Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-12-12
important Trifles.

John Wright was the son of day labor
er, man of dissipated life and coarse
habits Tohn had no home teaching, no
family traditions. no associations to lift
him upward. But he had talent, great
vigor of mind and body, and much am
bition. He began as a newsboy, worked
his way through school and into college.
In his Freshman year he wrote to a
friend, Il can conquer any difficulty be-
| fore me as a scholar. | am not afraid of
mathematics or Of language dead or living,
but to enter room with well-bred
eat meal, cannot meet an acquaintance
| in the street without committing what
people call breach of good manners.
"The thousand and one trifing rules of
etiquette terrify me. I am resolved to dis
regard them. will not be slave to a
code laid down by other men. / will be a
scholar and an honest man, and brush
aside these cobweb lines which hamper
me"
John carried out his resolution. He was
a moral man, earnest in his purpose to live
a pure and honorable 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 friend
ships with educated men and gentle women
which helped them throughout life, he was
neglected.
'.He was be good Christian" said the
wife of the President-"but will not ask
to my table man who puts his knife into
the butter, and who keeps his hat on when
I am speaking to him"
81 do not wish to wish to know a woman
who judges me by such trihes," said
Wright, when this speech was repeated tC
him. But the neglect hurt him.
When he left college, too, and entered
professional life, he found that these
"trifes' drove friends away from hin
wherever he went. His ability brought
him clients, but his rude and coarse man
ners made him subject Of their contemp
and ridicule.
He removed to a town in the far Yves
hoping to leave prejudice behind him, bu
his new acquaintances pronounced hin
vulgar after five minutes intercourse, an'
never offered to bring him to their homes
homes or introduce him TO their families
Shut out from the society of women o
the better class he was forced to choos
an uneducated wife. His children are a
rude and ungenlle himself
IL should have taken rank" he salt
once, bitterly, with gentlemen. Blu
they judged me by my coat of manners
and mistook me for footman."
If gentleman voluntarily wears th
livery of footman, he should not com
plain if he is mistaken for one. Too man
boys, confident of their own high purpos
in life, despise as petty the observances q
good breeding. They forget that thes
obseryances are the language, the sign
which gently bred people in all nation
have devised to express their good pm
pose in life. They are the essence of com
/ mon sense and kindly feeling.
A man cannot quote Greek or declait
poetry at hotel table to establish hi
claim to education or refinement. But
can do it by his quiet voice, by his unobtrr
sive and simple bearing.
, He cannot announce to O car full {
, people the kindly sympathy toward a
| mankind, which swells his heart to burs
ing. But the smile with which he leave
his seat for an old black woman will e,
rracc xUifhout word
A gilt button on a cap is not sma
matter if it shows the difference between
boor and a nobleman.-YoatHs Con