Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-06-27
THE SMALL couRTEsIes.
by Observing Them the rr,o,,o
Could BE Vastly MIt,eatad

ny Observing Them tho Fr,o,,o
could Do Vastly MItieated,
inc friction of life, which wears nnon
health' nerves and temper, could Ina
vastly mltigated by the cultivation O,
oohimon' everyday politeness. The
rum ~ thataverage politenessi is super.
ncial. ltexpands itself in formalities.
IN what is called the payment of social
debts; in the prompt return of calls ond
.ne exact rendition of social obligations.
but the ordinary courtesy which ought
W DC everyday custom, or, rather a
part OF the nature, is woefully neglect
Cd Disregard of propriety begins with
ene children. One can recall in their
acquaintance few families in which def.
erence to age, respect for parental an
'nority' Tor the wisdom and experience
Oh Their elders, have been inculcated
with regard for truth, honesty and puri.
W OF thought and speech.
IL Is not required OF child that he
snail say good morning. when he en-
ters the room at breakfast or ssgood
night when he leaves it for his he'd TT
never occurs to him to rise and offer his
cnair TO ms parents, or discommode
himself in any way for the convenience
and comfort of others, because he has
never been taught to do SO.
| with all the progress that has been
made in art and science, and in educa
ton, so far as it pertains to the mind
and body, the bad breeding of the Or
binary human being appears only tho
more glaring. Street cars and steam
cars are filled with men who spit inces-
sanity, defling the floor and frequently
the garments of those who, unfortu-
nately, must sit beside them; with gum
chewing men and women both, and
with persons who there discuss their
private affairs in tones that nav be
overheard by the driver on the platform.
People with no understanding or ap-
probation frequent the theater and
opera; they do not care to hear them.
selves; they are there to be seen, or to
say that they went, and they ruin the
enjoyment of every body around them.
This vulgarity is not confined to the
poor and the ignorant. II is probably
more common among those who, if they
have not the right natural instinct,
have had the opportunity to see and
learn.
Persons who consider themselves suf-
dciently courteous neglect the small
matters, although in the greater they
may be fastidiously exacting, They
ignore the questions in letters; they
neglect to return the book or whatever
else may have been borrowed; or, if it
has been unavoidable delay fail to make
the explanation and apology that are
due. They fail to acknowledge by word
Or letter the favor they did not hesitate
to accept, and worse than all, discrim-
mate between the poor, the friondless,
and the rich and those who are greatly
sought.
The genuinely-courteous act is like
the quality of mercy: tits twice blessed.
1t gives pleasure to the recipient if he
be of an appreciative nature, and it is
benefit to the doer. 1t may be selfish
view to take of the question, but wom-
an can nor afford, for her dignity's sake,
to be insolent, overbearing and con-
temptuous in her treatment of those who
are, perhaps, enormously classified as
her social interiors. Noblesse oblige;
the greater her advantages financially,
mentally and in point of birth-for
birth may be an advantage even in
democratic repuhlic-the more should
be required of Eer in every way.
Indifference to the feelings of an
equal may be simple rudeness; to one
who in some respects may be the in
ferior but by no means in all, is not
only rudeness but it is cowardice as ,
we'll, for it is taking advantage of a po-
sition which permits neither defense
nor retaliation. In all the modern
struggle for culture it is too much Gull
tivation of brains alone Intelligence
that is well bred is ten times as useful
as that which makes mere intellectual
ability an excuse for all sins of omis
sion or commission. In this enlight-
ened age no man, though he be as wise
as Solomon, has right to be a boor.
No woman has right to be other than
a gentlewoman, and the more talent,
genius and learning they possess, the
more gracious and refined should be
the manner.-Chicago Inter-Ocean.