The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-06-11
ruE WEATHER.
WHAT 10 A GENTLEMAN.

nf our readers who do not find five dollar
notes a. thick as leaves in Vallambrosa.
According to Bradstreet's, Montana has
d Of these notes per capita than any
state Ii the union, but we observe that
the chase still goes Of and is especially
interesting during the prevailing string
ency in the money market. Perhaps
the New York Sun was thinking Of this
when IL offered five dollars for the best
definition Of q gentleman; and from the
multiplicity Of answers we assume that
many New Workers are either in strait
ened circumstances or that there is a
general awakening OF interest in this
matter at the home OF that fine old gem
tleman from New Netherlands, Father
Kniokerbocker.
But what is q gentleman One cor
respondent says that the is man who
ct all times practices the golden rules"
another gives 8 definition which we
think worthy Of the prize, when he says
. gentleman is Manhood Framed;" and
another believes that an American gen.
tleman is one who lives up to u con-
stitutional ideas Of equality, liberty,
fraternity. Thackeray seems to have
embodied the ideas Of the majority when
he said: "What is it to be a gentleman?
IL it to have lofty aims, to lead q pure
life, to keep your honor virgin; to have
the esteem Of your fellow citizens, and
the love OF your Preside; to bear good
fortune meekly; to suffer evil with con-
stancy, and through evil and good to
maintain truth always? Show me the
happy man whose life exhibits these
qualities, and him we will salute as gen.
tleman, whatever his rank may be; show
me the prince who possesses them, and
he may be sure Of our love and loyalty"
This is truly the definition of such q
man as we would love to know and have
for q friend. We would know where to
find him every day in the week and
know that when found he would stay
with us 90 long as we were right. We
might find this man in a dress suit or in
overalls; he might be in high Office or a
toiler in the heat of the day, but wher-
over found, he would be a ~self-respect-
ing, courteous, considerate and honora-
Bile mar and, therefore, a gentleman.
Such a man, however, might not be
admitted to very excellent circles OF
society for very excellent reasons
Gifted with all the qualities suggested
suggested by Thackeray, he might be
lacking in some Of the things included
in this definition Of a gentleman, given
by Cardinal Newman: "The carriage,
the dress, gait, voice, address, gestures,
the ease, the self possession, the our
tesy, the power Of conversing, the tai
emit Of not offending, the lofty princi-
Piles, the delicacy of thought, the happi-
ness of expression, the taste and propri.
ETY., the generosity and forbearance, the
candor and consideration, the openness
Of hand"
In other words, Thackeray's gentle.
man might be all that he says, and yet
not wear clean linen, or keep his face
shaved or his boots BACKED, like the
gentleman of Cardinal Newman.
All Of us have ideas of what a gentle
man should be, and by combining thu
views Of these two eminent authors, w
seem to reach a very satisfactory detini
tion. AS Tennyson once said, it is q
grand old word" 1t does not signify al
ideal, since we are all afflicted will
weaknesses and sin, but it conveys t.
our minds the pictures of a dozen 0
more men we have known. That Il gen
tleman, like q poet, is born and no
made, is but partly true. He must hay
those instincts of honor and considera
ton for others. but he must also hay
good breeding, and the best school fo
this is the home.