The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-23

John Wright was the SOL 81 "@s
Iaborer. a man Of dissipatcd life anu
coarse habits. John had no home
teaching. 30 family traditions, no
associations to lift him upward.
But he had talent, great VlgoI OF
mind and body, and much ambition.
He began as a newsbOY, worked
his way through school and into
college.
In his Freshman year he wrote |
to friend, II can conquer any |
difficulty before me as a scholar.
am not afraid of mathematics or OF
languages dead or living, but 10
enter room with weIEbred woman
in it makes me trembIe. | cannot
eat a meal, I cannot meet an ac-
0uaintance in the street without
committing what people call a
breach of good manners.
"The thousand and one trjhing
rules of etiquette territy me. ! am
resolved to disregard them. will
not be a slave to a code LAID down
by other men. l will be scholar
and an honest man, and brush aside
these c0bweb lines which hamper
me-"
John CARED out his resolution.
lie was a moral man, earnest IN his
purpose to 1--we Il pure and honor
able life; he stood at the head Of
his class in college. But while the
other men in the class were invited
into the homes of the professors,
and made friendships with educated
men and gcntIcwomen which helped
them throughout life. he was neg
leCtCd.
ale may be a good Christian"
said the wife OF tile President, "but
l VIII not ask to my table man
who puts his knife into the butter,
and who keeps his hat on when |
am speaking to him"
II do not wish to know a woman
who Judges me by such tritles,' -
said wright, when this speech was
!, repeated to him.
Eut the NEGLECT hurt him,
} When he left college, too, and
} entered q professional life, he found
} that these ''trtles" drove friends
? away from him wherever he went.
. His ability brought him clients, but
his rudeness and coarse manners
made him q subject Of their con
, tempt ana ridicule.
} lie renewed to a town ii the faI
: West hoping to leave preJudict
/ behind him, but his new acQuain
| tances pronounced him vulgar after
! five minutes intercourse, and neyel
offered to bring HIM to their homes
or introduce him to their families.
Shut out from the society o
. the better class, he was forced t
choose an uneducated wife. HI.
] children are as rude and ungentl,
as himself
= Il should have taken rank" h
Y SAID once, bitterly, "with gentlemen
c But they judged me By my coat Q
: manners, and mlstOOk me- for
: footman."
J. If a gentleman voluntarily wear
r the livery of a footman, he shOult
b not complain if he is mistaken TO
II one. Too many boys confident 0
e their own high purpose III life
# despise as petty the OOSeryances Q
G good breeding. They forget tia
4 these ObServances are the language
c the signs which gently bred peopI
:. in all nations have devised to e2
d press their good purpose in life
IF They are the essence Of c0mmo
sense and kindly feeling.
e A man cannot quote Greek G
X declaim poetry at hotel table
n establish his claim to education G
II refinement. But he can do 1t b
1t his quiet voice, by his unob8truslv
e and simple caring.
lie cannot announce to car fu
l Of people the kindly sympath
It toward all mankind, which swell
Z ills heart to bursting, But til
e smile with which he leaves his sea
for an Old black woman VIII expires
' it without word.
o A gilt button on a cap is not
:. small matter if it shows the ditI4
e ence between a toor and noh,,
n man.