Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-06-22
Manners and Service.
Boston Advertiser.


spoil tempers and make life disagreea-
bic might be avoided by calling things
by their right names. For instance,
a great amount of bad manners and
insoIence passes current in all classes
of society as independence, personal
pride or social superiority. 1t is diff.
fcult to define real independence of
character to tell just what the combi-
nation of self.respect, good judgment
and mental strength is which makes
it; but it is easy enough to tell what it
is not. When cook boils the mutton
she was told to roast, she is disobedient,
not independent. When a writer re-
venges his personal sights in news
paper, or gratifies dislike Of his neigh
Dor by false imputation of motives, he
playes the part of a coward, and has
no courage in him. When passen-
ger stretches his legs across horse
car, or sits sideways with his feet in
his neighbor's way, and looks like a
thunder-clond at any one who stumbles
over him, he is simply a nuisance and
intensely disagreeahle.
The false notion that work for an
employer is incompatible with inde-
pendence and service Incompatible
with pride, have made immeasurable
mischief in the world. 1t is evident
that the old fashioned doctrines of
humility and self-sacrifce are of little
account among men, excepting as
pleasant theories to be preached from
the pulpit and moralized about in con-
ference meetings. "In honor preferring
one another" "ministering instead Of
being ministered unto" are not the or
dinary rales of life. Yet everybody
is bound to some kind of service !;
everybody is dependent upon his fel-
lows; the veriest recluse must have
food, clothes, and a shelter and if he
can make these himself he is still de-
pendent upon the courtesy Of his
neighbor to let him alone. 1t is i'm
possible to be wholly independent, and
the attempt might as we'll be abandon
ed. But it is possible to be reasona-
BILE that is within the reach of every
one. Sinecures and perquisites are
sweet to the faithless and lazy of both
sexes and all classes, from politicians
and the hangers-on ofparties all along
the line to ignorant cooks and over
dress waiters-they are all alike un-
deserving the name of servant, public
or private, and they should be called,
as they are, shirks and sponges.
Here one is inclined to pause and
at what point in the social scale does
the word servant become objectiona-
BILE? A public servant is proud ofthe
title and when a man calls himself
servant of the people he assumes a IL
tie that is finer to the common ear
than that of servant of God. To be
n servant Of the church is the ambition
of brilliant and learned men Z; to serve
at the altar means something better
than to ofFiciate there. The measure
ofprofessional and scientific reputation
is the service done. The expression
of the most graceful courtesy is, Com
mand me-hOw can | serve you ?
The phrase of formal respect Is, "Your
obedient servant" And yet, unac
countably, the very service that friends
do for each other, that the members OF
a family give in common, if they hap
pen to be poor in money, is absurdly
considered disgraceful, personal dis
honor, when performed for wages.
The dishoner cannot come in with the
pay, for the President is paid, and so
are legislators, honorable and dishoL.
orable. Ministers are paid, and doc
tors and scientists. The fact is that
heads are full of nonsense about these
things that it is hard to get at the
sound reason which would set them
right. Everybody-for the exceptions
are so few that it is safe to say every
body-must have relations with other
human beings, his equals, his inieri-
ors and his superiors if he lives he
must do something, and what he does
must serve or harm himself and other
people. To be absolutely independent
and free from service, We repeat, is
granted to no one and even the
choice of service and of fellow-workers
is very much limited. To talk of
freedom is in great part sheer boast
ing. We are born in harness; and
the best we can do is to keep the har-
ness from chafng, and to make it a
help.
Having tried to find out what they
can do and what they want others to
do for them, let people give the faith
fulness they require, and let us stop
calling insolence spirit, rudeness indie
pendence, noisy self assertion manli-
ness, conceit pride, and boorishness
dignity. Give credit for good work,
whether it is eulogy or pudding, and
confess that success is doing well that
which one undertakes. Duties rs we'll