The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-02
AMERICAN CHILDREN.
HOW MUCH THEY DIFFER FROn
PARTISAN LITTLE DhRLlNCS.
French Children Taught 20 Behave Them
sclycs--,-,icir Politcncss Towards Elders
In Vivid Contrast to youn: Americas
Ways--Tho Secret OF the Matter.

Ways--Iho Secret OF the Matter.
Speaking Of American children | have
often wondered why it was that they were
cgncrsl.y 50 trying TO the world at large
| outside Of their immediate families
French children are treated with quite as
much ii not r,orc injudicious indulgence
have known French parents to stipalate
before accepting Gn invitation 10 dinner
party. that they should be- allowed to
bring with then their darling daughter
aged six And this WAS 10y no means I'm
isolated or extraordinary instance But
no ono ever saw French child swinging
on the back of visitors chair OF pol;ing
it's fingers into the callers neck or crawl.
ing under the table TO investigate the
caliers shoes or taking his or her UNI
brella to ride cock horse on it. or playing
circus around the center table with whoops
and yells enough to deafcn the bystanders
while visit was in progress.
TIE BAD BOY IN PARIS.
Passing along the Paris streets. If YOU
see well dressed boy Of or Swinging on
all the iron bars in front Of the shop win.
dows, getting into peoples way, aud
making nuisance of himself generally,
rou may be sure that the youth is an en-
bryo citizen Of the great United States.
t On one occasion, in a London boarding
house, two BOYS of 10 and respectively
tried to hoist up a bowl of custard from
the hall table down stairs 10 the third
| floor landing by means of a moose OF cord.
| or course the bowl was overturned and
broken and the table and carpet were
dclugcd with The custard. Deing left I'm
punished, and even unrehuked, 10y their
! parents, they lowered next day sponge
| into the SOUP tureen aid the family were
forthwith requested TO leave the house.
do not wonder that the landlords Of flats
or furnished houses in America refuse
often u take families with children.
When one hears of 4 set of furniture COW
cred with fine stamped leather having its
covering cut into strips by the children Of
an American tenant CHS occurred in a
London hOtel). one ceases TO marvel at the
apparent cruelty Of those proprietors who
seek q shut out such destructive imps
from their premises. Nor are these dread
ful Young ones the scions Of people In q
class If life in which one would usually
expect to find ignorance Of the finer in
stincts Of lifc have seen an American
boy belonging to one Of the most aristo-
cratic families in the United States seated
on tn Goor 1T juvenile party with
plate piled high with delicacics between
his le 8. and gobJlng down the dainties
with v'eoutL noises and unrestrained
greediacss.
Nov, i'aesc dreadful small boys and
girls sl.-cst Invariably grow up into well
-. = itt.f
source OF their i'll conduct IN childhood
arises f-.n the fact that american pa
rents seldom or never think it worth
while 70 teach their children manners. A
French boy or girl is trained from its
earliest infancy to rise from its seat when
q stranger enters the room, to sit per
fcctly still when making a call. and not
TO speak Ill. spoken to, to remain quiet
when taken ont driving. and not 10 ask
for water or 90 complain Of being tired,
TO walk along the street like a lady or q
gentleman, never 70 touch the belongings
of any grown person. etc have staid |
ut the homo of Il French lady whose !
Youngest aud idolized child was then
fine boy Of q In the absence Of hi, father
the Young gentleman (Which he was, most
emphatically) would gravcly enact the
part Of host, offering me bis slender arm
TO take ne out 10 dinner and 20 lead me
back TO my seat. and always leaving nee
with the profound bow required byt.cnch
etiquette.
POLITENEss TOWARDS ELDERS.
Tho American bog or girl, even when
nearly grown up, is entirely ignorant ~
any form or dcmonst ration II pJlitenesc
1. /. IL Of
young country people, unless educated III
Europe. ever think Of rising when an
elder person enters the room, of drawing
aside 60 let such n person first pass
through doorway. OF reiincuishing q
scat on the sofa or in an arm chair CD an
elderly visitor, etc. IL IS not their fault
their parcats lave never trained them
In manners while they were little children
had au cxomplilication of the difference
IA manners between French and American
children the other day whilst paying a
call 10 one of the great Partisan hotels
As | was waiting 10 yet into tie elevator
an American bog, about years OF age
pushed past me with all his small
strength, jumped into the elevator and
took the only available seat. leaving me
TO stand. My visit once paid left my |
friend room and encountered in the hall |
a group Of French children, seated on a |
sofa and evidently waiting for some one.
On seeing me. one of the number, little |
fellow in q collcgian's uniform instantly !
slipped of of his seat and raised lis cap |
to salute me as | approached. Possibly |
the American boy may grow up much |
finer fellow and viii be hereafter more |
really polite TO ladies than hs Partisan |
conteri poraiy But meanwhile The latter |
is by far The most agreeable individual for |
an elderly lady to encounter casually.
The secret of the whole matter is that |
manners, like foreign languages, should |
be taught T. children Ia their earliest |
years. have heard American parents |
tall, Of the charm Of letting children grow |
up natural and unrcs trained The natural |
and unrostrained ii. G., the unframed ard
UNRESTRICTED child is n detestabie howl
ing littlc sa;agc. If the world, as In the
days OF Eden, held only che married pair
and their offspring such case Of severely
letting alono the intoxicating If what sogo
one calls tho minor morals Of humanity
would do well enough. Buttas long a.
there are people on earth who Arc liable to
be worried BY other peoples children it is