The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1886-02-10
GOOD MANNERS.

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 woman, a boy or
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, an' 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 dishi 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 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 a neat and cor
rect manner, showing respect for
everybody present; and this is the rea-
son why / 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 cOnsiderate manner toward
those who are under them. ] dare say
my young readers are respectful toward
their elders, but are they always kind
to servants? VIII they pause and ask
themselves that question:
do not think it at all pleasant to
see a girl gesticulating at a servant,
and ordering her here and there, and
yet l 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-
fcctly trained; but when she is over
bearing and unkind toward servants or
work-peOple, / am afraid it is because
she has not a good heart. Perhaps,
however, it 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 a
kiss for papa, and kiss for mamma,
and a sweet " gOOd-mOrning' for ev-
orybody else. 1t is very rude and
under-Dred 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 a very pleasant thing to
hear, and how easy il is to say it! If
you feel little cross, try hard and say
"Good-morning, and you will find
that this salutatiOn will very likely
d drive your crOssness away. One pleas
b ant thing always makes other pleasant
things very easy.
Girls are sometimes very snappish
because their brothers tease them a
little. 1t is better that bows should not
tease, but nothing makes teasing of so
little account as taking il amiablv and
pleasantly. Your brothers will soon
stop teasing you if they find that you
are good-natured through it all.
Its impossible for bows or Girls to
have rood manners if thew are selfish.
Good manners are generally founded
on consideration for other people. In
order for any one to be truly polite, he
must think Of the comfort and conven-
ience of others. Here are some rules of
politeness-which is another word for
GOOD manners-an of which have
thought for other people as their foun-
daton:
1t is polite to oct up and offer vour
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 bv the lire or by the win
dow.
It is polite to stop talking to your
companions when other people are bv.
1t is polite to listen when ANYBODY
is talking or reading aloud.
1t is polite never to interrupt another
when he rs talking. Ii is polite never
TO contradict.
1t is DOlite never To WhisDer when