattan held in kid-gloved hands; n girl
a: Long Branch, or the Springs, behaves
like a member of some old knicks,-
booker family, when everybody know
that her grandfather drove dray and
her mother rctailed gingerbread; you'll
who was raised Oh bacon and beans III i
country cabin where floors never saw 4
carpet makes more trouble nj 4 hot'l
table or in a boarding house than trav-
cling nobleman: oh, what fantastic tricks
are these!
My friend, if people do not see thee,
why put on airs? ," If they do sec tLoe.
dust TIL. u not know that they see through
thee? Then why be putting on airs
Put off airs and put on honesty-and be