St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-02-13
MANNERS OF GIRLS.


MANNERS OF GIRLS.
Rules which Should BE Faithfully Oh
served by All Who Would Become Trul
Polite and Amiable.
In the rules which well-bred peopl
observe in eating and drinking, there
is no difference whether a person is OLE
oryoung, man or a woman, a boy OF
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 OF 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
ALI these things are taught i'm nearly
every family to both boys and girls,
~. forgotten. One has often to be re-
minded a good many times of what is
right before one gets in the way of do
ing it. 1t is very charming to see
young people sitting quietly at table,
eating and drinking in 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
nice and considerable manner toward
those who are under them. dare saw
my young readers are respectful toward
their elders, but are they always kind
to servants? Will they pause and ask
themselves that question?
I d. not think it at all pleasant to
see a girl gesticulating at q servant,
and ordering her here and there, and
yet am sorry to say this exhibition of
bad manners and bad taste is not un-
common. When q 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-people, / am afraid it is because
she has not o good heart. Perhaps.
however, 1t is only because she is
thoughtless. To my mind, little girl
or boy ought to be even 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 q
kiss for papa, and a kiss for mamma,
and 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 a good-morning" Good
morning is very pleasant thing to
hear, and how easy it is to say itf II
you feel 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 q
little. 1t is better that boys should not
tease, but nothing makes teasing of SO
little account as taking it amiably and
Your brothers will soon Ii
stop teasing you if they find that you
are good-natured through it all. !
Ii is impossible for boys or girls to !.
nave good manners if they are selfish.
GOOD manners are generally founded | :
on consideration for other people. LIN E
order for any one to be truly polite, he 8
must think of the comfort and conyen- .
ence of others. Here are some rules of 4
politeness (which is another word for Q
good manners-all of which have u
thought for other people as their foun- t
1ation: t
It is polite to get up and offer your 4
chair, If it is comfortable one, to an
elder person who enters the room. q
It is polite in company not to take D
he best place by the fire or by the win o
low. e
It is polite to stop talking to your v
when other people are by. t,
1t is polite to listen when anybody n
5 talking or reading aloud. fl
Il is polite never TO interrupt another 4