The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-05-07
THE WAY OF THE WORLD.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
In that portion of the globe where
two people, meeting, greet each other
with the genial process of rubbing their
noses together, the proud and the rich
are satisfied with giving their poorer
brethren a nasal touch; but two old
friends will rub their noses on each side,
to and fro, like as butcher sharpens
his knife.
In our supremely civilized land,
Dives, when rather uppish, will not offer
his hand to lower acquaintance. They
bow to the custom of what sailors call
clipping the tin;" and literally they
shake hands as would fish. We have
known great men-very great men, IN
their own opinion-who afforded us
only one finger to shake hands with
an index, in more senses than one, OF
the esteem in which they held the
wondering young fellow whom they
patronized. And in the old schOo! we
have heard that it was the custom of
such people-gentlefolk, no doubt, but
not of the highest school-to wave and
waggle their hands at persons whom
they cared little for; as much as to
say, "Fellow, keep your distance-we
are on speaking terms, and that is
enough"
AS rule, however, the magical clasp
of hand, by which one can tell so much,
is conventionally observed all over the
civilized world; and here where every
body is equal to everybody else, the
president stands in his reception-room
and shakes hands with all the crowd
that streams in-sometimes with two
thousand persons in one day-until his
arm aches from the thumb to the Shout
der blade.
Let us own, then, with all wise men,
that conventional politeness is abso-
lutely virtue, because it is neces-
sity. "Gentlemen who live together"
SAYS Rochefoucald, must be polite to
each other;" and Lord Chesterfield fol-
lows in the same strain, and in one of
his letters gives the following excel
lent advice to his son: know, then,
that as learning, honor, and virtue are
absolutely necessary to gain you the
esteem and admiration of mankind,
politeness and good breeding are equal
ly necessary to make you welcome and
agreeable in conversation and COM
mon life. Great talents, such as hon.
or, virtue, learning and parts, are
above the generality of the world, who
neither possess them themselves, nor
Judge of them rightly in others; but all
people are judges of the lesser talents
such as civility, affability, and an oblig'
ing agreeable address and manner; be-
cause they feel the good effects of them
as making society (or life) easy and
pleasing"
This is very wisely and admirably
expressed; and it is so true that a little
reflection will call to mind how much
pleasure an easy and good-natured ad
dress always gives, and how much pair
is caused by rudeness and boorishness
Good d-natured politeness is the best hal
of Christianity; and certainly he wh'
at the end of life can reflect that n
never uttered rude word, or gave pail
to any poor man or woman whom n
addressed, would lie more easily thai
he whose presence was felt because o
4 his sneers, and whose address was re
membered because of its cutting sal
casm. And there are men, and wome
too, whose tongues seem not to hav
\ been made of flesh and blood, but to hav
been forged like steel swords only t
:, wound.
= In other walks of life the ways Of tn
o world serve her we'll. Uniform in tn
o army and navy does we'll; the unifor1
q really does make the soldier. Conver
4 tional piety is very bad; the goodnes
- that is assumed is generally of the mos
q rotten description-as unlike the rel
- thing as can be; but conventional bra'
;. cry has more than once stood people
a good stead.
% A celebrated colonel, who had o
tanned many decorations and a cro