The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-05-15
The Habit of Politeness.
PAiladelphia 1edge,.

Philadelphia Ledge'.--
Few persons realize how great pow
er for happiness is welded by the SIM
pie habit of politeness. 1t is frequent
ly regarded as superficial thing, con-
sisting of an adherence to rules and
forms of etiquette, or at best mere
imitation of kindness, which would lose
all value if seen through. Thus many
worthy and sincere people, associating
it with pretence, feel certain contempt
for it, and of course do not cultivate it,
while others, shrewdly seeing in it only
useful lever to gain personal ends, try
to practice it accordingly whenever they
suppose it may re act benefcially upon
their own interests.
Both these classes err in undertaking
true politeness. 1t is not spurious i'm
itation of kindliness, respect or regard,
| neither is it synonymous with them;
but it is their natural outward express
sion. 1t may be defined as the art of
showing by external signs the internal
regard we have for all our fellow-men.
For, while the many different sentiments
we hold towards those bound to us by
different ties are symbolized, each by
| different and appropriate conduct, the
| universal sentiment of brotherhood be-
tween man and man finds fitting man
| Hesitation in politeness. While our
friends may claim our love and loyalty,
the aged our reverence, great and good
men our respect and esteem and the un-
fortunate our sympathy, all may justly
claim that general regard that expresses
itself in polite behavior. Therefore,
although politeness has many counter
feits, it is in itself true and honest coin
and should be respected as such.
Selfshness often initiates it through
policy. People vaguely believing that
it pays to be polite take pains to act po-
litely where they see fair chance of
reward. To superiors in wealth or sta
ton, to customers or clients, to those
who can render them favors, they will
hasten to show little attentions and re-
spectful interest; but to interiors, to
children, to the poor or to strangers
they will be curt, blunt and even rude.
Much of what passes for politeness in
society is of this nature. The forms
which etiquette prescribes are strictly
obeyed, no rule is infringed, no cere'
mony omitted, pleasant little acts ol
thoughtful kindness are numerous, and
general feeling of satisfaction pervades
the company. Now, if we follow these
people to their homes, and there find
them rude, thoughtless and selfish, we
may be sure that what we had. supposed
to be polteness was nothing more than
very narrow notion of self-interest.
The truly polite man is polite to his
children in the nursery, to his employees
in the factory, to the stranger in the
street, to the crowd who jostle him, tc
the poor whom he relieves, to the vi
cious whom he rebukes, as we'll to those
whose society he Graves and whose es.
TEEN is dear to him. All are his breth-
rem, and to all he willingly accordS thl:
token of Brotherhood.
| To become really polite, therefore
we must cultivate kind and friendly
feeling to all. The desire to please ol
to aid every one, to the best of oul
ability, is the first and most important
thing. Then may we study to advan
tage the most fitting and graceful ex
preston of this honest feeling. Both O.
these can be inculcated moss easily and
thoroughly in childhood. Both can be-
come habits of life, which will prove
invaluable. To develop the heart and
instruct the manners correspondingly
should be the aim of every guardian o.
youth. The exercise of kindly feeling
will always increase it, and the expires
sion of it, begun as a duty, will soor
become delight. Children quickly re
spond to the real sentiments of those
with whom they mingle. 1t is not diff
ficult to excite their emotions or to leac
them to appropriate expression. Too
often they are trained by precept ane
example to be carefully polite to visi
tors, or to those whom, from dress ano
appearance, they suppose to be gentle
men and ladies, while they are suf
fered, unreproved, to be rude to poorl,,
dressed or awkard people, to servant
or to each other. Thus the habits, botl
of feeling and expression, become fixe'
within them and they grow up to be es
sentially impolite people, though the
may be versed in all the etiquette Q
society. On the other hand, the chile
who is habituated to feel kindly and t.
act pleasantly and graciously to e0e,.
one at all times-to desire their happl
ness and to promote it when he can, t
have cheerful smile or cordial wor'
or quick act of self sacrifice alway
ready when needed-may or may nc
move in what is called, often errone
ously, the 'best society," but will, alway
. and under all circumstances, be polit
in the best and most enduring sense.
1t is superfuous to say that one wit
: these habits will have certainty {
much happiness and good prospect
success. The pleasures he scatter
react in a tenfold measure upon hin
: self. The contagion of his kindly spir
spreads around, and every one is read
and anxious in turn to please or to ser'
i. nfIo