Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-02-26
GOOD MANNERS.

Rules Which Should BE Faithfully OBJ
served by All Who Would Become Truly
Polite and Amiable.
In the rules which well-bred people
observe in eating and drinking, there
is no difference whether a person is old
or young, a man or q woman, a boy or
a girl, excepting that elderly people
should be helped first, and women be-
fore men. Girls as well as boys must
sit up straight at the meals, and not
lean or put their elbows on the table;
they must not eat too fast; they must
eat with the fork, and not with the
knife; they must not stretch across
another PERSONS plate; they must not
put their knives INTO any dish; they
must not be noisy; they must not
finger objects on the table; they must
not lean back in their chairs; they
must not leave the table before other
| persons have finished.
All these things are taught in nearly
every family to both boys and girls,
but some of these rules are apt to be
forgotten. One has often to be re-
minded a good many times of what is
right before n gets in the way of do
ing it. 1t is very charming to see
young people sitting quietly at table,
eating and drinking in a neat and cor
rect manner, showing respect for
everybody present; and this is the rea-
son why I have repeated to. you all
these rules-which you have heard be-
fore, of course, but neglected to OBJ
serve them.
There is one thing that is particular
ly pleasing in young folks, and that is
a nice and c%onsidcrate manner toward
those who arc under them. I dare say
my young readers are respectful toward
their elders, but are they always kind
to servants? Will they pause. and ask
themselves that question:
do not think it at all pleasant to
see a girl g%esticulating at u servant,
and ordering her here and there, and
yet I am sorry to say this exhibition of
bad manners and bad taste is not un-
common. When a girl is pert and
bold toward her seniors, the reason
may be because she has not been per-
fectly trained; but when she is over
bearing and unkind toward servants or
work-pcople, l am afraid it is because
she has not q good heart. Perhaps,
however, it is only because she is
thoughtless. 10 my mind, a little girl
or boy ought to be rel more careful to
be polite to one below her than to
others, because servants are happy or
unhappy as their masters and mistress
es treat them, and think so much of a
kind word. Let all of us think of the
feelings and happiness of those depend
ent upon us.
Little girls and big girls, too, ought
always to salute everybody pleasantly
in the morning. There should be a
kiss for papa, and a kiss for mamma,
and a sweet "good-morning" for ev-
erybody else. 1t is very rude and
underlined not to salute in this way
each member of the household when
you first meet him or her in the morn
ing.
OF course when you go to school, you
greet your teacher and your classmates
with "good-morning." Good
morning is a very pleasant thing to
hear, and how easy it is to say it! If
you feel a little cross, try hard and say
"Good-morning," and you will find
that this %salutation will very likely
drive your crossness away. One pleas
ant thing always makes other pleasant
things very easy.
Girls are sometimes very snappish
because their brothers tease them a
little. It is better that boys should not
tease, but nothing makes teasing of SO
little account as taking it amiably and
pleasantly. Your brothers will soon
stop teasing you if they find that you
are good-natured through it all.
1t is impossible for boys or girls to
have good manners if they are selfish.
Good manners are generally founded
on consideration for other people. In
order for any n to be truly polite, he
must think of the comfort and conven-
fence of others. Here are some rules of
politeness-which is another word for
good manners-all of which have
thought for other people as their foun-
dation:
1t is polite to get up and offer your
chair, if it is a comfortable one, to an
elder person who enters the room.
1t is polite in company not to take
the best place by the fire OF by the VIM
dow.
1t is polite to stop talking to your
companions when other people are by.
1t is polite to listen when anybody
is talking or reading aloud.
1t is polite never to interrupt another
when he is talking. 1t is polite never
to contradict.
It is polite never to whisper when
you are in company; and it is also po-
lite when you are reading not to keep
on with your book when company
comes into the room.
1t is polite to see chat your guests
are well-heiped at table.
II is polite at the table not to help
yourself to the best apple Or the best
orange or the best piece of cake on the
plate.
1t is polite to give up your playthings
to your playmates.
It is polite to share with your play
mates any little luxury that you may
have-such as a pear. a peach.