The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-11-10
Politeuess Of French Children.

Politeness with the French is a matter
of education as we'll as nature. The
French child is taught that lesson from
the beginning of its existence, and it is
made O part of its life. 1t is the one
thing that is never forgotten. The ship
wrecked Fceuchman who could not get
into a boat. as he was disappearing under
tine waves raised his hat, and with such
a bow as he could make under the cir.
cumstances, said, "Adieu, Mesdames !;
Adieu, Messieurs," and went to the
fishes. I doubt not that it really oc-
CURED, for 1 have seen ladies' splashed
by a cab on rainy day, smile politely at
the driver. A race that has m of
that degroo of politeness can never be
anything but polite. When such exas-
peration as splashed skirts and stockings
will not ruf1e them, nothing will.
The children are delightful in this
particular French children do not go
about clamoring for the best places and
sulking if they do not get them, and
talking in a rude, b~oisterous way. They
do not taxa fav0rs and attentions as q
matter of course, and unacknowledged.
The slight st attention shown them is
acknowleda ed by the sweetest kind of o
bow-not the dancing masters bow, but
a genuine one-and the invariable
"Merci, Monsieur !" or Madame, or
Mademoiselle lie, as the case may be.
Twas in q. compartment with a little
French boy of twelve, the precise age at
which Amercan children, as a rule, de-
serve killing for their rudeness and dis
a-preeableAess He was dressed fault
| lessly, but his clothes were not the chief
| charm. [ sat between him and the open
window and. ne was eating pears. Now,
an American boy of that age would
| either have dropped the cores upon
the floor, or tossed them out of the win
dow without o word to anybody. But
this small gentleman every time, with a
"permit me, Monsieur" said i'll the
most pleasant way, rose and came to the
window and dropped them out, andthen,
"Merci, Monsieur" as he quietly took
his seat. 1t was o delight. I am sorry
to say that such small boys do not travel
on American railroads to any alarming
extent. Would they were more fire.
quent.
And when in his seat, if an elderly
person or any one else came in, he was
the very first 10 rise and offer his place il
it were in the slightest degree more com
Portable than the one vacant. and the
good nature with which he insisted upon
the new conner taking it was something
altogether too sweet for anything" as
the faro bankeress would say.
And this boy was no exception. Hi
was not a'showboy out posing before thu
great American Republic, or such of i
as happened to be in France at the time
but he was a sample, a type of the regu
lation French child. 1 have seen just a
much p~olteness in the ragged waits il
the iFaubourg St. Antoine, where tn
child never sDw the blue sky more thai
the little patches that could be seen owe
the tops of sew en- stored houses, as
ever did in the Champs Elysee. On
Sunday at st. Cloud, where the ragge'
children of poverty are taken by thei
mothers for air anti light, it was a de
light to fill the pockets with sweets t
give them. They had no money to buy
and the little human rats looked long
ingly at the riches of the candy stands
and a sous worth made the difference
between perfect happiness and hal
pleasure. You gave them the sou
worth, and what a glad smile came t
the lips, and accompanied with it wa
the delicious half bow and half courtesy
and ~invariable "Merei, Monsieur" On
little tot, who could not speak, filled he
tiny mouth with the unheard Of delics
cies she had received, and, too young t
say "merci," put up her lips to b
kissed.-Nas5y, in Toledo Blade.