The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-03-02
dependenc

The old-fashioned virtue Of humility
has fed before the power of that dis
agreeable quality generally mistaken for
independence of character. We have
nothing to say against this independence
when it is properly maintained, and
does not degenerate into insolence but
things are not always called by their
right names; and q great amount of bad
manners and insolence passes current In
all classes of society al independence,
personal pride or social superiority. 1t
is difficult to define real Independence
of character /; to tell just what the COM
bination of self-respect, good judgment
and mental strength is which makes it;
but it is easy enough to tell what it is
not. When a cook boils the mutton she
was told to roast she is disobedient, not
independent. When q writer revenges
his personal Sights in a newspaper, or
gratifies dislike of his neighbor by false
imputation of motives, he plays the part
of a coward, and has no courage In him.
When a passenger stretches. his legs
across a horse-car, or sits sideways with
his feet in his neighbours way, and looks
like q thunder-cloud at n one who
stumbles over him, he is simply a nuis-
ance and intensely disagreeable. The
false notion that work for an employer is
incompatible with independence and
service incompatible with pride, have
made Unreasonable mischief In the
world. The term servant is now an
obnoxious one we have housekeepers
and assistants; parlor-girls and table
girls but no servants. In the stores, the
saleswoman who is paid to wait upon you
bristles angrily if addressed by her pro-
per title, and announces to your startled
| ears the fact. that she is a salesL1dy. As
you cross the crowded street after leav-
ing the naughty damsel's presence, with
the tinkle of her cheap bangles and
| cheaper ear-drops still mingling with
her insolent voice in your memory, you
wonder why the courteous officer who
conducts you safely over the crossing is
not called a police-gentleman /; and
think, in a dazed way, that you must in
future speak of Dinah with due respect
as your washlady, and of Michael as
your ash-gentleman. Why not?. They
are all5saleswoman, policeman, washer
woman and ashman-equal in. the sense
of being servants. Everybody is. bound
to some kind of service; everybody il
dependent upon his fellows ; the veries
recluse must have food, clothes, and 6
shelter and if he can make these him
self he is still dependent upon thu
courtesy of his neighbor to let hin
alone. It is impossible to be wholly in
dependent, and the attempt might a
well be abandoned. All who live mus
do something. Letthis fact be UNIVERSAL,
recognized. Let us stop calling insolenct
spirit, rudeness independence, nois.
self-assertion manliness, coneeit pride
and boorishness dignity. Give credi
for good work, whether it is eulogy or
pudding, and confess that success is dc
ing well that which one undertakes. T
be absolutely independent and free from
service, we repeat, is granted to no one
and ever the choice of service and of fel
low-workers is very much limited. T
talk of freedom is in great part shee
boasting. We are born in harness; an
the best we can do is to keep the harnes
from chatting, and to make it a help.