Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-07-24
The Agreeable Change That Was
Wrought By Fit of PoIiteness.

1t was tall, grim building, crowded
among other tall, grim buildings in the
midst of a great city's noise and con
fusion. The sunshine, because Of these
high buildings on every side, was for
the most par shut away from it. The
fresh breezes from the wide flower
scattered prairies were tangled among
a network of streets and alleys, and
tainted with many a city odor before
they reached il, and the smoke from
the multitudinous chimneys around
hung over it in a cloud that dropped
everywhere in a sooty CRIME. Inside
the long rooms the din Of machinery
sounded from morning till night and a
company Of men ana boys hurried about
their work, for the most part in de-
cidedly surly fashion. For the outer
grimness seemed to have crept, not only
within the thick brick walls, but also
within the hearts of the men who made
up the force Of Short & Farnham's
large printing establishment.
Nobody could tell Just when it began
or quite how It came about; but so it
was that every one in she tall building
such IS the contagion of habit-from
the proprietor in his private office down
through the foreman the compositors,
the pressmen, to the messenger and
errand boys, ali went about incased in
gruf Indifference. Indeed from long
disuse, courtesy and politeness had be-
come so unknown that any one who
hadventured upon them would have been
scotfed at for his pains Outward kind
ness Of speech and manner were in evil
dent disfavor, ana bluntness and rude
ness had become the rule. AS one Of
the men had expressed {, the motto at
Short 4 Farnham's was Every mar for
himself. And the worst of it was that
they rather prided themselves than
otherwise on this state of affairs
Into this establishment there came
one new boy, Jimmy Allen. He was a
little fellow not more than ten years
old, the youngest, the smallest, the
weakest in the whole building The
other boys played tricks upon him,
the men ordered him about. But
an atom of humanity he seemed-a
most insignificant atom at that, whose
hand, you would have said could hold
no power, whose influence would be so
feeble as 10 fall on the air unfelt and
unpreceived.
twas but few days that he had
been at work when the foreman had oc-
casion to send him > long distance, and,
with the parcel he was to take, handed
him a carfare
Thank you, was Jimmy's acknowl-
ed gment. with smile, as he took the
coin.
See here, youngster'' and the fore
mans voice was more than usually
crusty, I'VE don't put on any such frills
here. Thanking folks isn't in our line;
and you had better save that sort of
thing for some place where they use it. 3"
Jimmy looked up at him with a sur
prised expression in his frank, blue
eyes. If you please, sir" he said,
respectfully and half timidly, for the
foreman was to MIN very important
parsonage, to say nothing OF being de-
cidedly formidable, my mother"-and
Jimmy's voice trembled slightly as he
mentioned the name thatrepresented TO
him now but memory, the dearest
earth held, but still a memory only
my mother told me to always saw
Thank you, when any one did me a
service or a favor; and | wouldn't feel
right not to say it" Then taking his
parcel, he sped on his way
The next noon it fell to Jimmy to
carry the foreman the pail OF hot coffee
for his lunch. He took it from his hand
with a responsive thank you.
Isn't that a considerable changer"
was the comment of companion who
was eating beside him, and who noticed |
the act simple in itself, but noticeable
because so unusual there.
well, he thanked me for car-fare |
yesterday, and don't want to have less
manners than a boy ten years DID,"
replied the foreman, who did not care
to repeat the reproof that the wee lad |
had so innocently and unconsciously |
given.
There is nothing in that, admitted |
the other looking thoughtfully after /
the little figure as it passed down the
long room.
So Jimmy, the youngest the smallest, |
the weakest of all the employees in the /
great printing establishment, went his
way, with his CHEEKY face. obliging
manner and ready and smiling thank
you for any and every service Of kind
ness.
1t may be that others among the men
shared the foremans feeling; that they |
did not want to be outdone in politeness
by child, or it may be that his exam
pie shamed them. or touched and
aroused the latent kindliness Of their
natures. At any rate, as daily he went
- rI 4
frequently did he receive his little coin
Of courtesy again; little coin Of cour-
tesy, trihing IN itself and Of value as
sign and integral part Of the wealth Of