The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-08-23
DIGNITY IN LABOR.

DIGNITY IN LABOR.
WHAT CONSTITUTES THE TRUE
GENTLEMAN.
The Test Applied---Respecting
Himself, So Does He Respect
Others---Riches and Rank Have
No Necessary Connection With
True Gentlemanly Qualities.
There is true dignity in labor, and
no true dignity without it. He who
looks down scornfully on labor is like
Hermes, who had a mouth and no
hands, and yet made faces at those
who fed him, mocking the fingers that
brought bread to his lips. He who
writes a book, or builds a house, or
tills a farm, or follows any useful
employment, lives to some purpose,
and contributes something to the fund
of human happiness. Garibaldi, the
greatest hero of the age, is working
man. Henry Clay was " the mill boy
of the slashes," Daniel Webster knit
his iron frame into strength by working
on his fathers farm when young. A
gentleman is human being combin-
ing a womans tenderness with man S
courage. One very frequently hears
the remark made, that such and such
a man "can be a gentleman when he
pleases," but gentleman never
pleases to be anything else. The
forbearing use of power is a sure
attribute of gentleman indeed We
may say that power-physical, moral,
purely social or political-is one of
the touchstones OF genuine gentleman
ship. The power which the husband
has over his wife, in which we must
include the impunity with which he
may be unkind to her, the father over
his children, the old over the young,
and the young over the aged, the
strong over the weak, the officer over
men, the master of vessel over his
crew, the magistrate over the citizens,
the employer over the employed, the
rich over the poor, the educated over
the unlettered, the experienced over
the confiding, the keeper of secret
over him whom it touches, the gifted
over the silly, the forbearing and
inofensive use of all this power of
authority or total abstinence from
it where the case admits it, will show
the gentleman in plain light.
Every traveller knows at once
whether gentlemanly or rude officer
is searching his trunk. But not only
does the use OF power form touch
stone; even the manner in which an
individual enjoys certain advantages
over Others is test. No gentleman
can boast of the delights of superior
health in the presence of languid
patient, or speak of great good luck
when in hearing of man bent down
by habitual misfortune. Let the man
who happily enjoys the advantages OF
a pure and honest life, speak of it to a
fallen fellow being, and you will soon
see whether he be, in addition to his
honesty, gentleman or not. The
gentleman does not needlessly and
increasingly remind an offender of a
wrong he may have committed against
him. He can not only forgive, he can
forget and he strives for that noble
less of soul and manliness of character
which impart sufficient strength to lei
the past be truly past. He will never
use the power which the knowledge o.
an offence, false step, or an un.
fortunate exposure of weakness give:
him, merely to enjoy the power O
humiliating his neighbor. A true
man of honor feels humbled himsel
when he can not help humbling others
The true gentleman is courteous an6
afectionate to his neighbor. As the
sword of the best tempered metal is the
most flexible, SO the truly generous are
the most plant and courteous in theil
behavior to their interiors. The >tru.
gentleman is one whose nature ha
been fashioned after the highest models
His qualities depend not upon fashion
or manners, but upon moral worth
not on personal possessions, but upor
personal qualities. The psalmst briefly
describes him as one "that walketl
uprightly and worketh Righteousness
and speaketh the truth in his heart.
The gentleman is eminently dis
tinguished by his self-respect. HI
values his character, not SO much o
it only as can be seen by others, bu
as he sees it himself, having regard fol
the approval of his inward monitor
And as he respects himself, SO by tn
same law does he respect Others
Humanity is sacred in his eyes, ane
thence proceed politeness and iorbear
ance, kindness and charity. The tru
gentleman has keen sense of honor
scrupulously avoiding mean actions
His standard of probity in word ano
action is high. He does not shuttle o
prevaricate, dodge nor skulk, but i
honest, upright and straightforward
His law is rectitude-action in righ
lines. When he says yes it is law
and dares to say the valiant no at tn
fitting season. The gentleman vii
not be bribed only the low minde'
and unprincipled will sell themselve
to those who are interested in buying
them. Riches and rank have n
/ necessary connection with genuin
. gsntlemanly qualities. The poor ma
may be true gentleman in spirit ant
in daily life. He may be hones
truthful, upright, polite, temperate
, courageous, seIf-respecting, and sell
helping-that is, be a true gentleman
The poor man with rich spirit
r always superior 20 the rich man with
poor spirit To borrow ST. Paul
: words, the former is as Havln
- r othipo yet nocceccinu all Yhipuc