Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-01-10
TRUE POLITENESS.
4 Reminder That IL IL Often Missing In
the Home Circle.

4 Reminder That IL Il Often Missing In
the Home Circle.
True politeness is founded on consid-
Grafton for others, yet it is so much OF
matter of form or habit that polite
ness is sometimes shown whore there
Is no consideration; it is sometimes
neglected where there is affection and
every reason for kindly consideration.
Thus in the intercourse of near relatives
made familiar with each other with
daily meetings there is naturally
less fornality than between people who
are only thrown together by chance
for few hours or days at long intervals.
But along with the laying aside of form
atty some necessary features OF polite
ness are sacrificed by relatives and
very close friends. The youth who is
careful to salute his lady friends and
acquaintance according to the usages
Of good society sometimes forgets to
pay the same respect to his sister, not
because he is wanting in affectionate
regard, but becatse he has grown so
familiar with her that it seems awk-
ward TO him to treat her in any formal
way. Yet when he meets her in COM
pany he should, out of consideration
for her, be markedly polite and atten-
tive. Although politeness necessarily
follows to n great extent set forms, it
should have its origin in affection for
the individual, or, in n more general
way, in consideration for others. When
the young man begins TO behave at
home with less politeness than he eX-
hibits abroad there is much danger
that gradually he viii lose that
consideration for his immediate
relatives which he should have
and exhibit. He may begin by
entering the family room without for
NAL greeting; absorbed in his own
thoughts or pursuits, he will soon begin
TO leave his sister and mother to look
out for themselves in the smaller affairs
Of life and gradually but surely he will
cultivate a selfish disposition TO home
affairs that will mako him bad or in
different son or brother. 1t is small
matter in itself whether n young man
lnds a chair for his sister or mother
when they would be seated, anticipates
their desire for a glass Of water, cheer
fully helps them to their wraps and
offers them the thousand little atten-
tons without which in his absence they
could get along very well by their own
eXertiOns, but il is not n small matter
when neglect of such attentions lessons
his consideration for them, developes
his selhshncss, and gradually under
mines the affection that should unite
the family. Politeness in society be-
TWEEN acquaintance or friends is de-
manded by custom. There is no need
to remind readers that it should be ex-
hibited. Politencss at home and be-
tween near relatives, even between huG-
band and wife, though of much more
Importance in every way, is not so OBJ
viously necessary, and is too often reg
lected. Gentlemen of what is known as
tho "old school" were and are scrupu-
lOus in the observance Of the forms of
polite society toward their wives Ind
other female relatives and in the home
circle, but later generation seemed dis
posed to treat relatives with less form
ality and respect than is habitually
shown TO strangers and acquaintances.
The tendency should be resisted, how
ever, and every encouragement given
in the home circle TO an observance of
the rules of polite society, modified only
by a spontaneous exhibition of that
greater affection which eXixts between
the members of family group.-Balti-
more Sun.